Body shops and the collision industry in general have taken on the role of imparting useful safety information to its customers. If you’ve ever read a body shop blog, you will often find short posts like Leaving Kids Alone in Cars-Know the Risks and Consequences; I Put the Wrong Fuel in My Vehicle! What Should I Do? ; Tire Safety Tips and 3 Misconceptions about Passing on the Road, for example.
But isn’t there a conflict of interest there, because body shops make money when people get into accidents, right? Bruce Miles, a blogger for the collision industry disagrees.
“Not really, because we know that people are going to get into accidents every 9-10 years like clockwork and that’s something we can’t control, like the weather,” Miles explained. “But, we don’t want drivers to get into bad accidents, because then obviously the cars will likely be totaled out by the insurance companies. And if the accident is fatal, well we want to help people to avoid that at all cost. So offering its customers simple common sense safety tips to avoid those big crashes is something the industry can do and should do, in my opinion.”
So, knowing that automotive safety is an important thing that body shops want to convey in their blogs and part of their overall message to consumers, I was intrigued when I encountered a company called resqme™ at the NADA Exposition in San Francisco, CA a few months back. Located in Santa Barbara, CA, resqme invented and produces the resqme tool, a device that saves drivers’ and passengers’ lives worldwide.
This device was recently featured on 20/20 and the Today Show, as well in publications such as Autoweek, Consumer Reports and Popular Mechanics. More than 3 million drivers worldwide own one and now car dealerships, repair facilities and other automotive-related businesses are either giving them to their customers free or offering them for sale.
What exactly is the resqme tool and how does it save lives? It’s a window-breaker and seat-belt-cutter--an emergency tool for the safety of any driver. In the event of an emergency and possible vehicle entrapment, the resqme tool holds a sharp blade to cut a jammed seatbelt and a spring-loaded spike to shatter the car window.
Designed in 2003, the resqme emergency escape tool has now saved more than 35 lives and probably more that have never been reported. After identifying a need for a portable and compact version, the resqme tool was developed and is now manufactured in the United States and distributed worldwide. Just last year alone, this amazing tool saved 16 lives, including three in submersion accidents: 10 in situations in which young children were trapped in a vehicle with the keys inside and three more rollover accidents where people were hanging upside in their vehicles.
Autobody News recently sat down with Laurent Colasse, the inventor of the resqme tool and the president of this 12-year-old company.
“We’re proud of the resqme tool, because obviously we’re making a change and people can see that it’s saving lives,” Colasse explained. “People have escaped fires, rollovers, children locked in a hot car and of course submersions. Prior to the invention of this tool, people were basically helpless, but now this device gives them a chance to make it out alive. They’re great for car dealerships and automotive repair businesses and for a nominal charge we can put their company name on the side of the device.”
The resqme tool became a national story after Ashley Neufeld, 21, along with two other friends from Dickinson State University in North Dakota died in a tragic accident in 2009. Their SUV crashed into a farm pond in Stark County, ND, and submerged with the three young women still inside who were unable to escape. As a result, in honor of Ashley, a foundation was created to raise funds with a customized resqme tool with her name to benefit local sports and also to help promote safety against car entrapment.
"Knowing Ashley, it was an opportunity to provide a tool to a bunch of people, so that possibly it would never happen to another family," said one of the foundation’s initiators.
This fundraiser was an unexpected success and quickly became an overwhelming experience as a pure expression of amazing solidarity in the community of Brandon, ND where Ashley grew up. Several thousand resqme units with the name Ashley Neufeld have been sold raising more than $56,000 to date. In addition to the resqme tool, the company also manufactures several other lifesaving devices, Colasse said.
“We want our products to become a lifestyle for people who are socially responsible and want to stress safety for themselves and the people around them. That’s why we’re always looking to inventing other tools like the resqme original keychain car escape tool.”
Other products designed and sold by resqme include:
alertme™ Lifesaver Alert: About the size of a bluetooth earpiece and lightweight, less than an ounce, the alertme™ is the latest and safest lifesaver electronic device that helps prevent accidents caused by falling asleep behind the wheel. Its ergonomic design makes it very comfortable to wear and improves your vigilance on the road.
protectme™ Pepper Spray: A handheld aerosol canister with maximum strength & UV marking dye that sprays an irritating formula in the eyes, nose and mouth of a person threatening your personal safety.
In response to their customers’ demands, resqme, Inc. has opted to co-brand with Sabre Red by offering the best compact pepper spray in the market place. The protectme™ pepper spray is an effective means of non-lethal self defense for people concerned with safety and security. Used by police departments, security agencies, and individuals concerned with security and self defense.
prepareme™ Lifesaver Kits: All kits come with a combination of basic first aid and some safety tools including the award winning resqme tool available in all styles. The kits are designed for drivers, parents, hikers, etc. around the globe to be prepared for most any emergency situation. Each kit has a unique combination of tools to allow for a wide variety of protection and preparedness.
defendme™ Personal Alarm: This self-defense tool allows the user to sound a 120db siren when threatened by anyone and can be carried easily on a keychain, backpack, etc. If you’re interested in purchasing resqme devices with your shop’s name on them, you can find out more about this amazing life-saving device, go to: www.resqme.com. If you can help to save just one person’s life with this device, why not?
Ed Attanasio