BVA’s mock prom crash confronts real-life consequences

About 400 Belle Vernon Area students attended the annual drill to raise awareness of driving impaired.

On Friday, hundreds of Belle Vernon Area High School students stood in silence as they watched firefighters, police officers, EMTs and paramedics respond to a mock prom crash in an effort to expose them to the dangers of distracted driving or driving under the influence.

Around 400 Belle Vernon Area School District students gathered in front of the cfsbank Event Center in Rostraver Township for the annual mock prom crash hosted in conjunction with the district and the Rostraver Police Department.

Rostraver Police Chief Scott Sokol said this was their second year hosting the event together with the school district. Sokol credited district Superintendent Dr. Timothy Glasspool for getting the police department involved.

BVA students Payton Walsh, Saylor Lee, Chessa Mertz and Dena Truong greet Rio, a cadaver detection dog with the Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office. Photos by Jeff Helsel / MVI

“As we’re all aware, this just happened (a fatal crash) in our neighboring community of Yough (School District),” Sokol said. “We’re not special. Kids need to understand it can happen any day, anytime, and we try to relate this drill to not only drinking while driving, but also texting while driving… anything that may be related to distracted driving could result in something serious like this.”

Once all the students arrived at the event center, Sokol gave the cue to start the mock crash demonstration. Rostraver Police

Magisterial District Judge John E. Christner speaks with students during the drill about the consequences of impaired driving. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent

Department vehicles and a Rostraver/West Newton Emergency Services ambulance were the first to arrive. Then followed fire trucks, state police and other necessary first responders.

The students intently watched as firefighters freed one of the passengers from the mangled car with a hydraulic rescue tool. They watched in silence as one of the victims was put on a stretcher and transported away in an ambulance. The actors were played by students in the Tom Savini Special Effects Makeup Program at the Douglas Education

BVA student Emerson LaCarte participates in an impaired-driving simulation while operating a golf cart wearing visiondistorting goggles alongside Rostraver Township police Officer Ben Bamford. Jeff Helsel / Mon Valley Independent

Center in Monessen, which also gave them a chance to use their special effects skills.

Police also demonstrated a sobriety test on one of the drivers, followed by their arrest. Sokol said they aimed to show a realistic portrayal of the consequences for the drunk driver and everyone involved.

“We all know it’s an exciting time of year with prom and graduation, but it’s also scary, right?” BVA High School Principal Zach Just said. “These kids are going to end this chapter of their life and go on to bigger and better things, but they’re going to be in situations where they’re going to have to make some tough decisions, right?

“We try to prep them with everything we can, but at the end of the day, when they get in a compromising situation, we want, hopefully, this to be a reminder to make the best decision for themselves, because at the end of the day, we just want to see everyone safe here.”

Towards the end of the demonstration, an Allegheny Health Networyh Life-Flight helicopter started circling over the area. As it landed, first responders arrived with a stretcher, ready to put one of the patients inside.

The event included around a dozen different organizations and first responders. Once the demonstration was over, the students were all given bags so they could go talk to different organizations and vendors and take any snacks or items they were offering.

The event featured staff from the Westmoreland County Drug and Alcohol Commission, Westmoreland County Coroner’s Office, Magisterial District Judge John Christner, St. Vincent College’s prevention program, state Rep. Eric Davanzo, and the Westmoreland County 911 Command Center.

The students also got to experience the effects of impaired driving. The Rostraver Township Police Department had several golf carts that students could drive while wearing alcohol impairment goggles to simulate driving under the influence. The Pennsylvania State Police also allowed students to wear the goggles while taking a field sobriety test.

BVA seniors Bella Williams and Ryan Kent said they understood the importance of the event — for themselves and for their classmates.

“I think it’s good that our school puts this on to show us what could happen if you drink and drive. So I think this is a good opportunity for us to learn,” Williams said.

Kent said that he hopes that people who saw the demonstration think back on it before ever driving under the influence.

“I also think that people who are deciding if they want to drink and drive, they might think back to this moment and be like, ‘Hmm, these could be the side effects or the aftermath of doing these certain things,’” Kent said. “So I think it’s really good because it puts that in your subconscious that you know there are consequences of doing certain things. Your actions have consequences.”

Christner and Davanzo each passed out snacks to students while having important conversations about the consequences of impaired driving.

“This is the ultimate experience when it comes to their prom, because it’s designed to have memories for the rest of their lives, and you want to make sure that it’s all positive,” said Christner, a former Rostraver Township police chief. “I’ve seen it too often, mostly from a police officer standpoint, the tragic circumstances surrounding it.

“As far as kids, it’s all about one bad decision. That one bad decision can cause trauma on a scale that no one can understand unless you’re really part of it. And it’s not just the family of the victim, but the family of the person that was arrested, because that person’s life has changed forever.”

Davanzo said it was his first time at the mock prom crash event.

“Just out here today to spread awareness to the kids going to the prom, to make good decisions,” Davanzo said. “Don’t drink and definitely don’t drive. And just be smart about things. Don’t make those one-time decisions that ruin your life and ruin the lives of your families as well.”

One of the main sponsors of the event, EHD Insurance, provided snacks and food for the students. Ron Richwalls, an EHD account executive, said they always try to help their communities.

“We’ve been on for about a year and a half with the township, and he (Sokol) just told us about it, and we would love to continue to be able to contribute to this,” Richwalls said. “As a company, we try to do as much as we possibly can in terms of helping out the community, the school district, municipalities, other organizations like that.”