Auction list subject to change. For more information including directions and rules, visit our auction page.

Auction list subject to change. For more information including directions and rules, visit our auction page.

The All Emergency Vehicle Show returned to XXX Root Beer in Issaquah, WA again this Spring to benefit the Northwest Burn Foundation. The show was attended by the Emergency Vehicle Owners and Operators Association, Last Resort Fire Department, Rain City Hearse Club, and several independent vehicle owners including a contingent from Airport Towing & The Storer Antique Tow Truck Collection.

On display were many of the region’s most interesting classic and dynamic emergency vehicles including eight uniquely different fire apparatus. Flying the American flag high above the crowd was a 1969 Kenworth 100′ ladder truck; the only tillered KW aerial in existence.

Far below, the rest of the fire brigade took center stage, getting plenty of notice with their 1950 KW City Service Ladder Truck (The last of it’s kind for the Seattle Fire Department), a 1969 KW Pumper (equipped with a 1500 pound Fire Boss Super-K dry chemical unit), a 1951 KW Pumper “The Showcase of the Burien Fire Department”, a 1952 Diamond T Pumper, 1979 International, and a Fire Chief’s car.

If an award was given for most unique audible siren in the group, then it most definitely would have gone to the 1974 Volkswagen Thing. The German import proudly displayed a bright red and white color scheme, chrome accessories, a blue warning light, a soft top convertible option, and a very hard to ignore European siren that was able to drown out all the rest during the show’s audible siren performance.

The only other fire unit displayed at the show is just as often referred to as a “tow truck”. It is a 1954 Seagrave Aerial Tractor that originally traveled as a 100 foot ladder truck, but has since had the trailer section removed and is now primarily used to tow other fire apparatus of the Last Resort Fire Department. Regardless of what category the old Seagrave tow truck/fire truck fits in to, it is a guaranteed conversation starter.

The tow truck competition belonged solely to Airport Towing. Only two awards were set aside for competing tow trucks, one of which was presented for the purple hot rod truck with hand painted flames wrapped around a Holmes wrecker unit. The 1935 Ford tow truck proved to be a crowd-pleaser when the 305 cubic inch motor roared as it pulled in the parking lot. The unit that took the top prize for the tow truck category, however, was the two ton Weaver Auto Crane mounted atop a 1925 Ford Model TT flatbed truck. As the first restored tow truck among a collection of more than a dozen, the Model TT has always earned extremely high marks in motor vehicle competitions.

Airport Towing was proud to learn that all proceeds from the event were donated to the Northwest Burn Foundation in honor of Mark Storer and Brian Storer, the father and son duo who died tragically in a plane crash less than two years ago. Mark founded the successful towing company and ran the day to day operations for more than 20 years with his son by his side. The family was honored continue the legacy of remembering their loved one’s by helping others within the local community. The two were known not only as masterful tow truck operators, but for their big hearts and for consistently and selflessly giving to others who were in their greatest time of need.

Another tow truck that embraced the warm weather and appeared at the event was a locally owned and operated red 4-wheel drive Chevrolet Silverado  from the early 1950′s. The unit is fully functional and is still being used as a daily driver.

Not to be outdone by the strong showing of trucks on display, police cars arrived in full force, emphasizing the amount of dedication that is invested in preserving the history of local law enforcement. Private car collectors and local organizations displayed nearly a dozen Ford Crown Victoria’s, along with several retired Mustangs, a Chevrolet Camaro, Caprice, and even a 1976 Dodge Dart.

Many of the vehicles were complete with original or replica agency lettering like the classic black and white Ford Fairlane 500 Sheriff’s car that took up a significantly large parking space compared to the more modern police cruisers. The long body style of the 1960 Ford characterized the police vehicles of its era as being a sleek and powerful force to be reckoned with.

Providing two more large body historical cruisers for public display was the Seattle Metropolitan Police Museum. Their shining star glistened in the sunlight and drew in crowds of spectators who were able to get a look at the rare green and white beauty. The 1967 Plymouth Fury I is an original King County Sheriff’s patrol car restored to its previous grandeur.

Competing for the spotlight was the Museum’s other showcase vintage police car, a 1970 Plymouth Satellite used by the Seattle Police Department. The historical Chrysler was likely the fastest vehicle in attendance, sporting a 383 cubic inch “Super Commando” engine and a 4-barrel carburetor, which is likely to keep even most modern day sports cars at bay.

Walking down historical police car alley was certainly not complete without checking out all the equipment and memorabilia that accessorized the LAPD Police Car Replica, a 1956 Chevrolet. The car carried everything from an antique 1950′s police radio to vintage wanted flyers old time tv’s most dangerous criminal, Richard Kimble (The Fugitive). The car even featured a breakfast tray attachment for the drivers door complete with coffee and doughnuts for the hard working, early rising beat cop.

Though vintage vehicles are a hit at just about any vehicle show, the All Emergency Vehicle Show also featured an array of currently used equipment as well. The volunteers from King County Search & Rescue were on hand to hand out information about their program and to do some showing off with their off-road rig’s.

The U.S. military made their presence known by bringing a contingent from the Washington National Guard along with a customized Humvee to contribute to the competition. The American Flag draped Hummer with chromed rims carried a uniqueness that was rivaled only by the vehicles it sat directly across the parking lot from during the day’s event: a fleet of hearses from the Professional Car Society’s Northwest Chapter, who have been responsible for producing the event for the past four years. After a hugely successful event in 2010, the organization plans to continue the tradition and host the event at XXX Root Beer of Issaquah, WA again in 2011.

Auction list subject to change. For more information including directions and rules, visit our auction page.

The  bill that is on its way to becoming a law has been widely supported by Washington State police officers, firefighters, tow truck operators, and department of transportation personnel. Governor Gregoire has continued to voice her support of protecting emergency workers as they are exposed to dangerous situations.

ESHB 2464 prohibits drivers from endangering workers inside emergency zones on highways and freeways within Washington State. Emergency zones are defined as the adjacent lanes of the roadway 200 feet before and after a stationary emergency vehicle with a siren or flashing lights, a tow truck using red lights, or an emergency assistance vehicle using warning lights.

The new law also requires drivers to proceed with caution, reduce speed, and if reasonable and safe, yield the right-of-way by passing to the left. These new requirements, if followed, will protect the lives of workers within emergency zones and greatly reduce the risk to rescuers trying to help endangered motorists. If the new rules are not followed, tougher penalties will be enforced.

Anyone caught violating the rules of the emergency zone could be cited for reckless endangerment of emergency zone workers. The infraction is a gross misdemeanor of which the penalty is a 60 day suspension of driver’s license, up to one year in jail, and as much as $5,000 in fines. Drivers who break any other traffic laws while within 200 feet of the emergency zone are subject to double the standard fine for the infraction.

The new penalties emphasize Washington’s stance on safety along the roadways. Heavy congestion, inclement weather, and various types of terrain have long plagued the Pacific Northwest with motor vehicle accidents along the Interstates and Highways. While the state has improved response and service levels delivered to the motoring public, it has fallen short in efforts to keep emergency zone workers out of harms way until now.

Firefighters are often on scene of major collisions performing rescues and extrication before crews have time to establish advanced warning devices. Police officers are forced to work along side the highways every day, tasked with writing paperwork inside their patrol cars as other vehicles blow by at deadly speeds only inches away. DOT crews assist drivers who have become disabled in an effort to quickly remove them from harms way. Tow truck operators are forced to park in front of disabled vehicles while attempting to clear the dangerous roadways most often without any protection behind or beside them. Fortunately for the heroes that work hard every day to protect drivers at their most vulnerable moment, a little more help is on the way with the enhanced move over law.

Gov. Gregoire will be signing ESHB 2464 into law today at 11:30am inside Bellevue City Hall. The Towing and Recovery Associaiton of Washington will be among those in attendance to show their appreciation for the dedication to safety displayed by state lawmakers during the 2010 legislative session.

Auction list subject to change. For more information including directions and rules, visit our auction page.

Auction list subject to change. For more information including directions and rules, visit our auction page.

Emergency services were initially notified of an officer down by a tow truck driver on scene. The flatbed driver of Hill’s Auto Body & Towing was in the process of hooking up to the vehicle that was ordered to be impounded by WSP. It was the tow truck operator that saw a brief exchange of words between the gunman and the State Trooper, then witnessed shots fired.

According to reports, two shots were fired by the mysterious gunman. One of those shots struck the trooper in the head and became lodged in muscle tissue behind his ear, only missing his spinal cord by a few inches. Trooper Johnson immediately turned and returned fire, likely missing his assailant.

As the gunman proceeded to flee the scene, the tow truck driver persued the attacker, but had to retreat after the criminal fired a bullet toward him. The drivers next reaction was to return to the injured trooper and call in for help. Responding officers in the surrounding community of Long Beach, Washington were on scene within minutes.

The tow truck driver was unharmed, but Trooper Johnson required immediate medical attention after the gunshot wound from point blank range. The tow truck operator reported it was the quick reaction of Trooper Johnson, moving aside when the gun was pressed to his head, that saved his life.

Police are still searching for the suspect and are offering a $26,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter. Tips have been pouring in, but have not yet led to an arrest.

The man is described as white male, 35-40 years old with tan skin, approximately 5’10″ and 190lbs. He was wearing a dark insulated shirt and a knit cap.

Washington State Tip Line: 1-800-283-7808

Outside Washington Tip Line: 1-360-405-6650

The ambush follows a string of shootings on law enforcement that have killed six Washington State police officers since this Halloween. None of the attacks are believed to be connected, other than the fact that all of them ocurred in Washington State. Now the fight is on for emergency responders to protect each other on the streets in an increasingly dangerous environment.

Inside the Tennessee plant, tow trucks emerge from pieces of raw metal right before our eyes. Millers’ 100,000 square foot warehouse is their primary manufacturing facility where thousands of tow trucks are manufactured each year. Our personal factory tour led us through the plant to follow the production of units from initial parts order to final completion. Employees we encountered during the tour were informative and helpful, teaching us the true meaning of “southern hospitality”.

We began at the first step in the process of building a tow truck, where the appropriate sizes and amounts of raw steel are acquired and stocked. When a tow unit is ordered, Miller employees round up all the necessary materials from their stock within the warehouse to build the sub-frame and transfer the parts to a welding station within the facility. Nearly all of the steel acquired by Miller is American made and forged locally. After the necessary materials are assembled, a skilled welder begins joining the metal to create the structural support of the tow unit. Miller boasts that their low turnover of skilled workers has been a key ingredient in yielding a high quality man-made product for several years.

Once unit is structurally sound, the functional parts are attached. Following the final welding process, the conjoined pieces are bead blasted. Bead blasting is necessary because the welding process can leave rough edges and small debris. The process of bead blasting is defined as removing surface deposits by applying fine glass beads at a low pressure without damaging the surface. Workers move parts requiring blasting into a large enclosed chamber, and seal the doors so they can unleash thousands of tiny reusable beads to blast the fabricated unit.

When all welding and fabrication is complete for a single unit, the unassembled parts go into the painting process.

Miller has the capability of painting tow truck parts on site. Applying primer and paint before the unit is assembled is essential to eliminate duplication of effort and is important for a high quality paint job.

The last step in building a tow truck is final assembly. Anyone purchasing a wrecker body from Miller has the option of ordering the complete tow unit and installing it themselves, or ordering a factory install. The factory has a team of people who are dedicated wrecker body installers and are only required to mount the tow unit to the chassis. Of course, one catch is that anyone who orders a factory install is required to send the truck’s cab and chassis to Miller so that it can be married to the tow unit. Most tow truck operators have unique requirements for their trucks and require specific options and accessories. The installers are responsible for all aspects of the install, including mounting the wrecker body, connecting all wiring and hydraulics, and attaching additional parts and accessories, such as dollies, chains, cables, etc.

Many units that Miller produces are built from the ground up inside their Chattanooga factory. In some ways, Miller Industries operates like a classic American factory. The company primarily uses skilled craftsman to produce tow units. Few robotics can be found inside the factory, which are greatly outnumbered by human hands. As a result, Miller employs about 2200 workers, 300 of which are manufacturing tow trucks at their primary facility in Chattanooga. As advertised, Miller Industries is the largest manufacturer of towing and recovery equipment in the world. The company is an impressive consolidation of the greatest names in the towing industry, now working together to produce the most technologically advanced towing equipment available. Miller’s efforts in innovation, quality craftsmanship, and American made products are why we at Airport Towing have been loyal customers since 1988. Our company continues to seek the best products available so that we can better serve our customers and this month we were happy to learn how our equipment is built and what type of care and attention it gets before we put our name on it.

Auction list subject to change. For more information including directions and rules, visit our auction page.