[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 133 (Tuesday, September 6, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1181]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOWING INDUSTRY

                                 ______
                                 

                 HON. CHARLES J. ``CHUCK'' FLEISCHMANN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 6, 2016

  Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
invaluable contributions of the towing and recovery industry in the 
United States, the Towing and Recovery Association of America, the 
International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum, towing 
associations around the world, and the members of those towing 
associations, and to celebrate them.
   In 1916, Ernest Holmes built the first twin boom wrecker in 
Chattanooga, Tennessee, for use in his own garage and later agreed to 
build and sell the units to others;
   The first production wreckers were known as ``680's'' because they 
cost $680;
   In service to the United States, the Ernest Holmes Company supplied 
the W-45 military wrecker for use during World War II;
   In 1959, the Ernest Holmes Company patented its first tow sling and 
car dolly;
   In the early 1970's, Gerald Holmes built the first hydraulic towing 
equipment, an advancement in the industry;
   In 1995, the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum 
was established in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the birthplace of the tow 
truck;
   In 2003, the Museum, having outgrown its original home, moved to 
3315 Broad Street in Chattanooga;
   In 2006, the Museum officially dedicated the Wall of the Fallen, the 
first monument in the industry to honor towing operators killed in the 
line of service;
   In the United States, there are more than 35,000 tow companies and 
hundreds of thousands of individuals employed in the towing industry, 
including tow truck operators, dispatchers, safety advisors, and 
owners;
   More than 1 tow truck operator is killed every 6 days assisting 
motorists on the roadways of the United States;
   Tow truck operators respond to nearly 15,000,000 accidents per year 
across the United States;
   Tow truck operators are an indispensable part of keeping the United 
States moving by keeping the highways of the United States clear and 
open for travel;
   Most highway crashes require assistance from tow truck operators;
   The people of the United States have a duty to drive safely and be 
courteous toward fellow motorists on the roadways as the people of the 
United States work together toward the common goal of reducing fatal 
accidents;
   The week of September 9 through September 16, 2016, would be an 
appropriate week to designate as ``National Towing Industry Awareness 
Week'' and recognize the 100th anniversary of the tow truck, and 
support the designation of ``National Towing Industry Awareness Week'', 
to be held in conjunction with the International Towing & Recovery Hall 
of Fame & Museum Induction Ceremony and the Wall of the Fallen 
Ceremony, each of which is held annually at the International Towing & 
Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and encourage 
the people of the United States to observe the move over and slow down 
laws in the United States.

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