Comments on: Man rescued from embankment at Golden Gardens

By: SeaSpider

SeaSpider — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:15:18 +0000

"I don't know what the solution is, but the problem is definitely there and I don't think that our current efforts are getting anywhere despite the obviously high cost."

So true! Then again look what happens anytime someone proposes a solution such as halfway houses, access to healthcare, jobs training. The "tough on crime" people get all up in arms about people not paying for their crimes, the parents start whining about dangers to their children (never mind the actual stats), the "conservatives" start whining about tax dollars being wasted (never mind their support for bank bailouts, bridges to nowhere and numerous other wasteful government programs!) and the liberals get their panties in a twist claiming it's a violation of civil rights to force people to clean up and get their act together.

Instead we expect cops and firefighters to deal with the deranged despite having no real training or access to training and then complain that nothing gets done.

By: SeaSpider

SeaSpider — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 23:15:18 +0000

By: Ballard_Curmudgeon

Ballard_Curmudgeon — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:58:20 +0000

20 minutes? That's a little disconcerting, what if that had been a child?

By: mostobstreperous

mostobstreperous — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:58:54 +0000

I was there when the kid came into the dogpark and started yelling about “Native Pride” and threatening dogs before he was escorted out by a guy from Kodiak. I was close enough to notice that he reeked like a distillery, so whatever else he might have been on, he was drunk. A few people called 911 while it was happening. 15 minutes later when I left I could still hear him screaming & I called 911, & about 10 minutes later I started hearing sirens. It could have been merely an arrest rather than a very expensive rescue had the response time been quicker.

Also, he was Native American with a really bad tattoo on his chest, doesn't look anything at all like Eddie Vedder. After 8 years of going to the dogpark daily, I've never seen him there before.

By: Marty Gordon

Marty Gordon — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:20:28 +0000

Not so much evangelizing but talking about buddhism and centers of energy in your neck, etc. Also cursing at old people on bikes and people singing opera on the beach.

By: Buddy

Buddy — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 20:15:40 +0000

I was at the dog park when the MANY emergency vehicles arrived. Three firetrucks, an ambulance and several police cars. I have to wonder why it takes so many emergency personnel to rescue one man who fell down an embankment.

By: crownpill

crownpill — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:49:09 +0000

I don't recall any evangelizing. But, I've tried to keep my conversations short.

By: mark55

mark55 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:46:34 +0000

he was super high, on something. I called 911, they gave me a hard time, I
told them, when the cop shows up, it will be obvious who he is what is
wrong. It took them 20 minutes to get there…weird is all I can say

By: SPG

SPG — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:43:13 +0000

I was thinking a bit more about this scene after remembering that just a couple hours before this I watched the fire dept show up for a different drunk/addict who was lying on the sidewalk in front of Carnegie's. Of course the “Kan I ask you a kwestshun?” couple were there shaking down passersby, and at the time I was contemplating the economic costs of all this. All this time, effort, and money is being spent by the FD, the PD, and the hospitals so that people who scare off customers from businesses, shake down people on the street for handouts, and commit thefts to get high can continue to waste their days under the influence. I don't know what the solution is, but the problem is definitely there and I don't think that our current efforts are getting anywhere despite the obviously high cost.

BTW, the drunk got up, staggered off, and the FD rolled off in their ladder truck after about a minute. Four firefighters in a full ladder truck rolling down market under full lights and siren to tell a drunk to get up.

By: Marty

Marty — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:31:33 +0000

I think I've been lectured by this guy. Does he rant about spiritual stuff?

By: AlanBarton

AlanBarton — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:23:38 +0000

On my way home tonight I followed Engine 21 most of the way. When I heard more and more sirens and then the helicopters, pulled up MyBallard to see what was going on and voila! The rope rescue.

I'm going to go positive on this one. Great that SFD has such a team should you ever need it. Engine 35 is my neighborhoods 'local' and from the interactions I've had with them they are awesome. It is nice to know that SFD is there if you need them. Second, props to the Geeky Swedes for providing such a useful service. I'm glad it is bearing fruit and growing in scope.

By: NoraBell

NoraBell — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:35:01 +0000

I take umbrage to you calling this doofus a barfly.

By: SPG

SPG — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:15:16 +0000

Come on! How common are those conditions vs how common are drunks and druggies?

By: kim1234

kim1234 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:13:25 +0000

i think locals know their neighborhood barflys. just sayin'

By: ballardg

ballardg — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:56:12 +0000

Yeah, probably he really was intoxicated or high but there are some medical conditions that cause people to appear intoxicated. Just sayin'….maybe there is another reason for his behavior…

By: SPG

SPG — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:34:00 +0000

The Fire Dept was doing some training on this exact spot a few weekends ago. Nice when the training is so similar to the real thing.
I was there a couple hours before this happened today. Too bad. If I was there when it happened I'm sure my trusty rescue dog would have climbed all the way down there, sniffed him, then run all the way back up!

By: crownpill

crownpill — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:26:09 +0000

BTW, hope he didn't hurt any of the mountain beavers!

By: crownpill

crownpill — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:25:03 +0000

My wife and I are there a few times a week. He's often there with some grumpy things to say. Few weeks ago, he showed up in our alley and decided to lambaste me over being a bad neighbor. Very weird. Hope he's OK, but man, you could see that coming!

By: mark55

mark55 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:17:56 +0000

Bingo!!! Crownpill, thats him.

By: crownpill

crownpill — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:12:06 +0000

I'm gonna guess Eddie Vedder look-alike dood. See him there all the time in a stupor lecturing folks.

By: Andrew Reichel

Andrew Reichel — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 08:05:19 +0000

Well, at least he was probably pretty limp, minimizing injuries…

By: mark55

mark55 — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 07:57:56 +0000

Appeared to be intoxicated? I was the guy who called 911, he was messed up and I don't mean the bushes. Not sure what he was high on, but he was out of it.