What: Every 15 Minutes program
When: October 14th at 9:00 a.m. and October 15th, at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Green Valley High School, 460 N. Arroyo Grande Blvd.
Henderson, Nev. – Green Valley High School seniors and juniors will get a realistic taste of the emotional and lasting consequences of drinking and driving during a two-day event for the Every 15 Minutes program.
Every 15 Minutes is a two day program involving high school juniors and seniors that encourages them to think about personal safety when alcohol is involved, making mature decisions and recognizing that their actions affect others. The result of the 4-to 5-month planning is a positive youth program offering real-life experience without the real-life risks and consequences.
The program's name was derived from the fact that in the early 1990's, every 15 minutes, someone in the United States died in an alcohol-related traffic fatality. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2017, that number was one person every 48 minutes. Although a significant reduction, one death is too many. Through research, public awareness campaigns, state safety grant programs, and programs such as Every 15 Minutes, efforts continue to reduce alcohol-related traffic fatalities.
On October 14th, at 9:00 a.m., a fatal traffic collision will be simulated for the students in the school parking lot. Law enforcement and emergency medical services will respond to the “crash scene” where one student will “die,” another will be airlifted to a hospital with major injuries, while another will be transported to the hospital by ambulance. Police officers will give the teenage driver a field sobriety test and arrest the driver for DUI.
The group of “living dead” students will serve as a backdrop for the accident scene, then go on to participate in other activities that mirror what occurs following a fatal crash, such as a death notification, identification of a body and criminal prosecution for DUI. The students will also participate in an overnight retreat.
On October 15th, at 9:00 a.m., school seniors and juniors will gather for an assembly to talk about the previous day’s experience and hear from those involved in the simulation, as well as others that have been impacted by drinking and driving.
Henderson Police present the program in partnership with the Clark County School District, Henderson Fire Department, Clark County Coroner’s Office, Mercy Air, Sunrise Children’s Hospital, and many public and private entities.
Every 15 Minutes is a national program created to prevent impaired driving tragedies and provide teenagers with the best prevention and intervention tools possible to make mature decisions when they get behind the wheel.
The partnering medical facility, Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center and Sunrise Children’s Hospital, will be providing an opportunity for further media coverage involving the simulated care at their facility.
