Phillips Street (or maybe a zombie movie) just after midnight
So as weekends in a "college town" go -- especially this being the last one of summer -- things went relatively smoothly. Of course APD, UMPD and AFD were busy as could be, but not to the breaking point.
Cooperation between the town first responders has always been outstanding, but the integration between town police-and-fire and UMass police and Environmental Health & Safety has gotten much better over the past year or so.
This weekend UMPD was very visible at Party House responses -- even a few miles from campus.
The magic hours seem to start just after midnight through about 2:00 AM as both Friday-into-Saturday and last night into-this-morning there were times when APD was backed up on noise complaints, some of them being held for upwards of a half-hour before units could respond.
AFD, even with a shift of thirteen on (4 extra paid for by UMass) each night there were times when all five ambulances were on the road -- with many of those calls ETOH (alcohol OD) students.
The roving herds of students were not as much in evidence Friday but w-a-y more so last night into this morning. No signs of the "Walk This Way" crew either night trying to redirect traffic off Fearing Street, which was the usual Grand Central Station last night.
Although late Friday night there were times when Sunset Avenue, contiguous with Southwest towers, was almost impassible by car due to foot traffic. Not so much because the students were in overwhelming numbers, but simply because the groups of a dozen or so decided to walk in the middle of the road.
Considering that is also the time drunk drivers are out it's only a matter of time before a bad interaction between car and pedestrian occurs. Early this morning for example APD bagged a drunk driver at the still busy with foot traffic Fearing/Allen Street location around 1:30 AM.
When calling for back up the officer on scene told dispatch the vehicle had "clipped the curb pretty good."
Such pleasant names these umass students come up with for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI felt like the AFD worked their butts off Friday night into Saturday morning.. There were quite a few calls last night but Friday was ridiculous for ETOH.. No one gets the severity of alcohol actually killing someone
ReplyDeleteYeah, thought I heard Engine 1 being dispatched for a medical call after back-to-back ETOH calls sucked up the last of our ambulances.
ReplyDeleteEngine 1 and Engine 3 we're dispatched at least 5 times a "first responders" since all five ambulances. As soon as they left CDH another tone went out for ETOH. I counted at least 15 tones Friday night into Saturday ALONE! It was awful! I'm a student and they we're dispatched to my dorm three times and I responded (since I'm first aid certified) and it was bad. A very, very terrible night for ETOH. Engine 1 was dispatched to a fire alarm then was diverted to a medical! Ridiculous
ReplyDeleteSuch pleasant names these umass students come up with for themselves.
ReplyDeleteI'm by no means a touchie-feelie self-esteem person but I do wish to remind Walter (and others) that all of the negativity does both have traction and contributes to the self-destructive behavior (including ETOH abuse).
No one is spared the dysfunction of this dysfunctional world. Some just hide it better.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone think we should petition the University to reopen the Health Services for Friday and Saturday nights? Couldn't they have one doc doing an overnight to fix up drunks??
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea but they'd need more support than one doc wouldn't they. I wonder if the lawyers would say no as it creates the potential for problems and lawsuits as a result and that in such cases of ETOH a hospital is needed. Either way we have a serious binge drinking problem wiht college kids in this country and we need to do something even though it's reactionary more than proactive.
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