JustinCruse

What is secondary damage? Secondary damage is any damage that occurs to the casualty during the hook-up, tow, transport or recovery. Secondary damage can include: Damage to the casualties body Damage to paint Broken windows, headlights or windshield Damage to wheels, tires or wheel wells Frame damage What causes secondary damage? Secondary damage can be caused by a number of factors, including mistakes by the operator, poor planning, unforeseen road conditions or poorly executed rigging or set up. Although some secondary damage is unavoidable, it is the operator's responsibility to ensure that minimal damage is caused to the vehicle during hookup or recovery. Note: As mentioned, some damage is unavoidable. This should be documented ahead of time and the owner should be made aware before executing the tow or recovery whenever possible. Any unnecessary damage that occurs during hookup or recovery is referred to as avoidable damage. Who pays for secondary damage? Any time avoidable secondary damage occurs, it must be paid for, whether it be out of the operators pocket, the company’s or by the company insurance. Regardless, avoidable secondary damage always reflects poorly on the operator that caused it. Be strategic when planning to avoid secondary damage whenever possible. How can proper training help? Proper towing and recovery training can teach an operator the ways they reduce damage to a casualty during hookup or recovery. WreckMaster teaches the latest techniques designed by our team of industry-leading instructors specifically designed to do it right the first time, everytime and with as minimal damage as possible. To learn more about reducing secondary damage, check out WreckMaster’s online Safety Meeting: Secondary Damages or attend one of our hands-on training courses. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

What is secondary damage? Secondary damage is any damage that occurs to the casualty during the hook-up, tow, transport or recovery. Secondary damage can include: Damage to the casualties body Damage to paint Broken windows, headlights or windshield Damage to wheels, tires or wheel wells Frame damage What causes secondary damage? Secondary damage can be caused by a number of factors, including mistakes by the operator, poor planning, unforeseen road conditions or poorly executed rigging or set up. Although some secondary damage is unavoidable, it is the operator's responsibility to operate in a manner that prevents secondary damage during the hookup or recovery. Note: As mentioned, some damage is unavoidable. This should be documented ahead of time and the owner should be made aware before executing the tow or recovery whenever possible. Any unnecessary damage that occurs during hookup or recovery is referred to as avoidable damage. Who pays for secondary damage? Any time avoidable secondary damage occurs, it must be paid for, whether it be out of the operators pocket, the company’s or by the company insurance. Regardless, avoidable secondary damage always reflects poorly on the operator that caused it. Be strategic when planning to avoid secondary damage whenever possible. How can proper training help? Proper towing and recovery training can teach an operator the ways they reduce damage to a casualty during hookup or recovery. WreckMaster teaches the latest techniques designed by our team of industry-leading instructors specifically designed to do it right the first time, everytime and with as minimal damage as possible. To learn more about reducing secondary damage, check out WreckMaster’s online Safety Meeting: Secondary Damages or attend one of our hands-on training courses. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

As an owner or manager, it is your job to outfit your employees with the right tools for the job. That doesn’t just include the equipment on the truck, but also the training and knowledge needed to perform their duties. You can not expect an operator to succeed when they haven’t been put in a position to do so. Taking the time to properly onboard an operator and showing them what is expected of them will make them more efficient and reduce the chance of performance-related issues down the road Try these steps: Remember: Putting an operator in a position to succeed will not only help your employee, but save you as manager stress down the line. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

As an owner or manager, it is your job to outfit your employees with the right tools for the job. That doesn’t just include the equipment on the truck, but also the training and knowledge needed to perform their duties. You can not expect an operator to succeed when they haven’t been put in a position to do so. Taking the time to properly onboard an operator and showing them what is expected of them will make them more efficient and reduce the chance of performance-related issues down the road Try these steps: Remember: Putting an operator in a position to succeed will not only help your employee, but save you as manager stress down the line. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

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Remember these 10 Tips to stay safe while on the job: Click here to download and print this poster View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

Remember these 10 Tips to stay safe while on the job: Click here to download and print this poster View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

Remember these 10 Tips to stay safe while on the job: Click here to download and print this poster View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

You have been dispatch to recover a vehicle that has become stuck while traveling down a gravel road. It has rained for the last week causing the road to wash out the gravel. The driver was traveling at night which limited their visibility of the road condition. The car has a gross vehicle weight of 2749 lbs. The rear axle weighing 1,347 lbs is mired to the axle with the front axle mired to tires with a weight of 1,402 lbs. You have access to the front of the vehicle. QUESTIONS: View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

You have been dispatch to recover a vehicle that has become stuck while traveling down a gravel road. It has rained for the last week causing the road to wash out the gravel. The driver was traveling at night which limited their visibility of the road condition. The car has a gross vehicle weight of 2749 lbs. The rear axle weighing 1,347 lbs is mired to the axle with the front axle mired to tires with a weight of 1,402 lbs. You have access to the front of the vehicle. QUESTIONS: View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

You have been dispatch to recover a vehicle that has become stuck while traveling down a gravel road. It has rained for the last week causing the road to wash out the gravel. The driver was traveling at night which limited their visibility of the road condition. The car has a gross vehicle weight of 2749 lbs. The rear axle weighing 1,347 lbs is mired to the axle with the front axle mired to tires with a weight of 1,402 lbs. You have access to the front of the vehicle. QUESTIONS: View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

The phone rings. “Bob and Tom’s Towing, this is Bob, how can I help you?” Different names, different places, but every day, thousands of conversations start just like this and end with something along the lines of: “Thanks for choosing us,” “Hope you have a better day,” or “Good luck!” But the middle is where all the interesting stuff is. That’s where we live, in muck and the mud, the bad day that just got worse. That’s what we’re there for, the chaos! The trick is to not let the chaos rattle and consume you. The words of the poet come to mind: “to keep your wits about you when all about you are losing theirs!” So how do we do it? How do we stand in the middle of the chaos and remain in control? The first aspect is information, joined at the hip with communication - Good communication! That is the most effective weapon in the fight against chaos. What problem could you not solve if the proper information was given with perfect communication? Here’s an example. Bob answers the phone like he always does and from the other end of the line the story starts to unfold. “My ford pickup broke down and needs to be towed.” So Bob proceeds to get a description of the vehicle: a green 2007 Ford F-350. He also gets information regarding the vehicles pickup and drop off locations. A pretty standard call, all things considered. Now Bob relays the info to Tom. Tom then goes out to help the customer. But when Tom pulls up on scene in his F-650 carrier he gets a surprise: not only does he find the bright green pickup, but attached to it is a 35’ 5th wheel trailer. Is Tom equipped to handle this call? Nope! So now he’s scrambling trying to figure out what options he has, while the customer, his wife and three yapping dogs express their concern and displeasure at the prospect of waiting another 30-45 minutes for the other truck to get there to solve the problem. Now, on the one hand, you could say to yourself the guy should have told him that he had a trailer to start with. And that may be true, but there are some questions you need to ask yourself before you go down the road of blaming someone else. Who is the professional? Are you, the operator, responsible for your own actions? Did the dispatcher(Bob) get all the information that was needed to efficiently do the call? Did Bob have the training he needed to understand the situation and know what questions to ask the customer? Did Tom follow up with the customer to make sure the information he received was accurate and complete? The more of these questions you ask, the more you can see that there is plenty of blame to go around. And while pointing the finger at someone else’s mistake may feel better, that is never going to lead to a better place! Taking responsibility for your own action or inaction must be your first move if you want to be successful. When was the last time you participated in or organized a training session with operators and dispatchers? Do your dispatchers have the necessary skills and tools to do their job so well that it makes the operators job easier? Do the operators understand what the office staff needs from them in order to make their jobs easier? Do you and your team truly act like a team? Or is that room filled with people who are less interested in helping each other and more interested shining the light on other’s mistakes? Whatever position you find yourself in, owner, manager, operator, or office staff. Figure out how you can be your best and lift those around you. Actively participate in company training. Ask how you can help your coworkers and teammates. Give honest and constructive feedback, and listen when that is given to you! Take ownership of yourself and see what kind of progress you can make. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

The phone rings. “Bob and Tom’s Towing, this is Bob, how can I help you?” Different names, different places, but every day, thousands of conversations start just like this and end with something along the lines of: “Thanks for choosing us,” “Hope you have a better day,” or “Good luck!” But the middle is where all the interesting stuff is. That’s where we live, in muck and the mud, the bad day that just got worse. That’s what we’re there for, the chaos! The trick is to not let the chaos rattle and consume you. The words of the poet come to mind: “to keep your wits about you when all about you are losing theirs!” So how do we do it? How do we stand in the middle of the chaos and remain in control? The first aspect is information, joined at the hip with communication - Good communication! That is the most effective weapon in the fight against chaos. What problem could you not solve if the proper information was given with perfect communication? Here’s an example. Bob answers the phone like he always does and from the other end of the line the story starts to unfold. “My ford pickup broke down and needs to be towed.” So Bob proceeds to get a description of the vehicle: a green 2007 Ford F-350. He also gets information regarding the vehicles pickup and drop off locations. A pretty standard call, all things considered. Now Bob relays the info to Tom. Tom then goes out to help the customer. But when Tom pulls up on scene in his F-650 carrier he gets a surprise: not only does he find the bright green pickup, but attached to it is a 35’ 5th wheel trailer. Is Tom equipped to handle this call? Nope! So now he’s scrambling trying to figure out what options he has, while the customer, his wife and three yapping dogs express their concern and displeasure at the prospect of waiting another 30-45 minutes for the other truck to get there to solve the problem. Now, on the one hand, you could say to yourself the guy should have told him that he had a trailer to start with. And that may be true, but there are some questions you need to ask yourself before you go down the road of blaming someone else. Who is the professional? Are you, the operator, responsible for your own actions? Did the dispatcher(Bob) get all the information that was needed to efficiently do the call? Did Bob have the training he needed to understand the situation and know what questions to ask the customer? Did Tom follow up with the customer to make sure the information he received was accurate and complete? The more of these questions you ask, the more you can see that there is plenty of blame to go around. And while pointing the finger at someone else’s mistake may feel better, that is never going to lead to a better place! Taking responsibility for your own action or inaction must be your first move if you want to be successful. When was the last time you participated in or organized a training session with operators and dispatchers? Do your dispatchers have the necessary skills and tools to do their job so well that it makes the operators job easier? Do the operators understand what the office staff needs from them in order to make their jobs easier? Do you and your team truly act like a team? Or is that room filled with people who are less interested in helping each other and more interested shining the light on other’s mistakes? Whatever position you find yourself in, owner, manager, operator, or office staff. Figure out how you can be your best and lift those around you. Actively participate in company training. Ask how you can help your coworkers and teammates. Give honest and constructive feedback, and listen when that is given to you! Take ownership of yourself and see what kind of progress you can make. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

The phone rings. “Bob and Tom’s Towing, this is Bob, how can I help you?” Different names, different places, but every day, thousands of conversations start just like this and end with something along the lines of: “Thanks for choosing us,” “Hope you have a better day,” or “Good luck!” But the middle is where all the interesting stuff is. That’s where we live, in muck and the mud, the bad day that just got worse. That’s what we’re there for, the chaos! The trick is to not let the chaos rattle and consume you. The words of the poet come to mind: “to keep your wits about you when all about you are losing theirs!” So how do we do it? How do we stand in the middle of the chaos and remain in control? The first aspect is information, joined at the hip with communication - Good communication! That is the most effective weapon in the fight against chaos. What problem could you not solve if the proper information was given with perfect communication? Here’s an example. Bob answers the phone like he always does and from the other end of the line the story starts to unfold. “My ford pickup broke down and needs to be towed.” So Bob proceeds to get a description of the vehicle: a green 2007 Ford F-350. He also gets information regarding the vehicles pickup and drop off locations. A pretty standard call, all things considered. Now Bob relays the info to Tom. Tom then goes out to help the customer. But when Tom pulls up on scene in his F-650 carrier he gets a surprise: not only does he find the bright green pickup, but attached to it is a 35’ 5th wheel trailer. Is Tom equipped to handle this call? Nope! So now he’s scrambling trying to figure out what options he has, while the customer, his wife and three yapping dogs express their concern and displeasure at the prospect of waiting another 30-45 minutes for the other truck to get there to solve the problem. Now, on the one hand, you could say to yourself the guy should have told him that he had a trailer to start with. And that may be true, but there are some questions you need to ask yourself before you go down the road of blaming someone else. Who is the professional? Are you, the operator, responsible for your own actions? Did the dispatcher(Bob) get all the information that was needed to efficiently do the call? Did Bob have the training he needed to understand the situation and know what questions to ask the customer? Did Tom follow up with the customer to make sure the information he received was accurate and complete? The more of these questions you ask, the more you can see that there is plenty of blame to go around. And while pointing the finger at someone else’s mistake may feel better, that is never going to lead to a better place! Taking responsibility for your own action or inaction must be your first move if you want to be successful. When was the last time you participated in or organized a training session with operators and dispatchers? Do your dispatchers have the necessary skills and tools to do their job so well that it makes the operators job easier? Do the operators understand what the office staff needs from them in order to make their jobs easier? Do you and your team truly act like a team? Or is that room filled with people who are less interested in helping each other and more interested shining the light on other’s mistakes? Whatever position you find yourself in, owner, manager, operator, or office staff. Figure out how you can be your best and lift those around you. Actively participate in company training. Ask how you can help your coworkers and teammates. Give honest and constructive feedback, and listen when that is given to you! Take ownership of yourself and see what kind of progress you can make. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

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PRO TIPS: 1. Store your V-Bridle on the right sight of your carrier bed to make it easier to access. 2. Store your towing and service equipment on the right (non-traffic) side of your truck. 3. Store your recovery equipment on the left side of your truck. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

PRO TIPS: 1. Store your V-Bridle on the right sight of your carrier bed to make it easier to access. 2. Store your towing and service equipment on the right (non-traffic) side of your truck. 3. Store your recovery equipment on the left side of your truck. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

PRO TIPS: 1. Store your V-Bridle on the right sight of your carrier bed to make it easier to access. 2. Store your towing and service equipment on the right (non-traffic) side of your truck. 3. Store your recovery equipment on the left side of your truck. View the full article on WreckMaster.com...

A stripped bolt can cause frustration for any operator. Luckily WreckMaster Lead Instructor Casey Burrows has some tips on how to quickly and efficiently address the issue. Source Link

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You have been dispatched to recover a skid steer that has become stuck at the bottom of a 15° grade. Due to the location of the skid steer, you have to back down the grade to get close enough to perform the recovery. The tow truck you are operating has a gross vehicle weight of 13,260 lb. With the front axle weighing 5,860 lb while the rear axle weighs 7,400 lb. After successfully winching the wheeled skid steer out, the wrecker's rear axle has become mired to tire depth. The front axle is on a soft surface. On the scene, there is a dump truck at the top of the hill that can be positioned directly in front of the tow truck. There are two attachment points on the rear of the dump truck. You are able to move the wheeled skid steer to position it on the driver's side of the tow truck with it lined up just in front of the rear axle. The bucket has an attachment point on it. The wire rope has been run off the end of the boom to a snatch block attached to the skid loader, from there the line is run through a snatch block attached to the driver's side rear attachment point of the dump truck. From there the line is run through a snatch block that is attached to a two-legged bridle attached to the front of the truck that is stuck. The hook end of the wire rope is then attached to the passenger side of the dump truck. The rear brakes are set on the dump truck with it sitting on hard-packed gravel. The wheeled skid steer is sitting on hard-packed grass with all of its brakes set. The angle of the sheave head is at 90° The angle of snatch block A is at 10° The angle of snatch block B is at 30° The angle of snatch block C is at 70° Take the quiz below to see if you know your stuff! View the full article on WreckMaster.com...