Busy Beavers...

We've had some interesting recovery jobs so far this winter. Fortunately, while the guys are busy doing their thing, I've been able to catch up with them and capture some of them on film...

It was a snowy/dusty morning, but the roads were more slippery than they seemed. This Pontiac Torrent went around a curve and continued on into a drainage ditch. The driver was able to get out, was taken to the Columbus hospital and was discharged with just minor injuries.

I called this one An Unfortunate Series of Events, as the driver went off the Interstate, across a field, and this 2007 Honda Element burned before the fire department could get it put out. It was quite labor intensive to get this out of the field and all cleaned up. The driver of the vehicle was okay.

This one is Up Smith Creek (without a paddle!). The driver dropped off his co-worker, then lost it on the slippery bridge going into the driveway. He escaped without injury and should consider himself VERY lucky to have done so. It was an interesting plan and execute, as there was minimal room for our trucks to park and difficult angles to work with to get this Grand Prix GTP out of the creek and onto it's wheels before we could load it on the flatbed.

I struggle with the fact that other people's misfortune is our specialty, but at the same time realize that misfortune is inevitable. So if we can provide a service to assist with that, SOMEbody has to do it.

I realize more and more what a dedicated group of guys we have that are willing to put their own safety in harms way to recover these vehicles and so many more!

Yes...it is the law. And why? Why take the time to slow down or move over if you see flashing lights? Because it is my husband, my friend, my employee, my children's father, the father of other children, it is someone's son, daughter...

Have you ever been broken down on the side of the road, fearful to open your door because of all of the traffic zooming by? Well you are smart to be scared. All it takes is the young driver texting a friend (which I saw myself today, by the way-or btw for all you "texters")-to look away for one moment. Which is why this exists:

http://www.internationaltowingmuseum.org/wallofthefallen.htm
It is a wall located at the International Hall of Towing and Recovery located in Chattanooga, TN.

MISSION STATEMENT:
To honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, to generate public awareness of the dangers involved in the towing & recovery industry and to permanently record and commemorate those involved in fatalities in the towing &
recovery industry.

IE: people killed in the line of duty while towing a vehicle.

So please help us to spread the word. We are not only talking about tow trucks, but police, rescue vehicles, fire trucks, and County Highway workers.

Pay attention and please take the time to move over or slow down. All it takes is one incorrect move-

for one of us to become "one of them."

The Car Took a Plunge

You just never know what a new day will bring...

Saturday morning we were dispatched out to the West side of Rock Lake for a car that went into the ditch in the wee hours earlier that morning.
This was as close as the medium-duty truck could get to the shore of the Rock Lake.Dan and Joe used an ice auger to drill holes in the ice to create an anchor. This would allow the vehicle to be pulled straight back, rather than at a hard angle.

Joe Hendricks pulls cable out from the boom.
A canoe was used to get near the vehicle. A hole had to be punched in the window to put the strap through to support the 2001 Buick LeSabre. It was a task to get the strap to stay in place beneath the wheels as they had a tendency to float.
Large ice chunks would get wedged in between the ice and the chassis of the car, which made necessary the use of a chain saw and many attempts to reposition the chains for proper support.

Both driver and passenger made their way safely out of the vehicle. The tow operators used the ice as an anchor, as the tow truck could not go onto the ice and the vehicle was at a poor angle to remove it from the ice heave that formed.




The job took about a total of 3 hours from the time the operators arrived to the time the vehicle was towed back to the storage unit. Fortunately, not one person was harmed in this entire series of events.

Way back when...

1948...When it all began!

One of the many valuable things we can take with us is memories. Our founder and chief, Cliff Topel was just comparing the difficult economic times in the 1930's (what we refer to as The Great Depression) to what our country is experiencing currently.

He told us of the "Bums" that rode the trains and would stop off here in Lake Mills. There was a camp in the woods by the lake, just off of what is now the Glacial Drumlin Trail. Sometimes, they made their way out to the Topel's homestead (what is now St. Paul's Lutheran Church & School), looking for food. Cliff said that his mom, Mabel, would feed some of them. "Not all of them," he told us.

A true reflection of days gone by and how truly blessed we are for all of the difficult times that the Topel family endured. The photo above is merely a symbol of a ray of hope that we have to make the necessary adjustments to our daily living. Out of such despair, emerged a legacy of memories that began at 1110 South Main Street, right here in Lake Mills!

One from the past...going to the "grinder"!

The photo you see was taken from a Lake Mills Police squad! When cars come in that people no longer want, it is quite a task to dispose of them. It reminds me of the commerical on Charlie FM 105.1...
"The cops had my car towed last night because of emergency parking..."
"...that's okay, that car was a piece of junk anyways...they can just keep it!"

May be funny to some,and I understand the comedy, but here at Topel's, it means lots of paperwork and prep that goes into getting the cars ready.

Now that's what we call efficiency...or is it insanity?!?

Up and running...

Welcome to our first posting on our new blog site! Kudos to Jason Thoma and Shelli Roedl for putting their heads together and thinking ups such a great idea! We'll do our best to keep you posted on the latest and greatest happenings here at Topel's. As you know, our company is complied of two divisions: the Service Center (servicing your vehicle's mechanical repair and maintenance needs), and the Towing Service (we like to say that our tow trucks are for other people's customers, not ours!!)

This time of year, we are getting swamped with calls, from cars not starting to cars slidding into the ditches throughout the county and on I-94...makes for lots of activity in and around the shop. Most nights this time of year become ablur with calls from motorists and law enforcement agencies throughout the late night and early morning hours. We're not complaining, though. We always say we hope you don't need our services, but if you do...we're here for you!

It just so happens to be Christmas today. Merry Christmas! Irony would have it that I had to disptach Dan out tonight to help the kids I used to babysit for...now they babysit our children. An icy patch sent them into a snow bank...luckily he sent them on their way after airing up their tire!

Drive safe out there and as always...buckle up!