Heroic drivers wanted

TORONTO (June 4, 2001) — Bridgestone/Firestone Canada launched its annual search for Canada’s most valiant truck drivers in an unlikely place last week: downtown Toronto.

“This is an important award for an important industry, one that’s often overlooked by the average person,” said Jerry Priddle, the company’s director of advertising and public relations. “We wanted to kick off our program in front of a big audience.”

In its 44th year, the Bridgestone/Firestone Canadian Truck Hero Award recognizes professional truck drivers “who demonstrate courage, quick thinking and integrity in the face of an emergency,” Priddle said.

Canadians from coast-to-coast are invited to nominate candidates. The winning driver will receive $3000 and a trip for two to the Ontario Trucking Association annual convention in November, where he or she will pick up the award.

Nominations must be received by Oct. 19. Nominees must be Canadian residents and full-time commercial truck drivers working for a Canadian trucking company. The incident being recognized must have taken place in North America between Oct. 1, 2000 and Sept. 30, 2001. A police statement or affidavit corroborating driver actions is required with the nomination.

The panel judging the award will give consideration to the degree of personal danger or risk encountered; the emergency procedures followed; the assistance rendered to victims involved in the incident; and the proper use of safety equipment.

The 2001 Bridgestone/Firestone Canadian Truck Hero Award is supported by the Canada Safety Council, the Ontario Trucking Association, and the Canadian Trucking Alliance.

Nomination forms are circulated with the help of the Canadian Association of Police Chiefs and provincial trucking associations, by calling 1-866/827-8098, or on the web at www.truckhero.ca.