Delivering drink drive message to teenagers

Lindsay Sattler's crash movie shows the consequences of bad decisions. Photo / Chris Louft

Former supermarket manager finds a more fulfilling life working to help people.

For Franklin man Lindsay Sattler, a life as a supermarket assistant manager was not going cut it.

"I just realised I knew exactly what I would be doing on May 9 in 2037," he said.

He sought out something more exciting and decided to apply for a job with St John.

Within a week he was signed up, and after nine months of voluntary work with the organisation, he was offered paid work.

Twenty years on, he "hasn't looked back".

Working with the elderly, helping organise community fundraisers for unwell children and 14 years of volunteer support to the Fire Brigade are a few of his projects.

But Mr Sattler's most notable project yet is an educational movie recreating a drunk driver's crash and its consequences, which plays to school pupils.

He captured the entire drunk-driving crash experience, including the lead-up and aftermath.

First, a party scene was filmed with actors playing teenagers discussing goals and making decisions.

The young audience watches as the teens choose to get into a car with a drunk driver, who crashes the vehicle.

Emergency services are first on the scene and chop the car apart to pull out the victims, who are transferred into an ambulance.

Then, a resuscitation room has been set up with real doctors and nurses describing one of the crash patient's internal injuries.

After a cardiac arrest the undertaker takes away the lifeless body.

Then the victim's mother is told of her son's death.

Finally, a court trial with real police prosecutors and a judge determines sentencing of the young driver.

With the help of Auckland Transport, Mr Sattler and his team delivered the programme to six schools, reaching around 300 teens.

For his dedication to the betterment and protection of his community, Mr Sattler has been nominated for a Pride of New Zealand Award, in the Emergency Services category.

"Lindsay is very passionate about the work he carries out ... his attitude to patients is one of professionalism and empathy," his nominator said.

Mr Sattler is humbled by his nomination.

"There are lots more people more worthy of this accolade," he said.

"What I do is nothing compared to what others do every day."