And there is the World’s Fastest Wrecker,
a favorite among visitors. A 1979 Chevrolet equipped with a Holmes 440 bed, driven by expert stock car racer Eddie Martin, circled the track at the Alabama International Motor Speedway (commonly known as Talladega) at an average lap time of 109.33 miles per hour, and probably exceeding 130 miles per hour on straightaways. Professional driver, closed course… don’t try this at home! In addition to hosting roughly twenty immaculately restored tow trucks at any given time, all donated or on loan to the museum, there is also a wide array of equipment on display, and the world’s largest collection of toy tow trucks is on hand to be seen. Te Hall of Fame is also integral to the purpose of the facility. A tradition begun by the aforementioned “Friends of Towing”, the Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made a major contribution to the industry. Nominations can be submitted for consideration, and a new class is inducted
“THE CITY WAS A LOGICAL CHOICE TO LOCATE THE MUSEUM, HAVING BEEN HOME TO ERNEST HOLMES. HOLMES INVENTED THE TOW-TRUCK HERE AND TOGETHER WITH HIS SON BUILT THE ERNEST HOLMES COMPANY INTO A MAJOR TOWING EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER.”
each year. In addition to long tenure in the industry, criteria for nomination can include development of innovative products or equipment, exemplary dedication (demonstrated by service to the community well beyond paid services), industry leadership or professional achievement. “We typically add five or ten inductees
each year,” said the museum’s administrative assistant Nyle Vincent. “Tey are pillars of the industry – they’ve each done something really exceptional to support the industry or their communities, and help put the industry in a positive light.”
Two other major initiatives undertaken
by the Museum are the Wall of the Fallen and the Survivor Fund. Why these initiatives? It may not seem immediately obvious, but towing and recovery professionals are a form of first responder in many situations – some of them quite hazardous. While there is not a universally accepted definition of the term “first responder”, the U.S. First Responder Association sorts it out in one simple sentence: “A First Responder is any individual who runs toward an event rather than away.” How does this play out at the side of the
The International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame
Photo courtesy of International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum 30 MARCH–APRIL 2019 WIRE ROPE EXCHANGE
road? A number of sources report that one tow truck operator is killed about every six days in the United States in the course of assisting a motorist. To address the danger of working roadside for police and others, over the course of the last two decades every state in the U.S. has adopted a form of “Move Over” law – requiring traffic to move out of the lane adjacent to the side of the road where an emergency vehicle is stopped. Notably, we found that all “Move Over” laws include towing operators, either by specifically naming them or by including any emergency vehicle with flashing lights. How well motorists understand that is unclear. Towing operators are killed at “… double the rate of other first responders at the roadside. And many are hit-and-run events” added Vincent. In that content, the Wall of the Fallen, dedicated in 2006, serves “To honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to generate public awareness of the dangers involved in the towing and recovery industry and to permanently record and commemorate those involved in fatalities in the towing and recovery industry.” In addition to the onsite wall, their photos and stories are shared on the Museum’s website. Beyond that, in 2005 the Museum established the Survivors Fund to provide financial assistance to the families of towing
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