KNOTT COUNTY, KY - Unfortunately, Kentucky continues to lead the nation in All Terrain Vehicle fatalities. However, a group of dedicated professionals are working to change that.

So, on a cold, wet and windy early spring Saturday morning in the mountains of southeastern Kentucky, instructors from the new Kentucky "ATV Safety and Rescue Training Program" gathered to participate in the first ever "ATV Safety and Rescue R&D Weekend." The purpose of this gathering was to better understand what the ATVs and UTVs used in this program could do, and perhaps more importantly, what they could not do. The site for this unique gathering was the new "KNOTT COUNTY ATV SAFETY TRAINING CENTER" at the Sutton Memorial Park, located near Vest, in Knott County Kentucky.

As the weekend itinerary commenced, the first event was presentation of an All Terrain Res-Q Trailer for use in the training program's ATV Safety & Rescue classes planned to be taught to emergency responders statewide. Mr. Dale Dobson, program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture's "Farm and Home Safety Training Program" accepted the off-road rescue trailer from Mike Brady, of ///EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT, the master distributor for All Terrain Res-Q. Brady stated: "With 64 of these life saving off-road rescue trailers now serving in 26 US states, All Terrain Res-Qs are literally Coast to Coast, and then some!"

Participating in the ATV Safety and Rescue R&D Weekend were the management and staff of the Knott County ATV Safety Training Center, instructors from the KDA Farm & Home Safety Program, representatives of ///EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT, the crew of LifeNet MEDEVAC helicopter service, members of LaRue County Fire & Rescue, Hazard Fire & Rescue, Ball Creek VFD, Salyersville Fire & Rescue's "Rhino ResQ Team" and personnel from the newly formed Grapevine - Chavies VFD "ATV Rescue Team" of Perry County. In all, a dozen volunteer rescue personnel utilized ten 4X4 ATVs and UTVs, plus four "All Terrain Res-Q Trailers" during the two-day learning experience.