Dean Akey

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. Often I am asked questions about the Rescue Rider program. I have put the following information together to help folks better understand what our program is all about. Let's face the facts. Motorcycle accidents and fatalities are a major concern. "Our nation's greatest traffic highway safety challenge is motorcycle fatalities," says U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, noting that biking deaths are rising while other vehicle fatalities are declining"

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2007, 5,154 people died in motorcycle crashes, the highest level since NHTSA began collecting data in 1975. The 2007 figure represents a 6.6 percent from 4,837 the previous year.

Motorcycle crash fatalities have increased every year for the past 10 years. Motorcyclists were 35 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a crash per vehicle mile traveled in 2006 and eight times more likely to be injured, according to NHTSA.

We created the Rescue Rider program to recruit, educate and organize bikers in support of each other, our communities and our nation. We do this by helping provide bikers with the tools & training needed to provide emergency assistance in times of need.

The Golden Hour: In the world of emergency care, the "Golden Hour" is defined as the time period of about one hour in which the lives of a majority of critically injured trauma patients can be saved if definitive trauma care intervention is provided. This principle of rapid intervention can also be applied to non-trauma patients such as those having a heart attack or a stroke, in which time to treatment dramatically affects a patient's outcome.

Training: Rescue Riders must have training to be able to provide assistance. We recommend that our volunteers complete Accident Scene Management (Basic & Advanced) and CPR certification where available. In those areas where ASMI training is unavailable we recommend Red Cross or American Heart Association First Aid training.

Tools: We recommend that Rescue Riders find a permanent place on their motorcycles to carry a "first responder" kit and tools to help secure an accident scene. Unfortunately many qualified volunteers are unable to provide emergency care without the appropriate tools. Rescue Riders should carry a first aid kit that contains materials that coincide with your training and comfort level. We have created a "first responder" kit for you to use or if you prefer you can purchase a kit from the vendor of your choice.

Cost: There is no cost to join or participate in the Rescue Rider program.

Good Samaritan Status: In today's litigious society, there can be a reluctance to help our in emergency situations. Fear of liability for any misstep can paralyze even the most helpful Good Samaritan. The truth is that each state has laws or regulations to protect the general public from liability during rescues or rescue attempts.

Good Samaritan laws are meant to protect those who come to the aid of others for no other reason than kindness. Good Samaritan laws only help if the rescuer (or would-be rescuer) is acting without any expectation of reward. In other words, if you are getting paid to rescue then you aren't a Good Samaritan. Paid rescuers are expected to do their jobs correctly and can be held accountable for mistakes.

The best way to protect yourself from possible liability when helping others is to always act on behalf of the victim.

The statutes in Illinois and most states in the Nation allow you to provide emergency medical assistance within your training and comfort level and be protected from prosecution.

Duties & Expectations: As a Rescue Rider, you are acting as a Good Samaritan. Your participation is defined by you. Many Rescue Riders complete training and ride as they always have. If you would like to be a more active Rescue Rider volunteer we support many area events and rides at the request of the event/ride organizers. Our leaders broadcast Rescue Rider support missions at the Rescue Rider group on the www.illinoisblogspot.com site. For those of you who desire to be actively involved in the Rescue Rider program we invite you to join us as a Regional Coordinator. Regional Coordinators reach out to area events, rides and organizations to offer Rescue Rider support. Once an event is identified as a good fit with our organization, Regional Coordinators post the Rescue Rider support missions and coordinate the efforts of our volunteers.

I hope this helps you better understand our program and what we do. Now that the weather is turning colder, the Rescue Rider training programs really heat up. Many of you prefer to spend warm sunny days riding so the majority of our training programs are held October thru March. If you would like to learn how to provide emergency medical assistance as a Rescue Rider, I invite you to enroll for one of our upcoming Rescue Rider sponsored Accident Scene Management classes. For a limited time you will be able to enroll in our classes at a reduced rate courtesy of the law firm of Hupy & Abraham and the Allstate Foundation. Tuition for both Basic and Advanced courses typically cost $55 each. As a result of the generosity of our sponsors your cost to train is reduced to only $30 until we exhaust our grant funds.

For an updated listing of classes please e mail Teresa McClelland at tjm911rn@aol.com. Teresa is our National Director of Training and she will be happy to assist you. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. Are you a channel surfer? Do you ever feel that even with 300 channels there is nothing "good" on television? Steven Wright once said "Don't you wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence? There's one marked 'Brightness,' but it doesn't work". Recently I was on one of my channel surfing safari's and found a show about people who have won the lottery. You would think this is a "rags to riches" story. To my surprise it was more of a "rags to riches to rags" saga. The show profiled people like William "Bud" Post who won $16.2 million in the Pennsylvania lottery in 1988 but now lives on his Social Security.

After winning the lottery, Post's former girlfriend successfully sued him for a share of his winnings. It wasn't his only lawsuit. A brother was arrested for hiring a hit man to kill him, hoping to inherit a share of the winnings. Post even spent time in jail for shooting a gun over the head of a bill collector. Post eventually filed for bankruptcy & now he lives quietly on $450 a month and food stamps.

To many, winning the lottery is an American Dream. The American Dream to me is to own a 65 panhead and a 47 Indian Chief. To me, the Panhead was the last truly classic "old school" bike that was manufactured by Harley Davidson. My two shovelheads were crap but that's probably more due to the AMF/Harley years. The lines of the 47 Indian Chief are the pinnacle of classic styling and flair that you would expect from Americas first Motorcycle Company. As you can probably tell, I am a big fan of both Harley & Indian. I want one of each....

In case you didn't know, Indian designed their first bikes in 1901 two years before the start of the Harley Davidson legacy. Indian was not only the first American motorcycle, it was the world's best-selling bike and, having introduced the first V-twin motorcycle to the world in 1907, the most technologically advanced. Harley-Davidson 1910 models, by contrast, were all singles, producing five horsepower or less.

Indian Motorcycles were originally manufactured under the corporate banner of the Hendee Manufacturing Company, which later reincorporated as the Indian Motorcycle Company. Not a bad move is you ask me. Riding an Indian just sounds cooler than riding a Hendee...

Much like Harley Davidson, Indians and their riders were bound by emotional ties unusual in relationships between bikers and their machines. Thousands of Indian fans flocked to dealerships throughout the country at annual Indian Day celebrations, while riders and prospective riders were warmly welcomed at the Indian's manufacturing plant affectionately nicknamed "The Wigwam" decades before official tours were offered to the public.

It was a sad day for Indian enthusiasts when Indian ceased manufacturing "Americas First Motorcycle" in the early 1950s. A company in Gilroy, California began manufacture in the late 1990s of motorcycles under the Indian name after they purchased the trademark. The motorcycles have been known as the Gilroy Indians. However, the company folded in 2003.

So is there a happy ending? I hope so. In July 2006, under new a management team and corporate structure Indian reopened their doors for business. I may not be able to find a "cherry" 1947 Indian Chief but starting in 2008 new Indians began to roll off the line at the new "Wigwam" manufacturing facility in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. I recently had the opportunity to check out some of the new 2010 Indian models and all I can say is these are flippin bad ass... Check out the classic lines of the Bomber. I want one of these in my garage. These scooters aren't cheap so I better sell a buttload more motorcycle insurance to make my dream a reality. Get the hint??

Initially, Indian motorcycles will have a limited production run until their dealership network expands. On that front, my old friend Bob Marchello and his partner Matthew DiVenere are reintroducing Indian Motorcycles to the greater Chicago area by opening Indian Motorcycles of Chicago. You can check out the new 2010 models at their new dealership located at 474 Ridington Drive, in South Elgin IL. Good luck Indian Motorcycles, it's great to see the return of a classic.

Switching Gears

The history lesson is over. Now it's time to help make history. Many of you know about the Rescue Riders. In five short years we have grown to over 2000 volunteers nationally. That's quite an accomplishment for an all volunteer organization. Our volunteers have provided emergency assistance to quite a few fellow bikers from coast to coast. To celebrate and raise some much needed dough, we are throwing one heck of a party and you are invited. The proceeds from this year's event will also benefit the children from Mooseheart's Child City School. We will be hosting FrightoberFest on October 17^th and have one great day planned for you. Festivities start with a poker run followed by a music festival with an amazing lineup of bands. The Miller Girls & Jager Girls will be on hand to help quench your thirst and to top it off there will be a costume contest. I am torn between showing up as an Amish person or sticking with my French maid costume. If you have an idea for future editorials or you would like to reach me please call me at 630-232-9811 or drop me a line at deanakey@allstate.com. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. Are you ready for another fun filled edition? Ok then, let's get started. It has been said that four wheels move the body and two wheels move the soul. I couldn't agree more. I call it two wheel therapy. Just think about it, do you ever see motorcycles parked in front of a psychiatrist's office?

My most recent therapy session was to Sturgis. It has been several years since my last visit so I was looking forward to the journey. As each mile passed, I felt my demons shrinking away. By the time we rolled into the Black Hills, I was my old self. Hello old friend... Sometimes there is no substitute for 1000 miles of blacktop. No music, phone or distractions. Just the road. To complete my therapy, I made the journey home solo. It may sound odd but I have always preferred to ride alone. If you get to really know me you would probably prefer that I ride alone as well but that's a topic for another monthly edition of the Bull Pen. Included in this month's edition are a few pics from this year's trip which I hope you enjoy.

Now let's switch gears. Recently, I received a letter from the IRS. Yep, that's the Internal Revenue Service. It just makes me cringe to think that the IRS would find time to write to me. With nervous hands I carefully opened the letter. What a relief it was to discover that the IRS has granted the Rescue Riders our much anticipated 501c3 charitable organization status.

If you are not familiar the Rescue Riders, we are a national volunteer organization which recruits, trains and helps organize bikers as emergency medics in support of your runs and events. To date we have over 2000 volunteer medics nationally and continue to grow. With our much anticipated 501c3 status, we can now begin our fundraising efforts to help further build our program and offer our volunteers and you additional support. If you would like to learn more or join our program I invite you to visit our web site at www.RescueRiders.org or our discussion forum at www.illinoisblogspot.com/group/rescueriders.

That's all I have to say about that. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

Welcome back to the Bull Pen. Can you feel it in the air? That's right, it's Sturgis time. While writing this month's article I am counting down the days until we once again blast off for Sturgis. Oliver Wendell Holmes once said "We do not quit playing because we grow old, we grow old because we quit playing". I couldn't agree more Ollie.

Past memories of twisting the throttle as we race thru the needles highway, Spearfish Cannon and the badlands put a smile on my face. There is just something magical about the black hills of South Dakota. Most bikers consider Sturgis the center of the world. We may be a bit biased but next to Sturgis is Belle Fourche which is actually the geographical center of the United States of America, designated in 1959 and noted by an official marker and sheepherder's monument called a "Stone Johnnie". I once knew a guy whose nickname was Johnny Stone but that's a whole different direction that I want to go this month...

Weekend riding seems to help take the edge off from the past week but there really is no substitute for a long road trip to free the spirit. I slip in my ear plugs, fire up my scooter and can feel the effect that each mile has on my road to recovery. By the time I return from my Sturgis pilgrimage, I am full of energy, optimism and a fully recharged spirit. Are you with me?

Now let's switch gears

Brother can you spare a dime? This was a commonplace saying in the great depression. Today we have many of the same conditions which brought our great nation to its knees in the 1930's. During this period President's Hoover & Roosevelt developed government programs like the "New Deal" to help return America to its economic health.

While our current economic stimulus and bailouts are taking a vastly different approach there are some elements which may benefit you. You may be surprised to know that motorcycles are considered qualified vehicles in Section 1008 of the Economic Stimulus Package. The intent of including motorcycles as qualified vehicles was to encourage Americans to "go green". It's no surprise that motorcycles are more fuel efficient than autos so the move does make sense.

The new law guarantees that anyone who purchases a new motorcycle, light truck, new car or recreational vehicle, Feb. 17 through Jan. 1, 2010, will deduct state and local sales taxes as well as any excise tax charged in the purchase. In order for citizens to obtain the tax deduction, the bike must be less than 8,500 pounds in gross vehicle weight and cost less than $49,500. The buyer must also make less than $125,000 in gross taxable income and $250,000 for joint filers. However, the deduction is phased out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income between $125,00 and $135,00, and $250,00 and $260,00 in case of a joint return.

If motorcycles aren't your thing, this provision also applies to qualified cars and trucks. Heck, even folks buying motor homes get a break. Even though motor home sales have slumped, a tax provision for motor homes is included, which allows a portion of the sales or excise tax paid on the purchase of a new motor home to be deducted.

The deduction is attributable to taxes applying to the first $49,500 of the purchase price. Individuals with an adjusted gross income of up to $125,000 and joint filers with an adjusted gross income of up to $250,000 are eligible for the deduction.

So what does this mean to you? Let's assume you just bought a new Road King for $20,000. If you were not trading a vehicle you would pay sales tax on the total. If you are trading a vehicle you only pay sales tax on the "difference". So using our example, you just shelled out $20,000 and fork out an additional $1500 for sales tax (7.5%). Our friends in Chicago would pay $2000 thanks to the efficiency of Cook County. So now that you have shelled out this money what's next?

Thanks to the new Economic Stimulus Package you can deduct the amount you paid in sales tax on a new qualified vehicle from your gross income. Let's do the math to see how this impacts you. For our example let's say you made $100,000 in 2009 and your tax rate is 32%. By reducing your income by $1500 you just pocketed $480. It's not a whopping sum but as my grandpa would say, "it's better than a stick in the eye".

Times are tough for everyone so a few extra bucks is always good news in my book. I recently bought a new 2009 Street Glide and I damn sure will be deducting my sales tax..... Heck, now I can buy some more bling for my scooter.

So there is the good news. You are now one step closer to getting that new scooter. Now to make sure that you get the best deal and coverage on your motorcycle insurance you need to call me. I can customize a plan for you that protects you, your family and your new scooter. If I can help you please call me at 630-232-9811 or drop me a line at deanakey@allstate.com. Until my next edition, ride safe and often. Until next month, enjoy the ride.

Are the buttons on my vest popping yet? It is with great pride that I share the following article with you. This article was written by Tom Clegg at Nursing Spectrum Magazine.

Way to Go T.

When Teresa McClelland, RN, became the clinical coordinator at Loyola Center for Heart and Vascular Medicine in Park Ridge, Ill., a little more than a year ago, having weekends off gave her the opportunity to more regularly enjoy her other passion - riding motorcycles.

But after being involved in an accident while on a ride with friends, McClelland, formerly a trauma nurse specialist and emergency medical services educator for 10 years, saw the need for motorcyclists and others to have a basic knowledge of trauma care.

"When I went down, my (fellow) riders secured my bike, but I think they were unsure of what to do with me," McClelland said. After a little research, McClelland came upon the nonprofit group Accident Scene Management, Inc., and she became an instructor.

McClelland, known to fellow bikers as "Trauma Momma," in October began teaching "A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist," which offers tips for RNs and bikers on what to do in the first minutes after a motorcycle crash until professional help arrives. The course uses the acronymn PACT as a teaching tool - Prevent further injuries; Assess the situation; Contact the EMS; and Treat the injured with life-sustaining care.

McClelland said the education is useful to anyone, especially those who ride or are passengers on motorcycles.

McClelland also is the director of training for the volunteer, non-profit motorcycling group Rescue Riders, whose members provide emergency assistance.

The course is available nationwide, and McClelland will find an instructor for groups outside Chicago. But don't be surprised if she hops on her bike to do the teaching herself. "[In March] I went to Montana and taught a class," she said.

Tom Clegg is a member of the editorial group at Nursing Spectrum.

For information on Accident Scene Management, Inc. and Rescue Riders, visit www.accidentscene.org and www.rescueriders.org.