The emergency response agencies in Hancock County joined together to hold a mock crash event to visually demonstrate the consequences of distracted driving or driving under the influence on Thursday, April 12.

Seals Ambulance joined with the McCordsville Volunteer Fire Department, Fortville Volunteer Fire Department, McCordsville Police Department, Fortville Police Department, Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, Hancock County Dispatch Center, St. Vincent Statflight and Seals Funeral to demonstrate to hundreds of juniors and seniors at Mount Vernon High School the reality of driving under the influence.

According to the National Highway Safety Administration, approximately 300 teens have died in alcohol-related traffic accidents during prom weekends over the past several years.

“We’ve been participating in what we call ‘Safe Prom’ for several years,” said McCordsville Volunteer Fire Department Public Information Officer Ray Hashley.  “We put this scenario together every other year hoping to show the reality of driving under the influence with the Jr.’s and Sr.’s that are planning on going to Prom.” 

“The consequences of distracted and drunk driving are real,” said Seals Ambulance Vice President Tony Anteau. “We take part the mock crash and other events like this in the hopes that when the students are faced with the dramatization of a serious car accident, they will avoid drinking and driving and the risks of serious injuries or death to themselves and their friends.”

The area departments set up a “mock” serious accident with students from the school role-playing as victims.  First responders will arrive on the wrecked vehicles to walk through the actions they would take in a real car crash. In this staged situation, one student was dead on arrival; aw critical patient was cut out of a car using special rescue equipment and taken out by helicopter; several students had minor injuries; and a drunk teenage driver was arrested by police. 

“As the students return to the school they passed an open coffin,” Hashley said. “And although this is a mock scenario we hope that they see the seriousness of the decisions they will be making regarding alcohol and drugs and decide that it’s just not worth risk.  These accidents truly are life changing events.”

About Seals Ambulance

Based in Indianapolis, Seals Ambulance provides emergency and nonemergency transport services to multiple hospital and facility contracts in Central Indiana, as well as emergency 911 service for various regions throughout Indiana. An extensive fleet allows Seals Ambulance to serve a wide area around-the-clock with prompt response time and quality service. Seals Ambulance is the contracted provider for several venues, including Ruoff Music Center, Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center and Indiana Downs Horse Track, and is the preferred provider for the Community Health Network. Seals Ambulance also provide emergency 9-1-1 response to the of Tipton County, Vernon Township and the City of Franklin.

Seals Ambulance is a regional branch of Priority Ambulance, a national family of companies.

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Photo caption: A McCordsville Volunteer Fire Department firefighter and a Seals Ambulance paramedic move a Vernon High School student into the ambulance on a stretcher during a mock wreck event on Thursday, April 12. Hundreds of students viewed the biannual mock crash event intended to discourage driving under the influence on prom night.

Photo captions: The members of the emergency agencies that took part in organizing the safe prom mock crash event gather at the end of the events on Thursday, April 12. Agencies involved include Seals Ambulance, McCordsville Volunteer Fire Department, Fortville Volunteer Fire Department, McCordsville Police Department, Fortville Police Department, Hancock County Sheriff’s Department, Hancock County Dispatch Center, St. Vincent Statflight and Seals Funeral.