Robbinsville students participate in “Operation Smashed” on May 2.
The Robbinsville High School Class of 2013 participated in the Third Annual Senior Safety & Awareness Program on May 2.
“Operation Smashed,’’ a large-scale re-enactment of a post-prom drunk driving accident using RHS peers as the victims and perpetrators, painted a gripping portrait of a post-crash accident scene for the second straight year.
With Mayor Dave Fried and Council vice president Vince Calcagno on hand, first responders from the Robbinsville Township Police Department, Fire Department/EMS, Capital Health Systems, NorthSTAR Air Medical Services, Brenna Funeral Home in Hamilton, Treat’s Garage and Mackey’s Towing of Robbinsville all participated in the re-enactment. Seniors Jackie Testa, Sam Acheampong, Andrew Gart, Demi DeMetriades, Meg Roeloffs and Nicole Colonna presented the scenario.
“You are always aware of the danger, but when you are put into a scenario like this with all your friends the reality that this happens to people hits home,’’ said Gart. “It definitely puts things into perspective. It makes you more careful, for sure. We wanted it to positive, but we also wanted it to affect people so that it changes them. This is a serious thing and I do think it works.’’
The second part of Thursday’s program began with a speaker who lost loved ones as a result of a drunken driving accident, followed by six stations: An Injury Prevision Coordinator from Capital Health, speakers from Mercer Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction, personal defense training for senior girls by Ron Jones of the Mercer Academy of Martial Arts, hands-on distracted driving lessons provided by Drive Safer of Mahwah, and drunk driving simulations and fire safety activities conducted by the RTPD and RTFD.
