Mock Accident Shows Brockway Students Dangers of Drunk Driving | Local

BROCKWAY — Fire trucks, police cars and ambulances surround two cars in the middle of the Brockway Area Junior-Senior High School parking lot. Students wait in the seats of the cars to be rescued. A crowd forms around the scene of the accident as the fire whistle sounds on the street.

Luckily, the students didn’t have an actual car accident. Zona Calhoun, Jacob Newcamp, Josie Orinko, Alyssa Rittenhouse and Reese Yahner put on makeup and squeezed into two wrecked cars to demonstrate to their classmates why they shouldn’t drink and drive on prom night. Orinko was placed in a body bag and taken to the coroner’s office.

The school district worked with the Brockway Volunteer Fire Department, Horton Township Fire Department, Brockway Police Department, Brockway EMS and the coroner’s office to put together the program and mock accident.

Brockway Fire Chief Mike Hoskavich and Police Chief Troy Bell met with students in the high school auditorium to watch videos of car accidents and review statistics on drinking and driving. When they finished their presentations, they took them outside to watch the simulated carnage. The students, some of whom are involved in Brockway’s acting program, used stage makeup to draw blood and bruises before getting into the cars.

“I believe events like this can teach students that they shouldn’t drink and drive,” Hoskavich said. “It is difficult to simulate the reality of a car accident. That’s why the video I use is to show them that something like this could happen to them.”

Hoskavich added that it’s not just drunk driving that can lead to accidents. He listed drug use, driving, texting and driving – any form of distracted driving. He said they have a 42% chance of being involved in an accident if they have consumed drugs or alcohol.

In addition to reminding students that prom can be dangerous if they don’t avoid risky behaviors, Hoskavich also gave students a chance to show off some young firefighters. Adam Carnahan, Thomas Ceriani, Izabella Guaglianone, Isaac Guaglianone and Dakota Rhed had the chance to use the Jaws of Life and help their classmates out of the cars and into the waiting ambulances or coroner’s trucks.

“The junior firefighters put in a lot of time and effort, so we wanted them to showcase their skills to their colleagues,” Hoskavich said.

Brockway has not had a mock accident since the COVID-19 pandemic. Hoskavich said the program has expanded.

“We didn’t do a presentation in the auditorium back then,” Hoskavich said. “We go through the statistics, the laws, and this is what can happen to you when you make these decisions. This happens in Brockway just as it does in Los Angeles.”

Despite the simulated accident, Hoskavich and the other first responders remembered their proms and hoped the students at Brockway had fun, but took the message to heart.

“Have fun, but don’t drink or drive,” he said.