A Dangerous Indulgence

AFD on scene UMass Southwest area 2:15 a.m.

The first call came in at 1:59 AM, a routine as rain "still alarm" in a UMass high rise dorm.  Two minutes later it changed from routine to a full blown scramble as reports from UMPD indicated smoke in the building and an "orange glow" on the 14th floor causing a second call to all units, the dreaded "box alarm."

Almost instantly four fire engines and all available ambulances (two out of five) are converging on the scene.

 14th floor room where alarm originated (circled in red).  Beyond reach of Ladder trucks

Meanwhile just down Commonwealth Avenue, a river of students is converging on Kennedy dorm and the rest of the Southwest towers from a concert called, appropriately enough, "Code Black" that just let out at the Mullins Center.

The smoke , thankfully, turned out to be burnt popcorn.

 AFD packing up the hose

Even as all units were still making busy at the base of Kennedy tower two more calls came in for ETOH (intoxicated) students -- one at nearby John Quincy Adams tower and the other on the Amherst College campus.  

These, in addition to the half-dozen that had already occurred since midnight at the Mullins Center, all for intoxicated college aged youth.  Even though AFD Chief Tim Nelson had convinced facility management to have two ambulances (one from Easthampton and the other Belchertown) standing by as part of "Mullins Center Command" they were quickly overwhelmed by calls for service.

 AFD on scene Mullins Center 12:45 a.m.

At one point, around 12:45 a.m., two AFD ambulances were simultaneously tied up at the Mullins Center for intoxicated patrons.  In all the concert required 6 ambulance transports (one by Easthampton FD, 2 by Belchertown FD and 3 by AFD) as well as an additional 21 patients seen by paramedics on scene.

The alcohol induced drain on public safety also impacted police as both UMPD and APD assist AFD at the scene of all medical emergencies, even when it's simply substance abuse calls.

Oftentimes the calls to respond to an ETOH student included the addition information that the patient had fallen, resulting in a head laceration.

Eighteen months ago a young woman under the influence of alcohol fell while walking on Fearing Street, hitting her head on the unforgiving concrete curb, resulting in death. 

Last week my 12-year-old daughter fell from a horse resulting in a head and neck injury (which proved minor).  When my wife called 911, EMS was quick to arrive.  Late last night into early this morning, that vital lifesaving system was heavily taxed -- almost to the breaking point.

Mostly to preventable alcohol or drug related calls. 

   AFD Runs Mid-April 2014

Live Tweeting a disaster:

 

AFD E5 responding to UMPD headquarters for severely intoxicated male prisoner.
— Larry Kelley (@amherstac) April 13, 2014

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Natural High

Extravaganja 5:45 PM 

UPDATE Sunday afternoon:


According to APD Chief Scott Livingstone there were only three arrests directly related to Extravaganja on the Amherst town common, and then another NINE later in the day/overnight due to the usual college town rowdiness, where alcohol played the dominant role.

#####

 And So It Ends, peacefully.  

Organizer Terry Franklin took to the microphone at 5:45 p.m. and announced the close of the 23rd annual Extravaganja, requesting each participant take out whatever trash they may have brought in or created while on the town common.

 

APD kept a perimeter around the town common

Arrests, there were a few.  Very few.  But more medical transports than arrests, with some of them particularly disconcerting because they involved under aged females.

 AFD ambulance en route for a 14-year-old girl who passed out on the town common

But all in all, a successful event.  

Of course with nightfall the emphasis switches from pot to alcohol, so all bets are off for a peaceful ending to this gorgeous weekend.

#####

Mid Afternoon Update

3:00 p.m. Town Common has hit full capacity

 APD arrests two, female driver for OUI drugs, 2:45 p.m. Rt 9 heading to town center

AFD ambulance A2 transporting two patients from downtown Amherst, one of them a 14 year old girl.
— Larry Kelley (@amherstac) April 12, 2014

 NOON update: 

Extravaganja high noon 

 AFD Central Station 11:55 a.m.

Extravaganja food carts will be doing a brisk business

 Original post: early this morning

 

Amherst Town Common 8:30 a.m.

Well it looks as though the weather is going to be nothing if not perfect for an outdoor event.  Thank goodness we're talking Extravaganja rather than Blarney Blowout!

But throw in Spring Concert at UMass and rumors of a Hobart Hoedown today or tomorrow and you have a recipe for disaster.  Maybe Ed Davis should have scheduled his visit to UMass/Amherst for a couple days earlier ...

  Noon yesterday 

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Standing In The Way Of Progress

Sugar Maple @ 57 East Pleasant Street

So this big old sugar maple is no doubt kindling in the making even though the Amherst Shade Tree Committee voted to save it.

It stands in the way of both a town approved 5-story mixed use development by local developers Archipelago Investments, and in the kill zone for a proposed roundabout at the Triangle Street/ East Pleasant Street intersection.

Since the tree is not yet looking splendid in full bloom, probably not much of a public backlash will ensue.  And the developers have proposed planting 11 trees along Triangle and East Pleasant streets.

More controversial however will be the other rumored mega-development a hundred yards or so south of the intersection, where the same developers are warming up the bulldozers to demolish the Carriage Shops.

 Rear of the Carriage Shops facing historic West Cemetery

Because the rear of the doomed building faces and abuts historic West Cemetery (Emily Dickinson's final resting place), artist David Fichter painted a colorful lengthy mural, displaying iconic images from Amherst's past.

The $35,000 project was paid for with private money and completed in 2005.

But the local businesses who funded the endeavor probably thought they were going to get more than 10 years out of the project.

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Shelter In A BIG Place

Springfield tornado 6/1/11

If a tornado ever does drop in on downtown Amherst as one did with Springfield almost three years ago, it's nice to know the Mullins Center is close by -- within walking distance for many of us.  

And after today's practice run involving 350 participants (and a bevy of dogs) that will be my destination point should my house fall prey to the destructive power of a funnel cloud, or any other form of catastrophe.

 UMPD Incident Command vehicle

The sheltering drill brought together all manner of emergency services -- UMPD, AFD, UMass Environmental & Safety, UMass EMS, Red Cross, all under the direction of UMass Medical Reserve Corps and UMass Office of Emergency Management.

 Check in started at 2:00 p.m.

 About 100 cots set up on the main floor

All participants were tracked by electronic bracelets keeping a data base of who checked in or out so authorities would have an accurate measure of the shelter's population.  And if loved ones called to find a missing person the data base would instantly indicate if that individual was on site.  

During the 2011 October Halloween snowstorm,  that knocked out power in Amherst for up to a week, the nearest emergency shelter was in Northampton. 

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Force Multipliers

CERT uniform and tools (sparkless wrench for shutting of leaking gas)

If a zombie apocalypse should ever descend upon Amherst, our first responders could use all the help they can get.  Or  a volcanic eruption, tsunami, or mud slide ... none of which are likely to occur.

But the 2011 October Halloween storm stretched our public safety personnel to the breaking point.  And for the 22 citizen volunteers taking the 7 week Community Emergency Response Team training course that started this evening, that storm is an all too recent reminder disaster can visit our bucolic little town.

 Citizens from all walks of life, ages 13 to retired

The Springfield tornado of 2011 could just have easily decimated Amherst.

 Springfield tornado June 1, 2011

After hearing everyone in the room introduce themselves, AFD Chief Tim Nelson responded, "Everyone here brings something to the dance.  We will all learn together ... It will be cool."  This group will be much needed additional eyes and ears for public safety, or what the Chief twice referred to as "force multipliers."

Chief Tim Nelson (left) course instructor Michael Williamson

FEMA put together the CERT program so everyday citizens can help themselves and their neighbors while waiting for the professional first responders to arrive, including light search and rescue, small fire suppression and basic medical care.




In response to a major event the group would come together at a prearranged staging area, after first making sure their own house and family are in order, to do damage assessment and inventory and assist those with injuries. 

By the end of the 7 week program all participants will be certified in CPR and how to use an AED.  But more importantly they will learn to think under pressure and put into practice basic skills that could save lives.

Because in the event of a major disaster, a little training goes a long way.

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All participants get a fully stocked "go bag," in this case a backpack

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

Extravaganja 2013 attracted around 6,000 fans to the Amherst Town Common

The largest public venue in the little college town of Amherst -- the quaint town green -- will once again play host to Extravaganja, a celebration of all things pot.  And these days, with the herb now practically legal, there's plenty for them to celebrate.

Interestingly, the loss of that cachet that comes with doing something illegal seems not to have hurt attendance any, as last year they had about the same peak attendance (the entire common being shoulder to shoulder) as at any time over the past 23 years.

UMass Cannabis Reform Coalition Treasurer Delany Ratner tells me the budget for this year's event is around $7,500 (renting stage and sound system, port-a-potties, garbage dumpster, printing t-shirts) so they get a lot of bang for their buck.

One thing they don't spend money on is advertising simply because there's no need.  Word of mouth and social media seem to to the trick.

While Amherst Police will be out in force on Saturday as they always are for an event that attracts such a large crowd, there really is little to no disruptive behavior.  Unlike the Blarney Blowout, which attracts somewhat less of a crowd but requires police dressed in riot gear to bring under control.

Rumor has it the "Hobart Hoedown" 2014 has been scheduled for Saturday as well, probably on purpose to coincide with Extravaganja, figuring the police will be preoccupied in town center so they can raise all sorts of hell in far flung North Amherst.

At the height of the Blarney Blowout last year (nowhere near as bad as this year) nitwits at Townhouse apartments made false 911 emergency calls claiming assaults with weapons were taking place in South Amherst to try to distract police away from their pernicious party.

It didn't work.

A major variable impacting attendance (at either event) is weather, and Saturday is suppose to be somewhat rainy.   So that could put a damper on things. 

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Standing Against Racism

Crowd on the North Common standing against racism

About 150 people showed up on the North Town Common this evening (the part of the common in front of Town Hall) to show support for Carolyn Gardner, a teacher of color who was targeted by racist graffiti left in Amherst Regional High School rest rooms.

 

Sonji Johnson-Anderson (Carol Gardner's sister) speaks to the crowd 

It was a good showing of a broad cross section of Amherst: young, old, white, black, Asian, Hispanic, men and woman (and a few dogs).  Although the perp who left the messages probably was not in the crowd.

Ms Gardner did return to teaching today for the first time in two weeks, so hopefully the schools have figured out how to prevent a recurrence of the disturbing cowardly behavior.

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