Motorcyclists goal: Help people, make roads more secure
Whether they know it or not, the 150 or so motorcyclists participating in Sunday's "Bikes and Badges" charity event in South Elgin will ride a little safer thanks to the Rescue Riders in their midst.
Started in 2005 by Dean Ackey of St. Charles, the Rescue Riders volunteer program trains interested motorcyclists to respond to accidents and emergency situations they encounter on roadways. With access to accident scenes larger vehicles cannot always reach, Riders provide immediate care and attention to victims before ambulances and paramedics arrive. The group's goal is to reduce injuries and fatalities, and more than 3,000 volunteers in 40 states and six international countries are committed to the cause.
When Ackey was involved in a severe motorcycle accident five years ago, requiring 60 stitches to his head, he saw the great need for such a group of trained individuals.
"No one had a (medical kit)," he said. "There were no first responders, no first aid. I started looking into stats, and there are so many accidents out there and no groups helping educate motorcyclists on dangers and showing individuals how to be part of the solution."
Ackey's solution was recruiting and training willing motorcyclists to handle emergency care. With the help of Teresa McClelland of Chicago, the Rescue Riders' director of training, all Rider volunteers undergo varying degrees of education through Accident Scene Management, a series of courses based on the Department of Transportation's curriculum.
The four levels of Rescue Rider certification range from Level I, where riders understand the cause of an injury and the treatment options, to Level IV, where riders are licensed EMTs, paramedics, nurses or medical doctors. While the Rescue Riders program is geared toward motorcyclists, interested non-cyclists can still benefit from training and help others with their emergency skills.
"The minimum training has a motorcycle trauma focus," McClelland said, "but all the skills taught can be used on and everyday basis; everything from bee stings to motorcycle trauma. It's for anything pre-hospital."
Rescue Riders training prepares participants for the worst. And, while they frequently bandage and treat minor wounds, Rider veterans have witnessed their share of serious injuries.
Alan Larsen, a 45-year motorcycle veteran from Darien, witnessed another rider go off the road into a rocky canyon in Sturgis, S.D.
"I had this empty, helpless feeling," he said. "I couldn't do anything for the guy."
To cope with sense of feeling powerless, Larsen signed up for classes with McClelland, who introduced him to the Rescue Riders.
Their individual efforts are also put to collective use during "Ride for a Reason" programs, charitable events in which large groups of Rescue Riders bike alongside other participating motorcyclists to help ensure group safety. For Sunday's event, which is a 90-mile ride through Kane County to raise money for Special Olympics, Riders will be keeping a watchful eye out for people in need of medical assistance.
"When other riders know we're in a run, they feel safer," McClelland said. "They know we're right around the corner to help them out immediately."
Also appearing at Sunday's event will be the Rescue Riders' Support Rig. The Rig is a refurbished ambulance, loaded with medical supplies and eager volunteers, to provide support for the team members riding along.
As numbers and resources increase, the Riders' goal remains the same.
"People do this as a passion, to make a difference," said Palatine's Steve Mosias, a member of the Riders' board of directors, who has been riding 50 years.
"Many times it's the first hour from the time of an accident to the hospital that makes the difference if they live or die," he said.
"We may be a group of medical misfits, but we have a serious side to help when called upon. The worst feeling is to be in an accident and not know what to do."