Gear Adrift

OAK HARBOR, Wash. (NNS) — Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island Sailors receive the chance to learn and experience how drinking and driving don’t mix during a Save a Life Tour June 19.

The Save a Life Tour is an alcohol-awareness program designed to educate people about the dangers associated with drinking and driving.

The presentation starts with a video showing real life tragedies. Sailors then get a chance to sit in a drunk-driving simulator, which attempts to replicate the sensation of being intoxicated behind the wheel.

During the event Brian Beldyga, Save A Life Tour senior manager, spoke to Sailors about his experiences and the loss of his 19-year-old fiancé to a drunk driver.

“Brian made an impact with everyone here using his personal experience and that made his point get across to people a lot more,” said Aviation Ordnanceman (AW) 3rd Class Randy Wolfe, a Sailor assigned to NAS Whidbey Island.

“We show people how alcohol can affect reaction time, motor skills and tunnel vision, and how your brain decides to solve these problems from a sober perspective,” said Beldyga. “If you can’t do it sober with our help, then how can you do it in the real world after you’ve been drinking?”

NAS Whidbey Island also hosted additional demonstrations from Fleet and Family Support Center, the base chapel, Morale, Welfare and Recreation and Impaired Driving Impact Panel of Island County (IDIPIC). A representative of the Oak Harbor Police Department was present with fatal vision goggles, and the fire department held a demonstration using the “Jaws of Life.”