Whirlybird goes over the top

I appreciate the programs like Jackson Memorial High School's "Project Crash," where an accident scene is staged to help dramatize the dangers of drunken driving. Sure, it probably results in some laughter from the audience watching from nearby bleachers, but the message is there for the taking. Hopefully it will get them safely through prom season.

But did the show really need a State Police helicopter? The State Police cosponsor the program, but with the cost of fuel so high, couldn't the chopper be left in the hangar? The numerous local police officers, firefighters and first aid squad members, the cutting apart of the vehicles to get the "victims" out, the fake blood everywhere, the report of some who are "dead on arrival," the field sobriety test and "arrest" of the driver should provide enough of a glimpse into the real life dangers of driving while intoxicated. Did bringing in a helicopter really add that much to the program?