When three people within the Haverhill community decided they had seen enough lives ruined or cut tragically short because of drunk driving, they began the "We've Had Enough" program to give local high school students a first-hand account of what happens after a car crash.
Haverhill police officer Dennis J. Moriarty, paramedic Roland Courtemanche of Trinity EMS, and funeral director Richard "Rick" Barry of Farmer and Sons Funeral Home had been working on drunk driving awareness and prevention separately for years, but paired up over the last four years to really bring the message home to high school students.
For their efforts, they were honored together with the 2007-2008 Anti-Crime Council Award frm the Essex County Anti-Crime Council, a collaboration between the offices of Essex County Sheriff Frank G. Cousins and District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett. The award was presented during Haverhill Exchange Club's luncheon on April 24 and the message rang loud and clear — they want more of "We've Had Enough."
"We are the credible witnesses to the death and destruction that comes from drunk driving," said Courtemanche.
During their program, Moriarty explains the legal ramifications of a drunk driving arrest and, more importantly, what it is like for a police officer to have to tell a family that their child has just been killed in a car accident.
Courtemanche describes the horrors he has seen in the back of the ambulance, trying to save the life of someone bloodied and maimed after a drunk driving accident.
Finally, Barry talks about what it's like to witness families and friends cope with the loss of a young life taken too soon, as he helps them through the wake and funeral.
They found that just by sharing their experiences, including pictures of actual accidents, and telling teens about the tragedies they have seen as a result of drunk driving, they offer a perspective so real that it makes them stop and listen.
"We want to teach kids that there are choices," Barry said. "You can go home in a cruiser, an ambulance or a hearse, or you can be responsible and go home in your own car. We tell the kids, if you take keys away from a friend who is drunk, they might be mad at your for three days. But imagine sitting with your friend's parents after they've been killed in a car accident, knowing you could've done something to stop it."
"We don't preach to them," Courtemanche said. "We tell them straight out that 'we're not here to tell you what to do, we're leaving it up to you.' I think they appreciate when we're straightforward. It's more effective."
Part of the program is a television commercial that explains the consequences of deciding to drink and drive, and billboards that trumpet that message.
Their message is one the community gets behind as prom and graduation loom — times of infamous excess and reckless behavior for teens.
Haverhill Exchange Club has worked with Barry, Moriarty and Courtemanche to help spread the word. The MVRTA bus service has guaranteed that five of its buses would carry the "We've Had Enough" poster, but the regional transit line ended up with 10 buses with the message for a year.
Volunteers help blanket schools and businesses with posters during prom season.
Last year at prom time Bill DeLuca car dealerships in Haverhill offered space on its rotating billboard on Interstate 495 at no charge for We've Had Enough campaign slogans.
Now, the Anti-Crime Council is getting involved.
Paul Fleming, spokesman for the Essex County Sheriff's office, said the Anti-Crime Council was proud to give the award to We've Had Enough because the Courtemanche, Barry and Moriarty have similar goals to the council — battling social ills in the areas of drug abuse, domestic violence and gangs.
"The anti-crime council hopes to make the lives of many better in this region, and We've Had Enough epitomizes that," Fleming said. "They're doing a great thing, particularly at this time of year. With prom coming up, there is the potential for trouble."
Moriarty said local officials are noticing a difference because of the efforts of We've Had Enough, and communities in California, Kentucky and Colorado have followed the model perfected in Haverhill.
Moriarty, Courtemanche and Barry gladly offer their materials, expertise and advice to community groups who have also had enough of drunk driving.
"We'd love to see it continue to flourish into something larger...maybe a national campaign," Barry said.
"If we just save one kid, it's worth it," Moriarty said.
