Every 15 Minutes

Windom Police Department

The Every 15 Minutes drunk and distracted driving prevention program took place at Windom Area High School on April 9th -10th, 2014. The “Every 15 Minutes” program involves the dramatization of an fatal alcohol-related crash complete with fire, police and EMS response, emergency room treatment, family notifications, and the arrest and booking of the driver.

On April 9th, the crash scene drama played out before the juniors and seniors during the school day. Throughout the day the other elements of the “docu-drama” unfold. To give students a better understanding of the number of DWI-related deaths, an individual dressed as the “Grim Reaper” appears every 15 minutes throughout the school day to select a “new victim”. The “victims” are taken out of class, and remain “deceased” for the remainder of the school day and the whole night.

The next morning, an assembly for 10th -12th graders was held in the high school gym with a special guest speaker and a video of the previous day’s experiences.

This is a very intense program that will challenge students to think about drinking, personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions, the impact on those who drive after drinking, the innocent victims, and their friends and families.

There are many organizations, groups, and individuals who have offered their time and their support to this program.. Thank you!