During Life Skills Week, year 11 and 12 students took part in the Road Accident Awareness Program (RAP) which was delivered by our local firefighters.
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Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Fire Fighter Toni Boucher said already this year we’ve been called out to three traffic crashes that have involved P-platers from our schools.
“This week we have attended both the Spinifex College and the Good Shepherd College to engage the students with the RAP, it’s a powerful road safety presentation.
RAP is designed to give an open and honest insight into the experience of firefighters working in road crash rescue.
“It exposes them to the hazards, the reality of driving and the responsibility they have to themselves and the community as a driver,” she said.
“The students were really receptive to the program so were the teachers and principals. They could see the importance of the program,” she said.
The students were given a confronting and realistic insight into road crash trauma including vision of real crashes.
Mini movies showcased real life crash survivors, many now living with permanent disability or loss of a loved one.
“Students usually find this element of the presentation the most emotional but it’s important to try and make them sit up and take notice.”
“It’s the same presentation Queensland-wide, and more often than not they know someone who has been in a car accident or lost someone, so it can get emotional.”
We highlighted to the students that being distracted while on the road by things like mobile phones can be very dangerous.
- QFES Fire Fighter Toni Boucher
The interactive session involved the QFES cutting a car wreck with the jaws of life to release a driver and passenger.
“A couple of the drama students got involved and played the victims, and we tried to accurately portray an a road crash as best we could,” she said.
“The students engaged very well with our younger firies, talking to them on a personal level, and they were interested and asked questions.”
Students were introduced to the Fatal Five.
Speeding, drink and drug driving, failure to wear a seat belt, driving while fatigued and, distraction and inattention which was officially added to the original Fatal Four.
“We highlighted to the students that being distracted while on the road by things like mobile phones can be very dangerous.”
