Airmen get 'Street Smart'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Victor J. Caputo
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Approximately 700 Airmen between the ages of 18 and 26 learned what poor choices can lead to during a Street Smart presentation Nov. 14, 2012, at the base theater.

Over the course of the hour-long presentation, Airmen learned the deadly outcomes that can result form drunk driving.

"Trauma doesn't care whether you're a full-bird colonel or an Airmen, how important or how strong you are," said Patrick Kelly, Orlando Fire Department Station 11 C-Shift firefighter and Street Smart instructor. "It will get you."

Street Smart, a program presented by Stay Alive From Education, has helped educate young adults and teenagers about the traumatic injuries that can result from car crashes. Drinking and driving, in addition to not wearing a seatbelt, is discussed as the primary causes of motor vehicle-accident deaths.

Ten teams, each comprised of two firefighters, travel the country briefing groups as varied as high school classes to military audiences. More than 100,000 people a year are reached through the presentations.

The presentation is known for its blunt, real-life depictions of accidents.

"Our objective is to show people what happens in real life when poor choices are made," said Chris Stocks, Orlando Fire Department Station 9 C-Shift firefighter and Street Smart instructor. "It's very graphic; it's very real, but not to the point where we're trying to scare people."

One idea that was mentioned throughout the presentation was the fact that anybody can be effected by poor choices.

"It made me think that a crash can happen to any one of us, any day, anytime," said Senior Airman Christian Brathwaite, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Commander's Action Group administrative assistant. "If I decide to make the wrong decision, it could be me."

The biggest part of the presentation involves an audience member coming on-stage and being guided through different choices and scenarios that can lead to an accident, usually a motor vehicle-related incident.

"We take a person from the crowd and walk them through a mock car crash," said Stocks. "We then treat them just like we would on ."

When all was said and done, Kelly had a message he wanted everyone to take away from the presentation.

"All we can do is have good habits and try to do the right thing," he said. "When it comes to drinking and driving, the number one tool is to have a good plan in place."

For more information on the Street Smart program and S.A.F.E., visit www.safeprogram.com/index.html .