RANGELEY – A gruesome car crash … several teenagers seriously hurt … an apparent drunk driver … two dead at the scene. And the Rangeley Lakes Regional School students (grades eight to 12) watched it all happen.

That was the scene on May 25 as NorthStar and other emergency services staged an accident scene caused by a “drunk” driver. Seven students were made up as if they had sustained injuries in the crash. Each was placed in and around two (previously) crashed vehicles in the school parking lot. As the other students assembled around the scene, one of them made the 911 call that started the emergency response teams.

Later in the morning, all the students reassembled in the school gym. NorthStar EMT Harold Schaetzle, coordinator of the day’s program, welcomed the “injured” and “dead” students to applause from the student body.

The classes then heard from the police, the fire department and from the participating EMTs as they related several moving stories of accident scenes caused by drunk driving.

Guest speaker Matt Clark shared his story of becoming permanently disabled from a drunk driving accident. Closing remarks from Schaetzle completed the program.

It was clear that the scene made an impression, with several students becoming overwhelmed with emotion during the presentation. Counselors were available to help students get through what, to many, was an emotional experience.

All involved felt that the program was successful, saying that if only a single person decides not to drive after having alcohol or decides not to get into a car with a drunk driver, then it was worth the two-hour program.