 Point forgiveness draws students to reenactment
By Emilija Rygelis
WriterThis year’s attendance at the Student Emergency Response Volunteers (SERV) mock vehicle accident doubled from last year’s numbers. Some speculate the one-point forgiveness offer was responsible for drawing students to Sunday’s reenactment. “I do believe that the one point forgiveness was a motivator in many people’s cases. It seems very fair to me that if you get in trouble for drinking but then attend an event that teaches you about the dangers of that sort of behavior, you’re sort of doing your time … it’s like traffic school,” SERV member Patti Scarff ’10 said. SERV coordinates the event every year in an effort to discourage students from getting behind the wheel after drinking. Members are responsible for organizing, planning and executing the reenactment. “Even though driving drunk isn’t prevalent on our own campus, an estimated 30 percent of Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related car accident at some point in their lives, and in 2002 over 10 percent of drunk driving trips were made by college-aged 18- to 20-year-olds,” Scarff said. According to Scarff, educational events such as these have helped significantly reduce the numbers of incidents in the last 20 years. “Our goal with this event was to show students what we do at an emergency scene and to make alcohol education more realistic,” said Mark Steinhauer ’09, SERV chief of operations. “We wanted to raise awareness about the consequences of drunk driving outside the classroom so that people realize their decisions can harm others as well as themselves.” He urged students to think twice before drinking and driving. “You aren’t the only person on the road,” Steinhauer said. It seems campus attendance was a good sign for SERV’s efforts to promote drunk driving awareness. “I feel that the one point forgiveness was an excellent idea because it adds another dimension of alcohol education targeted at students who can benefit the most,” Steinhauer said. Though the event was only one day, it took a significant amount of time and effort to prepare. “We began planning this at the end of February,” Scarff said. “It involves getting cars that have been wrecked, writing a scenario, reserving space, organizing all the apparatus and personnel, finding people to act in it and advertising so all our hard work doesn’t go to waste.” The scenario depicted one couple in a car on their way back to campus after a date and a group of three girl friends in another car after a night of drinking, also on their way back to campus. Scarff, the drunk driver in the girls’ car, crashes into the couple’s car. She ends up killing one of her best friends and the boyfriend in the other car. Soon afterwards, emergency vehicles arrive on the scene and attend to the victims. “I was the first ambulance on the scene, and my crew and I were responsible for the cardiac arrest patient who needed CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation),” SERV member Tyler Colangelo ’11 said. “I think we painted a pretty good picture of what we see on all the major car accidents we respond to.” SERV is affiliated with William Cameron Engine Company, the local fire station, who supplied the ambulances, rescue truck and equipment for the mock accident. Participants thought the collaborative performance proved successful. “I was pleased with the turnout,” Scarff said. “The most important message I want Bucknell to take from watching the accident is that these things do happen, and they do happen to college kids; no one is invincible. The more a person takes responsibility for their actions and walks home, calls a cab or even makes themselves available to pick up intoxicated friends, the fewer people will be injured or killed in alcohol related crashes,” Scarff said. The SERV members were not the only ones pleased with the outcome of the mock accident. “I think this is a valuable thing the campus has. It sends a strong message by giving students like myself a clear visual representation of a tragic reality,” audience member Megan Vodzak ’09 said. “It’s also a great motivation for sorority and fraternity members to come and watch for service hours.”
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