Left: Before the simulation, all of the girls were briefed on what they were supposed to be doing. Above: a diagram of the scene was drawn on a whiteboard, detailing who was where and playing which roles.
Above: Junior Nora Brackley, who "died" for the scenario, had extensive makeup wounds across her face and the bridge of her nose. Right: Junior Chloe Blumke gets a fake forehead gash, courtesy of a makeup artist from the fire department.
Junior Kendell Berryhill receives a mock wound from a seatbelt whiplash.
Left to right: Juniors Rachel Haagsma, Lilah Puricker, Olivia Blumke, Chloe, Berryhill, Hannah Hoover and Brackley pose in their prom dresses and accident makeup.
As the first responders, including Emergency Medical Services (EMS), firefighters and police got to know the girls they would be "saving," they were treated to snacks together.
Above: Hoover and Brackley pose in their dresses. Left: Purucker and Olivia have some fun in their costumes.
Haagsma plays around with the camera in the green room, where the girls prepared before the assembly.
Brackley poses with her mom and sister, both of whom made an appearance on the scene of the "crash." Brackley's mom also gave a heartfelt speech before Brackley read an emotional poem, which were two of the main scenes during the second part of the assembly.
Left: the car that "caused" the pretend crash, which held Haagsma as the driver who was arrested, the Blumke's as critical patients, and Purucker. Top: the "deceased" car, which had Brackley, as the unfortunate deceased, and Hoover and Berryhill with various small injuries. Both cars were donated by Berry's and Gillikins Towing.
Brackley and Berryhill got to their assigned places before the students came outside to watch the scenario.
The girls took their performances very seriously. They each made up various injuries and stages of shock, which they would act out and tell to the first responders.
A responder from the fire department was the first on the scene. He had a microphone so students could hear what he was saying as he assessed the situation and the condition of the girls.
Above: additional responders come onto the scene with additional equipment. Right: the first responder sets Haagsma down on the side of the road before trying to help another one of the girls.
Sometimes, after cars have crashed the doors are not able to open from the outside. When that happens, the "Jaws of Life" are needed to break the window to get into the car. Since victim safety is the upmost priority, plastic is placed over the windows to contain the glass. In addition, to protect the girls from the fake scenario, there were covers on the inside of the car.
Purucker remained in the car while first responders made sure she was okay to move out of the vehicle.
Multiple emergency vehicles were present for the assembly, including a helicopter and multiple firetrucks, police cars and EMS cars.
Multiple gurneys were used to extricate the girls with "severe injuries" from the vehicles.
While all first responders understood that the scenario was fake, they use the assembly to practice their skills and take it very seriously.
Brackley, as the "deceased" victim, had a sheet placed over her after a medical examiner declared her dead. She was half out of the window and placed right in front of the students watching.
A look of the car crash scene while the medical evacuation helicopter flies in. The helicopter is a rare, special feature of this assembly, and does not happen very often.
As soon as the helicopter lands, the first responders arrive on the scene to help with the situation.
Above: the helicopter carries emergency equipment inside of it, and it used to take victims in critical condition to the hospital quickly. Left: an AeroMed helicopter landed in the soccer field near the Performing Arts Center, where the "crash" took place.
The pilot, while not trained for medical purposes, stays with the helicopter for security reasons and helps first responders move equipment and gurneys.
One of the final parts of the car crash scene was placing the critical patients in the ambulance.
The aftermath of the car crash scene. Doors have been torn off the cars, windows were broken, and equipment is littered around the area.
While students filed into the auditorium for the second part of the assembly, a slideshow with photos of "deceased" Brackley were shown to Carrie Underwood's "Amazing Grace." Later, a casket with flowers on top was brought out to help students understand how important and serious this part was.
Above: Haagsma gives an excited thumbs-up backstage in her detention jumpsuit. Left: a prosecutor was brought in to "sentence" Haagsma to end the scenario. This helped students understand the severity of the consequences of distracted driving.
The first responders who helped with the scenario and educated students were available for questions after the assembly finished.