Rescue Riders working ot make a difference in disaster situations

Black Hills Pioneer --

Jan 10, 2008 --

"Prepare yourself for a disaster," Dean Akey, founder of Rescue Riders told the Sturgis Main Street crowd on Wednesday. "Then if we have a natural disaster or a man-made disaster the skills you can learn for free are going to be put to good use. If you have ridden any length of time you see accidents and unfortunately it's far too common and you'll be in a position to do something about it."

Akey said he started the Rescue Riders group after he was in a major motorcycle accident in which he broke several bones in his body and had to have his head stapled. Since he had prior first aid training, Akey knew that he shouldn't be moved, but several people who stopped at the scene didn't know what to do for him.

"If I hadn't been conscious or had the wherewithal to pull off my shirt and put it on my head, if I would have been unconscious I don't know that I would be here today because people didn't know what to do."

That's why he started Rescue Riders. A completely non-profit organization totally run by volunteers and corporate donations, the riders work closely with the Red Cross and the Medical Reserve Corps to provide assistance in times of an emergency, whether it is large scale or small. Volunteers in the organization are trained by Red Cross and Medical Reserve Corps officials to provide basic first aid, as well as do medical triage services - prioritizing which accident victims need aid first.

"People are well intentioned when they come across an accident but they need to be well intentioned before they come across an accident," he said. "If you wait until you see somebody that is in need of help, it's too late. If you really have an intention to make a difference, the time is right now."

In addition to helping at the scene of an accident, Akey said the Rescue Riders help Red Cross and Medical Reserve Corps members get to places that would be difficult to get to with a four-wheeled vehicle. One example he gave was the Hurricane Katrina disaster, when medical officials had very difficult times navigating through the wreckage. In times like that, he said, motorcycles could have helped tremendously.

"I think the Red Cross and the Medical Reserve Corps have done amazing jobs of attracting doctors and nurses, but getting doctors and nurses into places that are hard to reach has been kind of an area where they could improve," he said. "That's where we come in. We have advanced mobility because of two wheels versus four wheels."

Overall, Akey said the Rescue Riders are a great way for bikers to prepare themselves to help when people are most in need. "A lot of times a biker may not sign up for the Red Cross or the Medical Reserve Corps only because their big thing is riding a motorcycle," Akey said. "But they'll come out on poker runs and fundraisers and things like that. Here is a way of taking something you love and your identity as a biker and putting those skills that you have learned over the years as a biker to good use and actually making these traditional emergency response organizations more effective."

To learn more about the Rescue Riders or to find out how to join go to rescueriders.org.