H.E.L.P trucks,

[Guest seanc]

i was on I287 today and saw a h.e.l.p truck pulled over helping a car and i was thinking what equipment do they have?, what to they do? are they specially trained for anything? and who dispatches/where are their main headquarters?

[xfirefighter484x 234]

I see 'em on the TSP all the time, they stop to assist at MVAs and such. Aren't they run by the DOT?

I think they have flares, and signs (like fold out caution signs) and I think they are mainly there as a safety vehicle for broken down motorists, and they assist the FD on occasion. They may also have a jumper box, but I haven't really actually stopped to ask them their purpose/training or equipment.

An interesting point you bring up!

Edited September 18, 2007 by xfirefighter484x

[TL2L31 8]

I know the ones on I-287 and I-95 are dispatched by the New York State Police in Albany. They operate 2 trucks on each highway, they are on the same frequency and are call signaled as 601-604. They might also have a spare truck or two. They help at accicent scenes, assist stranded motorist if they can or will call for a tow.

[gpdexplorer 46]

I know they are trained at least at the First Aid/CPR level, at least for the company that my friend worked for. HELP trucks are actually owned and operated by private contractors. For example, Stilowski's Towing owns a number of trucks. The operators of those vehicles are hired and paid by Stilowski's Towing. I also believe that some, if not all, HELP trucks are dispatched by the TMC in Hawthorne. If anyone knows more or sees something that needs to be corrected, feel free.

[msg88 4]

i witnessed a recent mva/hit and run on the TSP in the early morning and stopped to make sure the driver was ok. she had a neck injury with a small laceration to her foot. She was in pain, however, didn't want to go to the hospital because she had to get to work. The H.E.L.P. truck operator informed me that the ambulance was not coming because she said that she didn't want to go. He said it was their protocol only to dispatch the ambulance if the victim wanted to go, whether anyone medically trained was on scene or not. He also added something about a ambulance fee for coming out and he didn't want the victim to have to pay for it if she didn't want to go. Keep in mind, nobody medically trained had checked the victim out. I had enough sense to make sure she didn't move and convinced her to go to the hospital to get check out, however, i am not an EMT, just made sense to me...

Is it me or should the victim still be check out by EMS personnel? Shouldn't EMS be the ones to RMA the victim if they still don't want to go?

[JetPhoto 626]

On the Taconic Parkway in Putnam and Dutchess they communicate with SP Poughkeepsie often

[20y2 43]

i witnessed a recent mva/hit and run on the TSP in the early morning and stopped to make sure the driver was ok. she had a neck injury with a small laceration to her foot. She was in pain, however, didn't want to go to the hospital because she had to get to work. The H.E.L.P. truck operator informed me that the ambulance was not coming because she said that she didn't want to go. He said it was their protocol only to dispatch the ambulance if the victim wanted to go, whether anyone medically trained was on scene or not. He also added something about a ambulance fee for coming out and he didn't want the victim to have to pay for it if she didn't want to go. Keep in mind, nobody medically trained had checked the victim out. I had enough sense to make sure she didn't move and convinced her to go to the hospital to get check out, however, i am not an EMT, just made sense to me...

Is it me or should the victim still be check out by EMS personnel? Shouldn't EMS be the ones to RMA the victim if they still don't want to go?

If a person states that they don't want to go to the hospital or get checked out, then one should respect their wishes.

[DOC22 1]

I had a flat tire on the TSP south of Pleasantville Road. I sat on the side of the road for about 10 minutes and a HELP truck pulled up. He had a pneumatic jace and wernch, changed the tire. In about 10 minutes I was back on the road. When I walked up to the truck He already had my plate number punched into his laptop. So I would say they are well equipped. BTW, they don't charge for services provided. I would imagine you pay for gas if they carry it.

[MoFire390 118]

Yall know, I would like to know some more on them, I see them all the time on the Palasides parkway when I am on my way to work. They have some pretty awsome lights on those trucks, I passed one this morning with all LED's and an LED traffic arrow. I thought I was pretty cool.

[JetPhoto 626]

Check out:

http://www.troopers.state.ny.us/Traffic_Ma...nt/HELP_Trucks/

Under this program, three dedicated, motorist-assist vehicles patrol during the weekday morning and afternoon peak hours.

[Guest pentax02839]

this good idea.when i lived in ma. they had cvs samaritan vans patroling.here in the state of indiania,they have hoosier helpers.

Edited September 18, 2007 by pentax02839

[Oswegowind 17]

I know they are trained at least at the First Aid/CPR level, at least for the company that my friend worked for. HELP trucks are actually owned and operated by private contractors. For example, Stilowski's Towing owns a number of trucks. The operators of those vehicles are hired and paid by Stilowski's Towing. I also believe that some, if not all, HELP trucks are dispatched by the TMC in Hawthorne. If anyone knows more or sees something that needs to be corrected, feel free.

They work from 6 am to 10 am and again from 3 pm to 7 pm along all of the Westchester County's Highways excluding the Bronx River Parkway from the Sprain Split to the Kensico Dam. On the Saw Mill, Hutch, Cross County, and Bronx River, they communicate with Westchester County Police since that is the police coverage as well. On the Sprain and 684 they communicate with the TMC. On 87 (never seen one in Yonkers though) and 287, I am not sure who they contact, but the TMC would make sense, if not the Thruway Auth office. They work on NEXTEL. However, I did not know that these were privately operated vehicles, I thought the DOT had something to do with it, unless it is contracted out from there. If I owned one, I would want the name of my company on it, the contracted tow agencies, don't change their logo to NY State Dept of Transportation just cause they are awarded service to particular sections of roadways. None of the guys I met on the street when I worked out there were trained in any sort of first aid/CPR, but we told them they should take an EMT class at least, they beat us to most of the MVA's that occurred on the parkway system. They have a minimal amount of gasoline on board, jacks and tools to change tires, and other assorted tools to help make minor repairs along the highway. As well as safety equipment, flares, and now those oversized "arrow board sticks" which are a lot better than the regular arrow stick on police cars. I am unfamiliar with how far north they cover on the taconic state parkway...I only go so far as Yorktown during those times.

[dadbo46 50]

The H.E.L.P. trucks are very helpful....as long as they are not hiding behind the bushes, near the railroad tracks or in parking lot #1 at FDR Park in Yorktown.

Edited September 18, 2007 by dadbo46

[mmwolf65 1]

From NYS DOT website:

https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/portal/d...es/help-program

Combination of DOT employees and contractors.

[27east 19]

It was Illionois DOT that started all this. They had sent out state highway engineers to determine why the new "superhighways" would back-up. They discovered that the congestion was generally caused by a break down, so they started to carry basic tools to help. From there it grew.

[Guest]

From NYS DOT website:

https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/portal/d...es/help-program

Combination of DOT employees and contractors.

Here is more info from the HV TMC website: http://www.hudsonvalleytraveler.com/perl/HELPTrucks.pl

[Capejake72 8]

we have something similair here in Florida, DOT staffs units called Road Rangers who will assit in traffic control for MVAs, do tire service, out of gas calls etc, and assist stranded motorists, some road I-10 & I-4 they actually have their own tow trucks, on I-75 & I-95 they just have pickups with lights

[helicopper 1,050]

They work from 6 am to 10 am and again from 3 pm to 7 pm along all of the Westchester County's Highways excluding the Bronx River Parkway from the Sprain Split to the Kensico Dam. On the Saw Mill, Hutch, Cross County, and Bronx River, they communicate with Westchester County Police since that is the police coverage as well. On the Sprain and 684 they communicate with the TMC. On 87 (never seen one in Yonkers though) and 287, I am not sure who they contact, but the TMC would make sense, if not the Thruway Auth office. They work on NEXTEL. However, I did not know that these were privately operated vehicles, I thought the DOT had something to do with it, unless it is contracted out from there. If I owned one, I would want the name of my company on it, the contracted tow agencies, don't change their logo to NY State Dept of Transportation just cause they are awarded service to particular sections of roadways. None of the guys I met on the street when I worked out there were trained in any sort of first aid/CPR, but we told them they should take an EMT class at least, they beat us to most of the MVA's that occurred on the parkway system. They have a minimal amount of gasoline on board, jacks and tools to change tires, and other assorted tools to help make minor repairs along the highway. As well as safety equipment, flares, and now those oversized "arrow board sticks" which are a lot better than the regular arrow stick on police cars. I am unfamiliar with how far north they cover on the taconic state parkway...I only go so far as Yorktown during those times.

Dispatch services are provided by either the TMC (for the Sprain/Taconic/684) and by the County PD (for the Saw Mill/Bronx River and Hutch). The T-Way authority dispatches EVERYTHING on 87/287 including the contracted tow trucks.

I think these are all contracted by the DOT and the terms of the contract specify the markings on the truck - hence no advertising - but someone else may know more.