By Mayo Clinic Health System
The scene is something out of every parent’s and every friend’s worst nightmare.
Young people talk at a party after they have been drinking alcohol. Next comes the sound of squealing tires, breaking glass, crushing metal. The intoxicated driver stumbles from the vehicle, distraught at the sight of injured friends, pleading with rescuers who work feverishly over the limp bodies.
And then, the unthinkable happens: A body bag is lifted into a hearse.
This simulated scene plays out annually at area high schools to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving. These trauma simulations are timed close to high-risk periods for drinking and driving by young people, such as prom and graduation.
This spring, Mayo Clinic Health System, Mayo One and other area organizations has set the following schedule for “prom trauma” simulations:
• Altoona High School: 9:30 a.m., Thursday, April 16
• Eau Claire North High School: 10 a.m., Thursday, April 23
• Eleva-Strum High School: 1 p.m., Friday, May 1
• Eau Claire Memorial High School: 1:15 p.m., Thursday, May 7
• Eau Claire Regis High School: 1:15 p.m., Friday, May 15
Following each simulation, speakers will talk about what happens after a crash.
A police officer will discuss charges for the intoxicated driver. A healthcare provider will speak
about treatment patients might need and their possible long-term health effects. A hospital chaplain will tell the audience how the family of the deceased is notified. And a funeral director will discuss how a family plans for a funeral.
Mayo Clinic Health System has partnered with other area organizations to bring these simulations to schools for 15 years. No auto fatalities of prom students because of alcohol use have occurred in the area during this time.
“As a Level II Trauma Center, we care for crash victims and their family and friends. But, more importantly, we want to prevent these devastating traumas,” says Kim Strasburg, a registered nurse and Mayo’s injury prevention coordinator in Eau Claire.
“Research shows these simulations do result in behavior change,” Strasburg says. “We appreciate schools partnering with us and other community organizations to bring a safety message to young people.”