A funny thing happened to me today, while taking pictures.

Bitter Jeweler · Jun 6, 2009

While I was out on Photo Safari today, and interesting thing happened...

I had parked near the Lorain-Carnegie bridge, and had walked towards the West Side Market to take pictures of the RTA rail line, and saw a homeless man sleeping in the grass off the side of derelict tavern. I did think about taking pictures, but I didn't. It made me feel kinda wierd, I guess. I went about my business.

I walked back and headed out onto the bridge. At it's mid point I watched a tugboat help a big barge through the channel. I took some uninteresting photos of the flats, occasionally hanging over the ledge. Don't worry, it's a very wide ledge

I headed to the other side of the bridge and did some more bridge hanging. I headed back towards my car, and stopped to try some photos of little orange-yellow flowers at the burgundy house with the ill concieved asian style front porch. I was laying on the ground wriggling around trying to focus, and find the interesting angle, when I started hearing sirens.

Typically we just put sirens into the background noise, and I did. That is until I noticed the fire truck stopped in front of that house! I glanced over but continued my business. One of the fireman intereupted me and asked, "so, you're just taking pictures?".
"yes," I said, "are you here just because of me???". In my mind, I was thinking someone called them because I was hanging over the bridge (ok, it's just leaning over). They told me they got a call for a "man down". Hmm...How bizarre. They started walking away when it struck me. The homeless guy!

I pointed out to them that there was a homeless man sleeping in the grass of that parking lot across the street, surely, that is what they were called for. They investigated, roused the man sleeping off a drunk, and we were all on our way.

Who knew a photo safari could be such fun!

Pictures or it didn't happen:

I was taking pics of the poppies in the lower left corner, laying on the sidewalk.

While I am all for public services and "protection", I wonder how much money was wasted waking up a drunk, or how often this happens.

kami · Jun 6, 2009

Actually, the fire dept, EMS and police are obliged to respond to any call no matter how trivial it may be.

musicaleCA · Jun 7, 2009

And thank goodness for that too. I want them rushing to my rescue if my heart-rate is up and I'm sweating profusely; sure it might just be heat stroke, or it might be a heart attack early in life because of family history.

You call it a Photo Safari? Not just a "photowalk"? >.>

Battou · Jun 7, 2009

kami said:
Actually, the fire dept, EMS and police are obliged to respond to any call no matter how trivial it may be.

True, however I really do not see any particular reason for a FD to launch out their biggest and most fuel consuming truck for such trivial matters.

I've seen this in my own city even, Since aquiring this beast it has been launched for some eighty percent of calls. The real kicker is that there is only one facility in this town that is large enough to warrent a tower of that size, some how I really get the feeling that that place is not burning to the ground three or four times a day.

Bitter Jeweler · Jun 7, 2009

I have no problem with public service response to trivial matters, cuz they never know what they are geting called to. BUT, a fire truck for a "man down" call? I understand Police and EMS, but a firetruck? Surely the 911 call stated "a man laying in the grass". The flip side is the fear in the general public. Nobody had the guts to poke him with a stick (not literally), including me. Nobody got close enough to see if it was a dead person, or a bum sleeping off a drunk.

So, if you were in my situation, walking around by yourself, what would you have done? Would you have tried to rouse him from a distance, gotten closer, called 911, or just brush it off as a homeless guy doing what homeless guys do?

Yeah, Photo Safari. It just sounds more exciting that a "photo walk"

Dagwood56 · Jun 7, 2009

I'd probably have shrugged it off to his being a homeless guy asleep..., but none of us really knows for sure how we'd react in a given situation until we find ourselves actually confronted with it.

This story reminds me of the day my husband called AAA for a tow because he had a fuel line leak in the car. AAA called our local fire department who in turn launched a full scale, assault, if you will, on our home. They sent a full crew, three fire trucks complete with lights and sounding sirens and an ambulance!!! My neighbors were calling to see what had happened, others were watching from their windows and all because of a drip from the car's fuel line! I asked why they were called and I was told they had to check to see there was no danger of fire before AAA would tow the car. I asked why they needed so much equipment and all the sirens and the chief said with a slight grin that it was normal protocol....I'd venture to guess in this case it was more of a "fun" thing and a chance to play with the all their "toys" as they don't get too many calls in this area.

Battou · Jun 7, 2009

Bitter Jeweler said:
So, if you were in my situation, walking around by yourself, what would you have done? Would you have tried to rouse him from a distance, gotten closer, called 911, or just brush it off as a homeless guy doing what homeless guys do?

Yeah, Photo Safari. It just sounds more exciting that a "photo walk"

I'da photographed him....Seriously, I would have.

redtippmann · Jun 7, 2009

isn't Cleveland great!

farmerj · Jun 7, 2009

You should go lean over the bridge some more and see what happens.

Some how, they have to justify the cost to the city counsel WHY they spent $500,000 on that truck.

Battou · Jun 7, 2009

farmerj said:
You should go lean over the bridge some more and see what happens.

Some how, they have to justify the cost to the city counsel WHY they spent $500,000 on that truck.

So what is my cities excuse, the #6 tower was a gift from the Seneca Nation amung other official vehicles. :lol:

farmerj · Jun 7, 2009

It comes down to budgets. If they don't spend the money this year, they have to reduce the budget for next year.

If they have to budget "X-number" of service calls every year to justify that particular piece of equipment, guess how many service calls that piece of equipment will be on AT LEAST.

If they go over those service calls, "justification" to increase the budget.

Those trucks don't roll down the road for free and have a big operating expense. You should go ask your fire chief about it sometime.