The above photo depicts members of the Lanoka Harbor Fire Department working with Lanoka Harbor EMS during the June 1st, 2017 Project Crash Event at the Lacey Township High School.

As graduation approached, both the staff at the Lacey Township High School and the Lacey Township Police Department wanted to do everything we could to ensure our students safety, especially on the evening of the Lacey Township High School Prom. We wanted the students to make smart choices during their special night.

The Lacey Township High School, the Lacey Township Police Department and our local emergency services staged an event last Thursday, June 1st, 2017 (day before the prom) at the Lacey Township High School, dubbed “Project Crash.” Project Crash demonstrated the consequences of making poor choices, including underage consumption of alcohol and DUI. The event showed the students the horrors that can occur when people drink and drive. The event included a mock motor vehicle crash with a fatality and several injuries. School students acted as participants. Additionally, a helicopter landed on the football field (there were approximately 275 students in attendance).

The below photo depicts the New Jersey State Police Medevac landing during the June 1st, 2017 Project Crash Event at the Lacey  Township High School.

Members of the Lacey Township Police Department, along with members from the Lanoka Harbor Fire Department, Lanoka Harbor EMS, and the New Jersey State Police participated in Project Crash. I would like to thank Lacey Township High School Teacher Rene Risden who has been corridinating this event for the past several years. This event would not happen without all of her hard work. In addition, I want to thank Lacey Used Auto, 602 Route 9 North in Lanoka Harbor, and the Lanoka Harbor Fire Department, for providing the “mock” crash vehicles.  Finally, I would like to thank Riggs Funeral Home, located at 130 Route 9 North in Forked River, for providing the hearse.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving reports that one person is killed every 51 minutes by a drunk driver, and another is injured every two minutes. In 2015, 10,265 people died in drunk driving crashes and another 290,000 were injured. Drunk Driving costs the United States $132 Billion a year and on average, it costs each adult over $500 a year. Further, about one-third of all drivers arrested or convicted of DUI are repeat offenders, and an average drunk driver has driven over 80 times DUI before their first arrest.

The below photo depicts members for the Lanoka Harbor Fire Department and Lanoka Harbor EMS during the Project Crash Event.

-Chief Michael C. DiBella