ShawnCowden
Member
WHAT FREQ. DOES THE SAFE PATROL VAN USE TO TALK TO IN POST 11 ???motor vehicle enforcement headquarters in Frankfort IS WHO THEY TALK TO BUT WONDER ON WHAT FREQ.
THEIR IN LAUREL COUNTY SOON TO BE ONE IN WHITLEY COUNTY
STORY:
Laurel County has become a little more friendly.
If you are traveling on I-75 anywhere between Exit 25 and Exit 49 and you have a problem with your vehicle, just sit tight.
The SAFE patrol van will be rolling by soon.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has launched a pilot program to assist motorists traveling in Laurel County, and will soon implement one in Whitley County.
SAFE, which stands for Safety Assistance for Freeway Emergencies, began in Laurel County on Tuesday, Oct. 5, as a free service to motorists.
Thursday afternoon, Don Wells of Corbin pulled off the highway at the 39 mile marker northbound and was in the back of his pickup trying to tie down a big box with bungee cords so that it would not blow out.
SAFE Patrol driver Bert Asher, 58, stopped to see what the problem was and to see if Wells needed any help. It was someone he knew.
"I should have taken this box to the landfill a long time ago," said Wells. "It was trying to fly out and I'm trying to fix it so that it won't."
"I can put it in back of the van," suggested Asher, who did just that.
"I think this is a good idea," Wells said of the new program. "I've traveled this road a lot and have broken down many times. I remember one time in particular. I had to walk six miles in 5 degree weather to get to a gas station and my wife and kids were in the car."
Asher and Wells said their good-byes and both parties continued on their way.
At the 48 mile marker northbound Asher spotted a vehicle on the side of the highway with its emergency lights flashing. As soon as he pulled up behind the disabled vehicle, he noticed it had a flat tire.
Two elderly ladies, who had been to the Great Smoky Mountain Praise Fest, were on their way back home to Chillicothe, Ohio, when their right rear tire went flat on their Plymouth van. They had been waiting 45 minutes for a vendor from AAA to come and help them. When the SAFE Patrol van pulled up behind them, they mistakenly thought it was the help they had called for. They were surprised to find out that Kentucky had this free service and were delighted.
"I think this is great," Mary Schoenholtz proclaimed. "I was wondering if anyone was going to stop and help."
The driver of the car, Patricia Poole, who is also from Chillicothe, said she really did appreciate the help and noted that they did not have this service in Ohio.
As Asher was getting the spare tire loose from underneath the car, Gary Williams from Bolton's Towing pulled up and the two men replace the tire in a short time.
Some of the folks Asher helps along Interstate I-75 are from out-of-state, but most are from Kentucky. Each driver is asked to fill out a comment card.
Joyce Perry from Knox County had two flat tires Thursday morning, after accidentally running over a sharp piece of steel. Asher replaced one of the tires with her spare, while Perry was airing up the other tire with an air gun that she had which plugs into a cigarette lighter.
Her comment card read: "This gentleman stopped and assisted me along I-75 at 7:05 a.m. I had two flat tires. Great job. Thanks."
Asher and his partner, Stanley McFarland, are the SAFE Patrol drivers in District 11. They take turns patrolling from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week.
As soon as the men pull behind a vehicle they call the license plate number into the motor vehicle enforcement headquarters in Frankfort so that all their stops can be recorded. Asher and McFarland are not law enforcement officers. They are out there only to provide a free service to the public. If a dangerous situation does occur, they will call in officers.
They mostly expect to help with fixing flats and giving out gas.
"We give them at least two gallons of gas so that they can get to the nearest station," said Asher. "We carry a 2-gallon and a 5-gallon can of gas so that we don't have to go back and refuel. We also carry an air tank, water, two gallons of anti-freeze, and an adhesive to fix tires."
From the beginning of SAFE Patrol on October 5 to November 12, they have given out 68 gallons of gas, changed 49 flat tires, removed trash or other debris from the road 35 times, changed five batteries, and assisted law enforcement in locating one mobile meth lab abandoned on the side of the highway.
They also tagged 52 vehicles for removal from the highway shoulder. "We give the owner of the vehicle six hours before we tag it in order to give enough time to remove it. Someone might be out there walking to get gas."
The Kentucky SAFE Patrol travels an average of 500 miles per day, or 2,600 miles per week. It takes about 50 miles to make the loop between the two exits.
The cargo van is a half-ton and is equipped with jumper cables, gasoline cans, general maintenance tools, cell phone, two-way radio, and first aid equipment.
"Every time I stop, it gives me a great feeling of being able to help," said Asher. "It feels like Christmas. If I can't find anybody to help, I get kind of discouraged. I wouldn't want anyone to have trouble, but I'm here if they need me."
There is another pilot van operating on I-64 between Frankfort and Shelbyville.
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THEIR IN LAUREL COUNTY SOON TO BE ONE IN WHITLEY COUNTY
STORY:
Laurel County has become a little more friendly.
If you are traveling on I-75 anywhere between Exit 25 and Exit 49 and you have a problem with your vehicle, just sit tight.
The SAFE patrol van will be rolling by soon.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has launched a pilot program to assist motorists traveling in Laurel County, and will soon implement one in Whitley County.
SAFE, which stands for Safety Assistance for Freeway Emergencies, began in Laurel County on Tuesday, Oct. 5, as a free service to motorists.
Thursday afternoon, Don Wells of Corbin pulled off the highway at the 39 mile marker northbound and was in the back of his pickup trying to tie down a big box with bungee cords so that it would not blow out.
SAFE Patrol driver Bert Asher, 58, stopped to see what the problem was and to see if Wells needed any help. It was someone he knew.
"I should have taken this box to the landfill a long time ago," said Wells. "It was trying to fly out and I'm trying to fix it so that it won't."
"I can put it in back of the van," suggested Asher, who did just that.
"I think this is a good idea," Wells said of the new program. "I've traveled this road a lot and have broken down many times. I remember one time in particular. I had to walk six miles in 5 degree weather to get to a gas station and my wife and kids were in the car."
Asher and Wells said their good-byes and both parties continued on their way.
At the 48 mile marker northbound Asher spotted a vehicle on the side of the highway with its emergency lights flashing. As soon as he pulled up behind the disabled vehicle, he noticed it had a flat tire.
Two elderly ladies, who had been to the Great Smoky Mountain Praise Fest, were on their way back home to Chillicothe, Ohio, when their right rear tire went flat on their Plymouth van. They had been waiting 45 minutes for a vendor from AAA to come and help them. When the SAFE Patrol van pulled up behind them, they mistakenly thought it was the help they had called for. They were surprised to find out that Kentucky had this free service and were delighted.
"I think this is great," Mary Schoenholtz proclaimed. "I was wondering if anyone was going to stop and help."
The driver of the car, Patricia Poole, who is also from Chillicothe, said she really did appreciate the help and noted that they did not have this service in Ohio.
As Asher was getting the spare tire loose from underneath the car, Gary Williams from Bolton's Towing pulled up and the two men replace the tire in a short time.
Some of the folks Asher helps along Interstate I-75 are from out-of-state, but most are from Kentucky. Each driver is asked to fill out a comment card.
Joyce Perry from Knox County had two flat tires Thursday morning, after accidentally running over a sharp piece of steel. Asher replaced one of the tires with her spare, while Perry was airing up the other tire with an air gun that she had which plugs into a cigarette lighter.
Her comment card read: "This gentleman stopped and assisted me along I-75 at 7:05 a.m. I had two flat tires. Great job. Thanks."
Asher and his partner, Stanley McFarland, are the SAFE Patrol drivers in District 11. They take turns patrolling from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the week.
As soon as the men pull behind a vehicle they call the license plate number into the motor vehicle enforcement headquarters in Frankfort so that all their stops can be recorded. Asher and McFarland are not law enforcement officers. They are out there only to provide a free service to the public. If a dangerous situation does occur, they will call in officers.
They mostly expect to help with fixing flats and giving out gas.
"We give them at least two gallons of gas so that they can get to the nearest station," said Asher. "We carry a 2-gallon and a 5-gallon can of gas so that we don't have to go back and refuel. We also carry an air tank, water, two gallons of anti-freeze, and an adhesive to fix tires."
From the beginning of SAFE Patrol on October 5 to November 12, they have given out 68 gallons of gas, changed 49 flat tires, removed trash or other debris from the road 35 times, changed five batteries, and assisted law enforcement in locating one mobile meth lab abandoned on the side of the highway.
They also tagged 52 vehicles for removal from the highway shoulder. "We give the owner of the vehicle six hours before we tag it in order to give enough time to remove it. Someone might be out there walking to get gas."
The Kentucky SAFE Patrol travels an average of 500 miles per day, or 2,600 miles per week. It takes about 50 miles to make the loop between the two exits.
The cargo van is a half-ton and is equipped with jumper cables, gasoline cans, general maintenance tools, cell phone, two-way radio, and first aid equipment.
"Every time I stop, it gives me a great feeling of being able to help," said Asher. "It feels like Christmas. If I can't find anybody to help, I get kind of discouraged. I wouldn't want anyone to have trouble, but I'm here if they need me."
There is another pilot van operating on I-64 between Frankfort and Shelbyville.
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