Mock Crash Makes Strong Impression On Siegel High Students

Mar 21, 2014 at 02:22 pm by bryan


Around 1:00 o'clock Friday afternoon (3/21/2014), Siegel High School juniors and seniors were in an assembly watching a video on the dangers of texting while driving. An alarm sounded, and the approximately 900 upper class students evacuated the building to a parking lot where they saw a T-bond crash had just occurred. 

As they were walking out, a barrage of police motorcycles, squad cars, ambulances, fire trucks and other emergency vehicles streamed into the area with blue lights flashing and sirens whaling. 

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Siegel's SRO, Sergeant Irvin Turner with the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office, (left photo) talked with WGNS News . . .

About the time the junior and senior students got in place behind a barrier rope, the injured teens started to move about. There were screams of pain and others who were able to move, suddenly realized what happened. Some had been ejected from the impact of the crash and lay motionless in pools of blood.

Then a distraught mother sped into the area, skid to a stop and ran toward the accident screaming. Police officers had to hold her as she recognized her child. 

One officer commented, "This is about as real as it gets."

In fact, it was so realistic that the Rutherford County School system had counselors there in case any of the students had experienced a traumatic event of this type, and needed help when memories became too clear. 

About that time, a roar made all conversation impossible as LifeFlight's air ambulance landed. The rotors were whipping up debris and it was difficult to see as the chopper hovered a few feet over the parking lot. 

LifeFlight paramedics rushed over to the car, where Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue teams used the jaws of life to remove the vehicle's roof. The injured male was placed on a board and lifted out and readied to be placed on LifeFlight. 

Siegel 1 of 6 in state participating

Dr. Robert Jordan, a Health Sciences teacher in Siegel High's Career Technical Education Department, told WGNS News that Siegel was one of six in the state participating. He noted that those schools were chosen because they had the highest number of students involved in crashes that were a result of texting. 

Dr. Jordan explained more about the event . . .

The statewide program is sponsored by Vanderbilt, Ford Motor Company, and Allstate Insurance Company. 

Rutherford County is fourth in the state for teens killed in deadly crashes. Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services spokesperson Terri Cunningham told WGNS News that texting is often the cause. 

This very real reinactment was videoed by City Channel 3, and will be edited into a learning tool for student drivers. 

Sergeant Irvin Turner, the SRO at Siegel, coordinated this event with the Rutherford County Sheriffs Office, Murfreesboro Police Department, Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue, Rutherford County Emergency Medical Services, the Rutherford County Board of Education, and LifeFlight helicopter. 

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