Mock Crash Scene at Platt Technical High School Impacts Students as Prom Season Begins

Strategic Insights -

As prom season starts, Platt Technical High School in Connecticut has implemented a mock crash scene as a preventative measure to educate students about the dangers of drunk driving. The event, which involved the Fire and Police departments, American Medical Response ambulance, and a Life Star helicopter, was organized by parent Tom Caruso Sr. and his daughter Alyssa, a volunteer firefighter and rescue worker. The students who participated in the crash scene, including Heather Hopkins and Matt Numa, reported feeling a strong impact and many students who witnessed the scene expressed their commitment to never drink and drive.

Key Takeaways:

  • The mock crash scene at Platt Technical High School involved the Fire and Police departments, American Medical Response ambulance, and a Life Star helicopter.
  • The event was organized by parent Tom Caruso Sr. and his daughter Alyssa, a volunteer firefighter and rescue worker.
  • Students who participated in the crash scene reported feeling a strong impact and many expressed their commitment to never drink and drive.
  • The program included a dramatic reading of the poem "I Went to a Party Mom" by Caitlyn Flores, which moved even the school's principal, Eugene LaPorta, to tears.
  • Freshman Marisa Vittorio noted that the program showed how one wrong decision can change lives, while Christopher Roy, also a freshman, said watching a simulation made the message powerful.
  • The event was one of the first in Greater New Haven as prom season starts, with Platt's junior prom taking place on Friday and its senior prom on Friday.

Statistics:

  • Five years ago, parent Tom Caruso Sr. brought the mock crash tradition to Platt Technical High School.
  • The event involved over 30 people, including students, firefighters, police officers, and medical personnel.
  • The simulation used an extrication device to cut open the car, with the "body" beingtaken away by Cody-White Funeral Home.
  • Prom season is a prime time for drunk driving accidents, with many students attending parties and celebrations.

Sources:

  • "Mock crash scene at Platt Technical High School impacts students as prom season begins," New Haven Register, 8 May.
  • McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.