Revere students asked to make Prom Promise
by Wendy Boyce and Sue Serdinak
Each spring before prom is held for Revere High School students, local safety forces demonstrate to the junior and senior classes what happens during a serious car accident. Bath firefighter Geoff Kuzas explained that when a 911 call is made from the scene of an accident, it can take about 20 minutes before first responders can help injured people. He noted that can seem like a lifetime.
He explained that EMTs check all car windows, looking at the condition of the passengers. They smash windows and pry open doors with the Jaws of Life, as needed. Police officers are often at the scene and may arrest a driver near the accident or at the hospital if they suspect OVI.
Dr. Rohit Chandurkar, an emergency room physician at Cleveland Clinic Akron General and a Revere parent, told the upperclassmen that car crashes are the leading cause of death for 15- to 20-year-olds. He described the time it takes to recover from some injuries and how a full recovery is sometimes not possible.
He reminded students that they can be injured when someone else is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Abigail Schock, a Summit County public defender for juvenile cases, reminded students that 18-year-olds are treated as adults, with adult consequences for their actions, even though the brain does not reach full development until age 25. She warned about being held in jail over a weekend because processing does not take place until Monday.
She gave an example of a student who offered to drive because he was less intoxicated than the designated driver. They were involved in an accident in which a passenger was killed. He is currently serving an eight-year sentence.
“Megan,” an alcohol abuse survivor and resident of Oriana House, a nonprofit chemical dependency treatment and community corrections agency, spoke about her habit of drinking for fun that escalated to keeping boxed wine in her car to avoid “the shakes.” She talked about how fortunate she is to be in recovery.
She advised students to use Uber or Lyft, or call parents or family friends for a ride instead of driving under the influence.
School resource officer Scott Dressler, math teacher Joanne Gillette and high school Principal Doug Farris spoke about how the students are like family to them.
“Don’t let one bad choice forever change your life, or the life of someone you love,” said Farris.
Photo caption: Richfield EMTs demonstrate how they check for victims before smashing car windows and doors. Photos by W. Boyce.