So there have been quite a few different emergency scenes I rushed out to in the last week, including a reported gunshot in the City of Norwich, a serious car versus tractor trailer accident in Columbus, and the early morning drug bust at two City of Norwich residences.

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t exciting traveling out to a scene. I often remind myself to appreciate the opportunity of being able to witness such a wide strata of police and fire activities firsthand. They are experiences of great interest and depth. Here are some of my personal impressions.

Drug investigation

I get the furrow-browed look from an officer as I first appear on the scene as the less public personnel scatter to the remote parts of the site, hoping to avoid a reporter’s attention. I snap pictures of anything of interest as soon as I arrive. No roadside officers or civilians present; they are all located in the rear of the apartment house tucked away from my camera’s 300 millimeter view.

I see a group of distant officers look up from the back lawn and a few quickly go into the back door of the home. I boldly step into the driveway and just as I’m drawing the police chief’s attention, I’m asked to stay curbside. I wait and exchange ‘good mornings’ with a few officers on their way in and out. After about 10 minutes, Norwich Police Chief Joseph Angelino comes over and gives me an official police statement I can print.

I stay for a few minutes, taking more pictures looking around for alternative sources of information and find a neighbor in her driveway watching the commotion with her daughters. She gives me a spectator’s account of how the police stormed the home and at what time roughly. I then leave for the second location in the city that was raided and repeat my activities there.

Columbus crash and rescue

A gruff fire policeman directing traffic orders me to clear the road. I pull over and begin the walk down to the scene. I hear it before I see it.

I walk maybe a 150 yards and see a helicopter parked in the middle of the roadway. Crews clustered around the side of the craft suddenly scatter and the turbine begins to wind. The ground roars with blown dust and the chopping blades patter through the sky, out of sight.

I walk another 150 yards and come to the T-intersection of the main road and the road where the accident took place. New Berlin Fire Chief George Hanslmaier warmly shakes my hand and walks with me toward the scene. I forgot my pen and ask an ambulance attendant if I may permanently borrow one of hers.

We walk another 150 yards down the side road. The commotion is settling, the victim evacuated, the emergency contained. Fire crews now relax and chat while police officers start their investigating.