4/9/2009 5:02:00 AM Safety week teaches lessons before prom
By LACEY MCLAUGHLIN Staff Reporter
A mock accident was staged at Madison Central High School as part of the school's safety week leading up to prom night this Saturday.
Bradley Martin, a senior at MCHS took part in the wreck simulation on the school's campus, being carried out of an overturned vehicle and airlifted by a medical helicopter as his fellow students watched from behind yellow caution tape.
The staged event was put on to help encourage students to make wise decisions when driving.
"Even though it was only acting, it was pretty serious," Martin said. "If you drink and drive it's very easy that this could happen. I hope it will make some people think."
All the students at the school had the opportunity to witness what rescue efforts are taken when a car collision occurs. Martin was rescued from a previously wrecked car that was donated for the event. Fire and police officials worked to extract him from the vehicle during the event.
Leading up to prom night on Saturday, the school has held designated events centered around safety each day this week.
These events included a presentation from an emergency room nurse on the consequences of drug and alcohol abuse, students using inebriation goggles to experience the effects of alcohol on balance and coordination, and students volunteering to take a vow of silence while they wore all black and statistics about traffic fatalities.
"This was a collaborative effort between Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler, The Madison Fire Department, Police Department and Metro one," Principal Edith Mitchell said. "This is the first year and we wanted to provide them with a situation to show them what could happen."
Sophomore Anna Callaway was just one of the many students who dressed in all black and stayed silent for an entire school day to take a stand against reckless driving.
She also wore a statistic on her shirt that said in 2007, 32 percent of traffic fatalities occurred from speeding.
"It was hard not to speak for a day but I think it reminded people a lot of what could happen to you," she said.
