1956-7-24 Every Car A Potential Life saver With Spare Tire and Wheel Used As Preserver, State Police Say

7759, 7758, 7757 (left to right)
Every motorist who has a spare tire has a life preserver in his car and is capable of saving the life of a drowning person, according to state police officers in McMinnville. Any driver who has changed a flat tire and has lifted the heavy tire and wheel into place might doubt that the spare would float, so to prove their point Sgt. Al Cianni and Officer Jim Finney show that it will work. At left, Finney takes the spare from the trunk of a patrol car, illustrating the accessibility of the “life preserver.” With a splash the tire lands in a pool at Dr. Leo C. Skelley home, as Finney throws the wheel in the water. Watching are Sgt. Cianni, Shawn Skelley and Billy Beeler. At right, the tire, which will support three adults, easily supports these three youngsters. From the left are Shawn, Billy, and Mike Skelley. State Police officers have warned everyone to obey water safety rules but in the event life saving methods are needed, the spare wheel may be obtained quickly. In a trial at the Skelley Pool timed with a stop watch, one of the boys ran for help from the pool to Finney’s patrol car. Finney got out of the car, unlocked the truck, took out the spare and returned to the pool in less than 30 seconds. The spare can be used in a lake, stream, amusement park or thrown from a bridge, the officers said. Anywhere cars are used, the life preserver is available. If a rope is at hand to attach to the spare, it can also be used to haul the victims to shore. In the event of an overturned boat, the spare probably would be sufficient to keep all occupants afloat until other help arrived. The officers had just one word of caution. Make sure the tire is inflated and be sure not to throw it on top of the persons in the water.