News release
Kelowna Emergency Services to stage realistic impaired driving simulation for local students
April 2, 2026
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Kelowna, British Columbia
From: Kelowna RCMP
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Content
The Kelowna RCMP School Resource Officers Unit, along with local emergency responders, are joining forces to provide students with a sobering, front-row seat to the consequences of impaired driving. On April 9, 2026, starting at 10:00 am, a high-fidelity simulation will transform a mock collision site into a live classroom demonstrating the gravity of a ‘Code Three’ emergency response.
The Event: From Impact to Investigation
The demonstration begins with a staged collision involving an impaired driver. Students will witness a full-scale ‘Code Three response’, featuring first responders arriving at the scene with sirens and lights to perform life-saving maneuvers in real-time.
Following the initial response, investigators from the Southeast District (SED) and Kelowna RCMP Road Safety Unit will take center stage. They will guide students through the meticulous process of a forensic investigation, highlighting the specific evidence required to make a legal arrest and secure a conviction for impaired driving.
The Human & Legal Cost
The event concludes with a specialized seminar where students can engage directly with a panel of experts to discuss the ripple effects of a single bad decision. Representatives will include:
- RCMP Road Safety Unit & BC Prosecution Service: Outlining the considerable legal jeopardy and lifelong criminal record implications.
- ICBC: Discussing the financial and insurance-related fallout.
- BC Coroners Service & RDCO Victim Services: Providing a stark look at the tragic physical and emotional toll on families.
- RCMP Chaplain: Addressing the spiritual and communal grief following a fatal event.
- MADD Canada: Whose mission is to stop impaired driving and support its victims.
"Our goal is to move beyond statistics," says Constable Michael Della-Paolera, School Resource Office for Okanagan Mission Secondary. "By showing the intensity of the scene and the complexity of the aftermath, we hope to empower students to make choices that keep themselves and our community safe."
Quotes
"Our goal is to move beyond statistics. By showing the intensity of the scene and the complexity of the aftermath, we hope to empower students to make choices that keep themselves and our community safe."
Constable Michael Della-Paolera, School Resource Office for Okanagan Mission Secondary