Dave Eenigenburg had the misfortune of getting a flat tire while driving to work Tuesday morning and sat helplessly on the shoulder of Interstate 94 near the W. Broadway exit in north Minneapolis.
"I haven't changed a tire in 30 years," said the pediatrician, who works for Allina Health.
Mike Ahlman came to his rescue.
Ahlman is a driver with the Minnesota Department of Transportation's Freeway Incident Response Safety Team (FIRST), which on Friday marked its 30th anniversary of providing roadside assistance to motorists.
"I love helping people. I love my job," said Ahlman, who changed Eenigenburg's flat in a matter of minutes. "This is a great program."
For three decades, drivers such as Ahlman have crisscrossed the metro area in yellow pickup trucks to jump dead batteries, fix flat tires and provide fuel to motorists who have run out of gas. FIRST drivers help clear crash scenes, pick up debris blocking traffic lanes and open and close the gates controlling the reversible carpool lane on Interstate 394.
In 2022, FIRST drivers responded to more than 21,700 incidents, which included more than 15,000 stalls, 3,300 crashes, 118 vehicle fires and 82 medical situations, MnDOT spokesman Kent Barnard said. All 21 drivers are trained as first responders.
"I do everything from flat tires to flatline," said Julie Todora, who, with 23 years of service, is FIRST's longest-tenured driver. "People are never unhappy to see you."