FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
This past Veterans Day, many families remembered those veterans who paid the ultimate price for freedom. Some even laid flowers near gravestones, grieving for a Service member close to them.
According to the Department of the Army, more than 80 Soldiers who died last year might still be here today if only they had given up their keys after a few drinks, or even just wore a seatbelt.
For Soldiers at Fort Eustis, a paramedic team from Miami showed them what happens in an automobile accident Nov. 7 inside Jacobs Theater, and why they should think twice about their safety -- and the safety of others -- when they get behind the wheel.
Those paramedics are members of "Street Smart," a program designed to show drivers and young adults the dangers of irresponsible driving through a series of graphic presentations and demonstrations, ranging from real-life accident photos to an interactive demonstration of what happens to a surviving car-accident victim.
"Most Service members have been briefed on safe driving more times than they can count," said Bob Longworth, 633rd Air Base Wing safety chief. "The 'Street Smart' paramedics don't give them that same generic brief. They show them what happens in an accident before they learn firsthand."
Ralph Jimenez and Oscar Duran, both Dade County, Fla. paramedics, presented audience members numerous graphic photos of car-accident victims. After each set of photos, they explained how the deaths occurred, dispelling myths about the ineffectiveness of seatbelts for the driver and passengers and emphasizing the science behind a car crash.
"Most people don't really understand the 'deadly equation,'" said Jimenez. "If you're driving at 45 miles per hour, everything in the car is going 45 miles per hour. So when you come to a complete and immediate stop, your body flies against the steering wheel, windshield and everything else at that speed. Without a seatbelt, you are 22 times more likely to die in that crash. It is that simple."
The team brought one audience member to the stage and reenacted a step-by-step scenario of what paramedics do upon arrival at a near-fatal traffic accident.
"We put our volunteer through the paces," said Duran. "We show them the long needles, tubes and other equipment and methods we use to ensure a car crash survivor does just that; survives."
U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Russell Merchant, 1st Battalion, 222nd Aviation Regiment operations sergeant major, explained the value of the presentation.
"The presentation did a great job of reaching our Soldiers," said Merchant. "When [the volunteer Soldier] went on stage, they went through a very plausible scenario involving a returning-home party many Soldiers have experienced."
Merchant also said the presentation's attention to detail added to the effect on the audience.
"They let the audience know what would be happening moment to moment," said Merchant. "They explained how the victim would feel everything since they can't use pain medication, and demonstrated what would happen if the victim's airway collapsed."
Jimenez and Duran hope to educate their audiences with their experiences, but want to do more than just that, especially when they present to Service members.
"When we visit our Service members, the presentation really takes on a whole new meaning for us," said Jimenez. "We appreciate their service, and if nothing else we hope this presentation will keep them safe so we may continue to honor their sacrifices and they can continue to protect our freedom."