03/28/2024
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Bladen Community College celebrated their annual Spring Fling event on Wednesday morning with a valuable lesson in Texting and Driving Awareness titled, “Shattered Dreams.” The event included a mock accident scene complete with rescue vehicles, law enforcement, firefighters, Bladen County EMS, New Hanover Air Link, UNC Hospital’s Air Ambulance, Bladen County Sheriff’s Office and NC Highway Patrol, and ALE officers all coming together to demonstrate the dangers of driving while texting.

Bladen County EMS Director David Howell addressed those in attendance in the college’s auditorium before they traveled outside to the mock accident scene. Howell shared a story with the audience regarding a serious crash he had recently responded to and the students were in awe. The students, staff and visitors were then treated to a demonstration of exactly what takes place on a serious crash scene.

Robert Hebert, one of the many organizers of the event, said “Shattered Dreams” is a program the college will offer when requested and it is carried out in various formats. He said in November Bladen Community College requested the program and Hebert and his staff requested assistance from Bladen County EMS, New Hanover Air Link, UNC Air Care, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, and Bladen County fire departments to help with the demonstration.

“When you have serious injury, and as far away as we are, you are going to be better off with the helicopter,” said Hebert. He noted that air travel to a critical care facility is about 12 minutes by air ambulance. This, said Hebert, rapidly increases the odds the patient will have better chance of healing from his/her injuries.

Hebert also said the fire and rescue crews who participate in the event, get a chance to practice all of their skills.

Also, there was a simulation of what it is like to drink and rive using a pair of beer goggles. Bladen County Commissioner Chairman Charles Ray Paterson tackled the beer goggles driving course.  He rode with NC State Highway Patrol Trooper Robert Mellott in the Impaired Driving Simulator where the driver wears a special pair of goggles that simulates impairment over legal limits. The course requires the driver to navigate through a series of obstacles without touching or running them over. No one was successful after the goggles were donned.

Commissioner Peterson is planning to bring this valuable awareness and training tool to the citizens of Bladen County with the support of the State Highway Patrol and the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office in the coming months, said Sgt. Gary Turlington of the Bladen County Sheriff’s Office.

Assisting with the event were Bladen Community College, Bladen County EMS, Dublin Volunteer Fire Department, Bladenboro Fire Department, Bladenboro EMS, Tar Heel Volunteer Rescue Squad, Bladen County Sheriff’s Office, 911/Bladen County Sheriff’s Office, Bladen County Emergency Services, NC Highway Patrol, UNC Healthcare, Chapel Hill, and Ace Towing of Elizabethtown.

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