F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- A frantic 911 call, almost too hard to decipher by the dispatcher, blared over loud speakers at the F.E. Warren parade field, opening the 90th Missile Wing all call, June 20, 2016. A woman cried and pleaded for help at a crash site as people were gravely injured and possibly dead.
“The loss of one Airman profoundly impacts the entire wing,” said Col. Stephen M. Kravitsky, 90th Missile Wing commander. “Every Airman mourns a single loss because we are a family.”
Over 200 Airmen looked on as emergency responders arrived on scene, a woman involved in the crash hailing them with panicked screams for help.
“This event showcased the emergency response to a crash caused by an individual who chose to drink while intoxicated,” said 2nd Lt. Heather Steed, 90th Security Forces Group safety officer. “We wanted to showcase the carnage and lasting damage that happens when someone is killed by a drunk driver.”
Firefighters used their hydraulic rescue tools, known to most as the “Jaws of Life,” to extricate the victims who were still locked in their vehicles as paramedics stood nearby ready to assess and treat potentially critically-injured patients.
“Unfortunately, this scenario could happen to one of us any day. It could impact one of our family members or friends,” Kravitsky said.
Of the four Airmen involved in the simulated crash caused by a drunk driver, one staff sergeant died on scene.
“We know that many Airmen choose to drink during their leisure time,” Steed said. “We want them to drink responsibly and have a plan. If their plan falls through, we want them to call safe ride, their supervisor or the first sergeant.”
The demonstration continued with a simulated funeral. A chaplain offered a prayer, reflected on the accomplishments of the deceased and emphasized how much he would be missed by his loved ones.
“Having this tough conversation really puts things in perspective,” Steed said. “If one Airman walks away from this event and thinks twice about drinking and driving, that is one less person who could potentially kill themselves or somebody else.”
When the chaplain concluded his eulogy, a crying woman approached the microphone. She was the wife of a man she will never see again, hold again or kiss again because he was killed by a drunk driver. Heavy with sobering emotion, she mourned a senseless death and urged the audience to make responsible choices about alcohol.
The event concluded with a few words from the Airman convicted of a DUI in the demonstration. He spoke about his pending separation from his wife and son while he served his sentence and the loss of his career and future plans.
“The cost of drinking and driving is simply too high to pay,” Steed said. “It is a decision that will negatively impact the rest of your life and can have devastating effects on others.”
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that every two minutes, someone in the United States is injured in a drunk driving incident, and every 53 minutes someone is killed by a drunk driver. That means that during one eight-hour duty day, nine people die.
“My only judge of success as your commander is that we don’t lose a single person in a situation we could have prevented,” Kravitsky said. “I don’t ever want to see one of us in this situation because you or someone else chose to drink and drive. Please be safe and think about what you are going to do before you do it.”