Beacons On

fire chiefs have been charged criminally for an injury or death for not adhering to water safety regulations.

Billing

I’m not saying you need a diver for every vehicle in the water, but there are many things you can do for drivers to protect them. Providing Cold Water Exposure Suits, known as “Gumby Suits, ” you can itemize that out on your invoice. The same is true for life jackets and throw ropes, which you ” It is not the biggest financial gain, but it is a safe and legal way of protecting personnel working near water.

A lot of areas have Fire Departments that complete their diving for them, others hire commercial divers, and some towers are divers. Make sure that the people diving on a submerged vehicle are wearing the correct diving equipment to protect themselves from contaminants, like a rubberized dry suit and full-face mask, and all equipment should be environmentally sealed.

Editor’s note:

Matthew Bartlett is a PADI Dive Master, NAUI Master Diver, ERDI Public Safety Diver, WreckMaster 6/7AC and TRAA Level 3 certified, and has been involved in numerous salvage and recovery dives. He is part of the MatJack/Big Truck Rescue Training and Consulting Team, and the Training and Safety Manager at O’Hare Towing Service in Chicago, Ill. Email Matt your water safety questions at scubatow@gmail.com.

Number 135 on Reader Card

Apps Advance Your Company

by Todd Althouse

The future is now. Technology from the sci-fi books of the ’50s and ’60s is available to everyone. Technology continues to advance at a rapid pace while the associated costs become more affordable every year; now is the time for towing companies to discard their outdated hardware and switch to more flexible, affordable and adaptable products for this industry.

The newest apps for smartphones and tablets allow towers to take advantage of the most up-to-date technologies, enabling owners to run an entire business from the palm of the hand.

In the past, towers were often tied to expensive proprietary mobile solutions for their technology needs. These proprietary solutions frequently presented problems because the technologies being used quickly became outdated or hard to repair.

After spending thousands of dollars on equipment that only worked on specific hardware, companies eventually were left with broken hardware and out-of-date technology. Often spare parts for repairs to hardware weren’t available new. Businesses would scramble to find used parts on the Internet … or spend new money on yet another piece of equipment that would become obsolete and repeat the cycle.

Break the Cycle

Implementing technology that works with a smartphone or tablet allows business owners to choose a system that will grow with the business. New software and apps can effortlessly adapt to newer hardware as it becomes available, and use hardware that is inexpensive and easily replaced if lost, broken or worn out.

Adopting the latest devices and software today saves money and time by replacing several tools with just one.

Some apps allow a smartphone or tablet to send data and odometer readings back to the home office, operate as a mobile credit-card processor, fax invoices, track vehicles without a separate GPS device, scan bar codes and work with Bluetooth as a tow-ticket printer.

New mobile devices also incorporate cameras and mobile dispatching applications will allow the driver to link unlimited images to a job. Using these functions, a manager can help with a recovery, or the company can document preexisting vehicle damage or illegally parked cars before towing, and more.

Some software even allows instant access to the latest towing instructions. With smartphone technology, owners get peace of mind.

There is no doubt that smartphones and tablets are going to be an integral part of the personal and professional lives of most Americans. It is predicted that sales of smartphones will reach 631 million per year by 2015, and 50 million tablet sales are anticipated this year. The cost of these products will continue to diminish, making this a must-have for all towing professionals.

Federal laws banning use other than hands-free went into effect Jan. 3. A smartphone mounted in a cradle may be used as a dispatch device. Cradle mounts keep the phone out of your hands, always charged and ready for business, and many can be set up with an external antenna to greatly improve reception in weak service areas.

Editor’s note:

Todd Althouse is president of Beacon Software whose new dispatching and driver Android and Apple mobile apps are being tested as of this printing, and were scheduled to be available by the time you read this. Visit www.dispatchanywhere.com for more information