Accident simulation at Wm. E Hay Secondary Campus

Warning: This story deals with sensitive topics

A scream pierced the rainy morning of May 16th.

The simulated accident 2024 at the Wm. E Hay Secondary Campus in Stettler had begun.

Shortly before, the graduates were called out of their classrooms and led to the school parking lot.

Unbeknownst to them, the graduating class would witness a mock accident staged by members of the Stettler First Responder community.

As the students reached the parking lot, they were greeted by several members of the Stettler Regional Fire Department, including Deputy Chief Brugman.

In the parking lot behind him was a car covered with a blue tarp.

Brugman presented the scenario to the students: Three classmates were walking near Rochon Sands when an accident occurred.

The students listened as the fire department radios indicated an incoming call. In a calm voice, the dispatcher indicated which call the emergency responders were being routed to.

The tarpaulin was removed and the actors got to work.

One of her classmates, Drew, played the driver, who was only seriously injured.

A second man, Gray, had been “thrown” out of the vehicle and was lying stretched out on the hood of the white car.

A third, Josh, was out of sight but trapped in the back seat.

As the actors began, the sirens of nearby emergency vehicles sounded and seconds later, fire trucks, ambulances and police cars from Stettler’s emergency teams rolled onto the stage.

The graduates watched as their classmates were examined. Gray, presumed dead and covered with a blanket, was led by Drew to the ambulance and then to the police car.

While the fire department began rescuing the third student, a firefighter got into the vehicle so he would not be alone.

After about 20 minutes, the doors and roof of the vehicle were removed so Josh could gain access. He was taken out, placed directly on a spinal stretcher, secured and taken to the ambulance.

After the injured were cared for, employees of the Parkland Funeral Home entered the scene. With the help of firefighters still on the scene, they removed Gray from the hood of the car and placed her in a body bag before driving away.

A tow truck from Fast Times Towing then arrived to remove the vehicle.

For 35 minutes, the whole scene seemed as if nothing had happened. But what had happened could not be erased from the students’ minds, especially since the next part was about to begin.

After the tow truck left, the graduates were escorted to the Performing Arts Centre.

The graduates watched as one of them, Drew, was “arrested” for driving under the influence.

They listened as a news report was read about the accident and the subsequent arrest.

There was silence as the various first responders stepped forward and spoke about the impact of their work. Their general message was: “Don’t make us work.”

Gray’s father stepped forward and spoke about the loss of his daughter.

Josh, who was paralyzed by the accident, rolled onto the stage and talked about his now changed plans for the future.

Drew talked about how, even though she was “the lucky one,” she didn’t feel that lucky.

A casket was rolled onto the stage as a representative from Parkland Funeral Services spoke, discussing the role of the funeral home in someone’s death. The casket was left in place as Hardy’s “Give Heaven some Hell” played to close the somber event.

Finally, Principal Myranda Shepherd and her assistant principal Darren Fleischhacker took the stage.

Before students were released back to class, they were asked to make “smart choices” ahead of the upcoming long weekend.

The design of the simulated scenario, from the participants to the script, should convey to graduates that actions have real-life consequences.