Letter to BMHS Students and their Parents
Regarding Inaccurate Article in Local Paper
Monday, May 12, 2008
On Monday, May 5, 2008, OFD conducted our annual Mock DUI program at Blue
Mountain High School. The program, which was started in 1995, has only one
goal. Students are introduced to a staged car accident scene to see first
hand and hopefully, to make the right choice, to avoid the consequences of a
drunk driving accident. The program, which is held close to the Prom and
Graduation, involves students, firefighters, EMS, Law Enforcement and even a
Medevac Helicopter which lands near the scene and transports one of the
student victims. After the scenarios have been completed the students who
participated in the program are treated to lunch with their rescuers. A lot of time
and effort goes into this program and over the years, a great relationship has
developed between the Orwigsburg Fire Department, the Blue Mountain School
District and most importantly with the students.
The firefighters who participate are very dedicated and special people. Some of
them take vacation time to be on hand for the program. They have seen the
result of drunk driving up close and personal on countless occasions. They
volunteer to work with this program in the hope that they can help prevent the
tragedy that often follows underage drinking. Orwigsburg’s Rescue Captain, who
has been the lead coordinator of our Mock DUI program served as a technical
advisor for Shenandoah High School's first Mock DUI program this year. He has
also received inquiries from two other area schools asking for his assistance with
organizing their programs. Needless to say, I am very proud of all of the
participants in the Mock DUI Program.
Last week, a local news paper ran a column which was devoted to the Mock DUI
programs in the area. It praised the work of the firefighters involved. The author
chose to finish the column by imploring parents to take responsibility for their
children, to "Parent-up”. The article then refers to a party that “involved a
Firefighter Dad who allowed alcohol to be consumed at a 17-year-old's birthday
party. That Dad was involved in planning a mock DUI crash at a school this past
Monday." There was only one Mock DUI program "this past Monday" and it was
conducted by the Orwigsburg Fire Department at Blue Mountain High School.
The author wrote this "story" without bothering to do any research to determine if
it was accurate, printed his story and passed it off as fact. The facts are
that there was a party the weekend before the Mock DUI and the underage child
of one of our members attended. "The Firefighter Dad" knew nothing about the
party, certainly did not condone it and when he learned of it after the fact,
contacted a police officer. In fact, he did exactly what the "journalist" was
imploring parents to do in his article.
The "journalist" was contacted and when he was advised of the true facts of the
case, his answer was, "I'll write a retraction". How nice for him, in one breath, tell
the rest of the world to be responsible ("parent-up"). In the next, write whatever
you want, don't bother to make any effort to find out if your statements are correct
and if called to account, no problem just write a retraction a week later. No
worries about any consequences. After all, no names were named, not the Fire
Department or the "Firefighter Dad". Let the readers infer what they want.
Perhaps it's time for this journalist to assume some responsibility, maybe it's time
for him to "journalist-up".
I have waited a few days to post this letter. You see, this past weekend was Blue
Mountain’s Prom. Early Sunday morning I received a phone call from my
Rescue Captain reminding me that the streak remains intact. Since 1995 we
have not been dispatched to an alcohol related accident involving a student on
Prom Night. Is this record solely due to the Mock DUI program? Of course not.
The credit goes to Blue Mountain’s students and their parents, but we’d like to
think that the program helps reinforce the right choices. How sad that a local
newspaper would choose to criticize those who work so hard to make this
program possible and not even bother to make sure the criticism was accurate.
David J. Hardinger, Fire Chief
Orwigsburg Fire Department