[IanO]

Yesterday, on my ride from Downtown to Bonnie Doon, a guy in a hoodie and full mask was using a dremel on the train to sharpen an object and his partner was pulling (interesting) random objects out of her backpack.

Fun.

 

[MacLac]

Could be worse, last Summer on Seattle's Sound Transit, a mostly naked guy - only wearing a potato sack around his waist.....came on the train with 2 propane tanks in tow....needless to say we didn't feel like getting blown up on a train and got off at the next stop.....btw - he was also eyeballing me so bad at a point that I had to take off my watch and grasp it as a "make shift weapon" just in case he lunged at me or my wife....you see, it's not just YEG where we have bad apples....

These experiences tell wicked stories when we get older Ian, we have to think of these little encounters as "excellent story fodder" for the future....lol

 

[scyeg]

Two years ago a man tried to fight my dad on Calgary's LRT while he was visiting with his wife for a conference. No police, no security, and onlookers just watched it happen. He hopped off at the next stop hoping to find security or police there, but there was no one around so he snuck back on leaving the guy searching for him at the station as the train took off again. He's a retired police officer so he knew how to handle the situation, but it could have been very bad. He did let police know after the whole situation that this guy was cruising the LRT looking for problems.

It's definitely not just an Edmonton problem.

 

[IanO]

It most certainly isn't, but it's also not an excuse.

 

[dkazzed]

We should be doing better. Low crime rates don't mean anything for actual victims and witnesses of crime.

 

[Greenspace]

Walked through Downtown pedway yesterday twice through Churchill Station. Private security everywhere, EPS beats having coffee in Stantec. At least 6 peace officers at Churchilll, some checking tickets. Another duo of EPS officers moving someone along in pedway to ECC. I'd say there was some street people but it wasn't overwhelming and much improved from years past given the storm and temperatures outside.

 

[degrandprix]

Just witnessed an OD at Southgate station, before I could finish my text to transitwatch, 8 peace officers, 2 EPS, a firetruck and an ambulance showed up to deal with them. Not sure how long the person was lying there before I walked by, but good response from all departments I'd say!

 

[Gronk!]

Just witnessed an OD at Southgate station, before I could finish my text to transitwatch, 8 peace officers, 2 EPS, a firetruck and an ambulance showed up to deal with them. Not sure how long the person was lying there before I walked by, but good response from all departments I'd say!

A bit overkill, don't you think? Why was a firetruck needed for an OD? Why were 8 peace officers and 2 EPS officers needed for an OD?

 

[MacLac]

Just witnessed an OD at Southgate station, before I could finish my text to transitwatch, 8 peace officers, 2 EPS, a firetruck and an ambulance showed up to deal with them. Not sure how long the person was lying there before I walked by, but good response from all departments I'd say

The “mental health” issues of that person just cost us taxpayers about $12,000……

 

[ADob]

A bit overkill, don't you think? Why was a firetruck needed for an OD? Why were 8 peace officers and 2 EPS officers needed for an OD?

Fire services are usually the first on the scene, regardless of what the actual issue is. We have a couple buildings nearby with many elderly residents (our building included) and I, personally, had a couple 911 calls a couple years ago because of a clearly medical issue, and in all cases we see fire services come first, then EMS follows.

 

[Greenspace]

I think fire showing up first for every event is total overkill. I understand if EMS is tied up, but you just don't see this in other cities. Downtown during certain times it can be firetrucks every 10 minutes for overdoses, the noise is crazy. In other cities that have specialized teams that just deal with that. There's gotta be a better solution than sending expensive firetrucks out for every call.

 

[SarcasticMarmot]

I think fire showing up first for every event is total overkill. I understand if EMS is tied up, but you just don't see this in other cities. Downtown during certain times it can be firetrucks every 10 minutes for overdoses, the noise is crazy. In other cities that have specialized teams that just deal with that. There's gotta be a better solution than sending expensive firetrucks out for every call.

It happens in plenty of other cities as well. Mixture of the fact that fire is specifically funded to arrive as quickly as possible, so they will be first on the scene at most anything. Additionally, Fire being municipally funded and EMS being provincially funded provides a convenient way for the province to further download the costs onto municipalities.

 

[degrandprix]

A bit overkill, don't you think? Why was a firetruck needed for an OD? Why were 8 peace officers and 2 EPS officers needed for an OD?

Absolutely it was overkill, though it did make me feel like transit security is being taken a bit more seriously now.

Last year I called in an unconscious person at Gov. Center LRT in the morning. Came back later that day and they were still there! Don't know if anyone even came to check on them in the time between.

 

[MacLac]

According to my friends at EPS, yes indeed the first call to anybody, whether a fentanyl huncher attempting suicide or any other reason is to the Fire Dept. The EPS are “supposed” to administer Naloxone but rarely do as it is technically “not their job,” spoken line true Union members….lol.

 

[David A]

According to my friends at EPS, yes indeed the first call to anybody, whether a fentanyl huncher attempting suicide or any other reason is to the Fire Dept. The EPS are “supposed” to administer Naloxone but rarely do as it is technically “not their job,” spoken line true Union members….lol.

So its the Fire Department's job instead? I guess their union must be more easy going.