Around the Neighborhood
DEVELOPING · AMHERST
Passerby Finds a Body on the Bike Path Behind the Tennis Courts at Maple & North Forest
A walker flagged Amherst PD just after 8:21 a.m.; officers were sent to a bench “between the tennis courts and the solar panels.”
The first transmission was matter-of-fact and grim: a passerby reported a deceased body laying on a park bench by the tennis courts at Maple and North Forest, near the bypass.[1] An Amherst PD unit rolled in voice-control and was directed in a follow-up transmission to head past the bridge, “somewhere by the tennis courts, near the solar panels.”[2] Ellicott Creek EMS came up on Amherst Fire dispatch a moment later with a unit on the bike path in the area of 1520 North Forest Road; a Capsule NEMS call — what appeared on the air to be a code response — was confirmed within minutes.[3] The reporting party told dispatch she had found a body in between two benches, somewhere between the tennis courts and the solar panels;[4] a responder said he was going to “open that fence right there” to get to the scene off North Forest.[5] Dispatch then released non-essential units (“You can hold everything”).[6] No name, age, or cause was put on the air.
EXCLUSIVE · AMHERST
“Say Something” Tip Lands at 65 Old Orchard: Threat to “Kill a Bunch of Students” at Heim Middle School
Amherst PD spent the back half of the window chasing an anonymous tip naming a juvenile and her father; no one answered at the front door.
Just after 2:07 p.m., Amherst PD dispatch told units that info had just come in from the Say Something Anonymous tip line: about half an hour earlier, the line had received a tip that a juvenile named on the air as Haley Sietsky had made threats to kill a bunch of students at Heim Middle School. “No further info,” the dispatcher added.[7] Eleven minutes later a patrol unit on the air put themselves at 65 Old Orchard and quickly clarified that the call to that house was actually a barking-dog complaint — coincidence — but the responding officer added that the only last name he could pull on the residence was Sietsky, “likely the father,” no phone number.[8] Dispatch was asked to run a contact check for the likely father. The unit cleared with “doesn't look like anyone's home. We'll let you know.”[9] No school resource officer or district referral was mentioned on the air during the window.
EAST AMHERST
Speedway and Tim Hortons at Maple & Ayr Pull a General Fire Alarm Just After 7
The day opened at 7:02 a.m. with Amherst Fire dispatch calling East Amherst Fire on Line Activation 180 for a fire alarm at the Speedway and Tim Hortons plaza at 1810 Maple Road, between Ayr Road and Maple Leaf Drive.[10] Dispatch confirmed the address as the corner of Maple and Ayr and told units a general fire alarm was being put to Amherst Fire.[11] Unit 8771 marked on-location at 7:04, and within twelve minutes a service code was on the air — no smoke condition, no working fire on the radio.[12]
WILLIAMSVILLE
Elderwood at Williamsville Trips a Zone 999 General Alarm; Avoidable Callout, System Reset
At 1:57 p.m. Amherst Fire dispatch toned Elderwood at Williamsville, between Hallmark Court and St. Gardnery Court, for a zone 999 general fire alarm.[13] A clean-up note on the air about thirteen minutes later said the responding crew had advised the facility on proper procedures, called the activation avoidable, and reset the system in-service.[14]
AMHERST
Welfare Check at Tim Hortons, Transit & French: Mom in a Gray Porsche, Caller Hiding in the Bathroom
Amherst PD was sent at 11:42 a.m. on what dispatch read out as a welfare check at the Tim Hortons at Transit and French — a complainant calling from inside, hiding in the bathroom and afraid to come out, saying their mother was sitting in the lot in a gray Porsche on the Deer Creek side and was “a danger to herself and others.”[15] A second unit covered. A few minutes after arrival, an officer told the air: “I'm not seeing a great portion of the lot anywhere — do you want to give a complaint or call back and see if they're still here?”[16] No subject located on the air.
CLARENCE
EMS to Clarence United Methodist at 10205 Reiner Road
Amherst Fire dispatch sent an EMS run to the Clarence United Methodist Church — address 10205 Reiner Road — at 11:02 a.m.[17] No further details made it onto the dispatch channel.
AKRON
Akron EMS to 37 Cedar Street for a Not-Alert Diabetic
Amherst Fire dispatch toned Akron EMS at 1:08 p.m. for callout 37 on Cedar Street, between Pennington Lane and Morgan Street, for a not-alert diabetic.[18]
WILLIAMSVILLE
Comprehensive Rehab on Reist: Patient Down with a Head Injury in Room 534
At 2:46 p.m. Amherst Fire dispatch ran an EMS call to Comprehensive Rehab at 147 Reist Street, Williamsville, for a male patient who fell in room 534 with a head injury; the room number was corrected to 530 on the readback.[19]
Overheard: The Wires
WHAT THE...?!
The Motel 6 “Two Rooms for a Date” Deposit Dispute Will Not Die
At 11:06 a.m., an Amherst PD unit landed at the Motel 6 at 4400 Maple Road: complainant wanted “some kind of deposits back.” The on-air explanation, in full: “He rented two rooms for a date last night and wants to get some kind of deposits back. Staff's uncooperative.”[20] Two hours and eight minutes later, the file resurfaced for a different officer: “He's one who had a date and he had two rooms and he wants to see somebody again.”[21] Whatever the deposit, whoever the date, the universe was clearly trying to tell this man something.
RADIO POETRY
Buffalo Limo Dispatcher Counts to Forty-Six Out Loud
At 1:27 p.m. a Buffalo Limo voice keyed up and recited, on the open dispatch frequency, the natural numbers in order: “5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46…”[22] Whether this was a roll-call, a stock-take, or simply a long sigh expressed numerically, we do not know.
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Parking Enforcement Tow Comes with an Emotional Disclaimer
An Erie County parking enforcement officer keyed up at 1:20 p.m. to clear a tow on a forward Focus from a downtown exit — then, in the same breath, apologized: “Christian, I'm sorry. I don't know why that happened, but I don't like the energy.”[23] No further explanation. The tow proceeded.
PHONETIC ALPHABET
“Like an Ida, Nora, George. Her Name's Going to Be Cori. Common Spelling.”
An Amherst PD unit at 8:39 a.m. ran a name over the air, then immediately tried to clean up after the spelling: “Like an Ida, Nora, George. Her name's going to be Cori. Common spelling. Middle initial.”[24] The dispatcher gamely played along. Whether Cori was actually I-N-G remains an open question.
HOSPITALITY
Embassy Suites Asks the BNIA Trunk if Anyone's “Sending Those Jets Over”
At 11:30 a.m. an Embassy Control voice came up plain: “Are you sending those jets over?” The reply, equally plain: “10-4.”[25] Hotel-shuttle dispatchers rarely have cause to invoke air superiority; we are duty-bound to note that they did so today, and got an affirmative.
OPEN DOOR
“Open Door Kitchen World” — Amherst PD's New Most-Sincere Sentence
At 12:24 p.m., an Amherst PD unit clarified that, on top of everything else going on, she just hadn't opened the door for Kitchen World yet. Dispatch read it back deadpan: “Open Door Kitchen World, 10-4.” A second unit was then sent to cover the open door and the in-progress alarm at 7370 Transit Kitchen Road.[26]
PLAZA SCIENCE
“Octo Farmer Plaza, Sweet Home and Sheridan”
Amherst PD officers backed each other up at 9:54 a.m. on something at the corner of Sweet Home Road and Sheridan Drive: “Beyond Bay, Octo Farmer Plaza at Sweet Home and Sheridan.”[27] What “Octo Farmer Plaza” turns out to be in the daylight is left as an exercise for the reader.
Regional Blotter
Carbon Monoxide Alarm Empties a Home at 9 Elm Court; Two Callers Report Headaches
At 10:45 a.m. Niagara County Fire Control toned a second-tone alarm to City Lockport for a carbon monoxide detector activation at 9 Elm Court — two callers on location reporting headaches, the home evacuated.[28] Incident routed to LSDTAC-1.
Niagara County Fire Sends Out an Engine for Suspected House Haze on Orchard Street
NC Fire Control dispatched at 10:41 a.m. to 25 Orchard Street between Park Place and Waterman, on a caller-described smoke or fire condition inside the residence.[29] Incident type given on the air as unknown caller / haze.
Tonawanda Fire Investigates an Open Crawlspace Under a Residence
At 1:41 p.m. Tonawanda Fire dispatch had units checking an open crawlspace below a structure; a crew chief told the air the unsecured access would be entered to investigate.[30]
Lawnmower Strike on Cheektowaga Lawn: Uncontrolled Bleeding at 29 Campbell Road
At 12:09 p.m. Cheektowaga Fire dispatch sent an EMS run to 29 Campbell Road, west side between Cedar and Oak: a patient who had “ran her foot over the lawnmower,” uncontrolled bleeding.[31]
Wendelville EMS: Ankle Laceration After a Dog Bite on Blackmoor Road
NC Fire Control toned Wendelville EMS at 11:33 a.m. via mutual aid from Shawnee 30 to 3056 Blackmoor Road, between Hoover and Nash — patrol requesting an evaluation for a party with a laceration to the ankle following a dog bite. BLS standard response recommended.[32]
Buffalo Fire Pushes a Preliminary Signal on a Commercial Alarm at 1631 Hertel
BFD Ch1 dispatched a preliminary signal at 1:02 p.m. on a commercial fire alarm at 1631 Hertel Avenue. Engine 38 and Engine 34 were assigned;[33] Engine 38 marked on-scene investigating the A-wing first floor after the panel read.[34]
Other Calls of Note
- [09:11] BFD Ch1: response to 141 Elm Street, Buffalo.[35]
- [09:40] Amherst PD: commercial alarm, Mighty Taco, 3140 Niagara Falls Boulevard, rear kitchen door.[36]
- [10:33] BFD Ch1 commercial fire alarm at 2335 Main Street between East Oakwood and Leroy — preliminary signal, several engines and a ladder assigned.[37]
- [10:36] BFD: an “NFTA stuck on a pad” report at Genesee and a numbered cross, units pivoting to investigate.[38]
- [10:59] BFD Ch1: natural gas call at 82 College between Maryland and Allen, apartment 2; Engine 2 and Ladder 4.[39]
- [10:07] NC FD: ALS-priority EMS run to Elderwood Assisted Living, Niagara Falls Boulevard, room 351 — 96-year-old female with difficulty breathing and severe back pain.[40]
- [10:56] NC FD: EMS call to First Avenue, Lockport, between Arlington and Oliver — 57-year-old female, back pain into the upper abdomen, cardiac history, ALS priority.[41]
- [11:08] Lancaster FD-1: EMS run to 11116 Jane Drive, a 37-year-old male reported in V-tach by an in-home alarm.[42]
- [11:27] BFD Ch1: report of a natural gas odor at 301 Durstein between Seneca and Parkview.[43]
- [12:02] NC FD: medical alarm at 4872 West Eddy Drive, Lewiston, apartment 151 — 85-year-old female, possible hip dislocation after recent surgery, ALS priority.[44]
- [12:09] CFD Disp: EMS to 21 Rowland Road, Cheektowaga — 52-year-old male coming out of a seizure with a history of stroke.[45]
- [12:39] Erie County FD-EMS Paging: 59-year-old male, syncopal episode, lost consciousness, 10179 Allen Road, Sardinia — alert and talking on Mercy arrival.[46]
- [12:50] T-Hamburg FD Dsp: EMS to South Point Apartments, 4600 South Park Avenue, apartment 152 — 72-year-old female follow-up call.[47]
- [13:34] Cheektowaga Fire dispatch: EMS to 403 George Urban Boulevard, south side between Lorain and Andres — 7-year-old female, shortness of breath.[48]
- [13:53] NC FD: EMS to a camping resort, 35-year-old female, possibly passed out.[49]
- [14:23] Evans PD: complaint at 580 Eisenhower — subject reporting a child took off, no further description available.[50]
- [14:34] Med-43: 36-year-old male, not conscious, shallow breathing in the back of the ambulance — en route call.[51]
- [14:54] BFD: man down at the East Ferry / Fillmore bus stop, EMS engine assigned.[52]