225BatonRouge.com - Blogs

Before you go off celebrating our nation this week, let me have your attention. I won’t try to convince you there are certain things the old Motherland may do better. Nope nope. I will, however, give you some advice on what to do if you find yourself in need of some motorist assistance.

Question: What do those big white Motorist Assistance Patrol vans do anyway?

Answer: Uh, give assistance, duh.

For more than a decade, the Motorist Assistance Patrol vans have been patrolling seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. (which changes according to daylight). Locally, they’ve assisted more than 21,0000 vehicles. In Baton Rouge, three vans patrol every day with one backup patrol, covering interstates 10, 12 and 110. According to Brendan Rush, public information officer with DOTD, MAP has never delivered a baby, but they could, considering that all MAP patrollers must be certified by the Red Cross or obtain certification through an approved course equivalent in first response, first aid and CPR. Not only that, those vans hold gas, diesel fuel, tools, air compressors, fire extinguishers, jacks, jumper cables, antifreeze, safety cones and all that good stuff to get cars back on the road. Rush says it frequently happens that MAP pulls over to give aid when motorists are actually sleeping or doing whatever they please. The patrollers driver alone, listening to the scanner to find out about incidents. If you find yourself needing MAP’s help, call the Baton Rouge Police Department at 225-389-2000 or State Police Troop A at 225-754-8500 and ask them to dispatch a MAP unit. (Put those numbers in your fancy new iPhones, peeps.) And what if a MAP van breaks down? Well, that’s what the back up unit is for. Thanks to Brendan Rush at DOTD for assisting me with my MAP questions.