Mock Accident

The intent of this activity is to dramatically demonstrate to students the effects of drinking and driving. Seeing friends and classmates in a traumatic accident will bring home the very real dangers of drinking and driving. The mock accident is intended to be followed by programs on drinking and driving taught during the school day.

The mock accident has been designed to resemble a real accident in every aspect. Police, ambulance, and helicopter crews will respond and act as if it were a real accident. The first victim will be a pedestrian who will have supposedly been hit by the vehicle. The driver of the vehicle will be intoxicated but sustains no injuries. Passenger number one, in the front passenger seat will have received massive trauma to the head and neck. Passenger number one will be stablized and transported to Pullman Memorial Hospital by Heartflite. Passengers number two and three will be trapped in the vehicle and cut out by Palouse EMS and Garfield-Farmington EMS.

The mock accident in Palouse has been planned to occur as follows: at approximately 0830 hours the car and victims will be moved into place. At approximately 0835 Palouse Police will be dispatched to the accident on a frequency being broadcast over the school intercom. The police will arrive and call Palouse EMS and Garfield Ambulance. The police will also declare the pedstrian deceased and proceed in giving the driver of the car a sobriety field test. The pedestrian will be placed in a body bag and transported by the county coroner to the Palouse City Park. The driver will be arrested, handcuffed, and placed in the back of the police car where he/she will wait until the incident is virtually over before being transported to Palouse City Park.

At approximately 0840 Palouse EMS and Garfield Ambulance will arrive and begin to care for the individuals in the vehicle. 0850 Heartflite will arrive, landing on the playfield. Passenger number one with massive head and neck trauma will be transported to the grassy area just north of the playground and then transported to Pullman Memorial Hospital via Heartflite. Passengers number two and number three, located in the backseat of the vehicle, will be cut out. They will have received multiple injuries and be transported by Garfield Ambulance to Palouse City Park. While the mock accident is taking place the Palouse Region Explorer Search and Rescue/Law Enforcement Unit will be directing traffic, keeping the crowd under control, and directing Heartflite. Once the mock accident is over the responding agencies will leave and a car will be sent to pick up all the victims at Palouse City Park. Students will then attend a drinking and driving class.

Inquiries can be sent to Captain James Grinolds, PULLMANLOCK@turbonet.com