Rendering Aid On The Highway

Motorist scammed by phony 'hero'

Stranded alongside I-75 last Tuesday,  Chad Wisner let a man posing as a HERO operator dupe him out of his money and the wheel of his high-end sports car.

"When you’re broke down like that, you’re a little bit vulnerable, and you just want to get off the side of the road," Wisner told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday.

State Department of Transportation officials are urging motorists to beware of the scam artist.

David Spear, spokesman for the DOT, said that earlier this month, a motorist whose vehicle had a flat tire on I-75 near Moore’s Mill Road was scammed by a man claiming to be a DOT Highway Emergency Response Operator, or HERO.

“The driver said an individual clad in a gray safety vest and driving what he recalled being a white Dodge pickup truck stopped and identified himself as a DOT employee,” Spear said.

The scam artist's arrival was perfectly timed ... maybe too perfect.

"I was trying to find the number when he pulled  up," Wisner said.

The man took the wheel rim from Wisner's Audi TT Quatro, $100 and left, promising to get a new tire mounted on the rim.

"After I waited about an hour, I called the number he gave me," Wisner said. "It was disconnected."

Spear said real HEROs “drive easily identifiable [DOT] trucks, wear department uniforms and have DOT identification.”

Not the pickup with flashing amber lights from inside.

The blow-out happened around 8 p.m., and it was nearly 1 a.m. before someone was able to really rescue Wisner.

"I was pretty irritated," he said. "But I should've known better."

HEROs do not charge for assistance and will not solicit or accept tips for rendering aid, according to Spear, who also warned of a second recent scam targeting job seekers with the promise of DOT jobs.

He said a man is reportedly identifying himself as a job recruiter and approaching individuals at job fairs throughout the metro area.

“He apparently offers employment with the Georgia DOT as a ‘freight inspector’ or mobile truck ‘weigh station’ operator in exchange for $75 application and $12 background check fees, which he instructs the individuals to wire to what prove to be fraudulent entities,” Spear said.

“As a general rule, the department does not utilize employment recruiters,” he said. “Nor does it ever charge job applicants any fee whatsoever.

Rendering First Aid at a Crash Scene | Virtual Fires

Living with Car Crashes

A serious car crash is a scene most American commuters have witnessed at least once. But some Americans are the first ones to arrive on the scene of a serious car accident, or they themselves are involved in one. Whoever is the first person to come across a traumatic situation should respond to it, and there are a lot of things to keep in mind when doing so. The best way to prepare for such a situation is to become qualified with CPR and first aid through a course, like the ones provided by the American Red Cross. But if you haven’t taken that course yet, and you are reading this, there’s a chance you can learn something that you hopefully never have to put into practice.

First on the Scene of a Highway Auto Accident

If you are the first one to stop for a highway accident, the best thing you can do is to call 911 using your cell phone. Since American highways are often non-descript, they often have small signposts called mile markers that are placed every tenth of a mile. When stopping for assistance, take note of any mile marker you are passing so that you can report your location to the first responders. Experts say that a massive danger when responding to an auto accident is that of getting into another accident. Make sure that you focus on stopping and and negotiating the highway safely. Many highways still have call boxes in areas that don’t have cell phone coverage.

Rendering Aid and State Laws

Some states have laws that require passers-by to render assistance in crime or accident situations. These ‘good Samaritan’ laws make it illegal to ignore such scenes. Also, when responding to a situation, make sure that you communicate with the person whom you perceive is in danger. The person might be safe, might be in shock and react combatively, and you can also endanger his or her rights if you intervene in a situation against their will. These legalities can make responding for help tricky, so always first call for help.

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