SWAT On Fry

[David Lay]

For those with scanners....SWAT is on 155.850

[David Lay]

Just heard on the SWAT frequency that they're about to deploy gas...

[David Lay]

I just heard on the SWAT Frequency that they're deploying a robot into the home...

[David Lay]

Update: SWAT is talking with the suspect.

11:34: Report of hissing sound in the house.
11:39: SWAT told to 'get as much gas in there as possible.'
11:41: Officer O'Neil told to deploy CS or CN.
11:42: Tear gas being deployed.
11:44: Officers told to deploy remaining tear gas, then start 'putting stuff through the windows.'
11:46: Suspect at front door yelling, has something in his hand, taunting officers. Keeps opening and closing door.
11:47: Officers fire stage rounds, suspect retreats back into house.
11:48: Call for a taser.
11:49: Officers storm home, Suspect in custody.

[DougHuntingdon]

Thanks for the updates...sounds like the SWAT team did a good job.

Doug

[Brian Pedaci]

Should have known to come here for info rather than Cleveland.com or Newsnet 5. No update on those sites. Does anyone know if the coast is officially clear? I'm still hiding out in Parma until the morning.

[Jim O'Bryan]

Should have known to come here for info rather than Cleveland.com or Newsnet 5. No update on those sites. Does anyone know if the coast is officially clear? I'm still hiding out in Parma until the morning.

Observers were everywhere. David and I were supported in our photo efforts by Stan Austin, Bill Davis, DL Meckes working the scanner and the phones. On the ground we had Bill Grulich and DL who work for CERT, and some other very high people in official capacities helping us stay on top of everything.

This is has become a very interesting project as the Observer Family grows and begins to work together. Members on most blocks, with a network that borders on amazing.

It would seem the police and City Hall were all over this doing a grand job in cold tough situation. While there might be discussion if the guy could have blown up a city block or not. Everyone admitted it would have been a pretty big bang, and could have hurt many.

From the moment we got there the Lakewood Police were in control until SWAT came. Once again the transition was seamless. Which is even more amazing when you find out some participating communities had trouble getting their officers there.

CERT was deployed and they fanned out through the neighborhood getting people out of their homes and to Lakewood City Hall, and/or Lakewood High School. They were feed and made comfortable through people like Jane George the mayor's wife.

While upsetting to some, this provided a glimpse into Lakewood's Emergency preparedness, and it seemed to work pretty good, again. The mayor and Brian Corrigan worked the command center with police. All were focused but relaxed.

Thanks to all, especially David who was willing to go that extra mile to bring Observers images.


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[David Lay]

I second that, Jim...great job to all.

[David Lay]

Should have known to come here for info rather than Cleveland.com or Newsnet 5. No update on those sites. Does anyone know if the coast is officially clear? I'm still hiding out in Parma until the morning.

The coast is clear. The home has been searched, and residents in the area have been permitted to return to their homes.

[ryan costa]

Perpetrator in custody. Prescription for Prozac administered.

[David Lay]

Perpetrator in custody. Prescription for Prozac administered.

Prozac? Based on what SWAT was saying, he might need some Xanax....

[dl meckes]

This incident was the first time that CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) was deployed.

CERT volunteers go through a training program, although we weren't specifically trained to evacuate people, that seemed like a natural and seamless action.

CERT works through the Fire Dept. and Frank Murtaugh, at the direction of CERT commander Richard Healy, worked the phone tree. We got our call at 4:45 PM and were at our command post within fifteen minutes. As CERT volunteers gathered, we were deployed to assist the LPD and LFD in evacuating several streets.

Two teams of six people were sent to contact residents, wait for them to leave their homes or apartments, help them to the buses that the Office on Aging provided or contact the LFD for further assistance, if necessary. LFD assisted several people who needed extra help, like some lovely neighbors with walkers or a couple of folks who were in wheelchairs.

Some CERT volunteers had initially been deployed to City Hall to register the folks who were taking temporary shelter there. As has been mentioned, Tom and Jane George went to Hungry Howie's to pick up food and beverages for the evacuees and volunteers.

The CERT folks gathered back at City Hall for receive further instructions and, as it turned out, we were sent back out to evacuate Idlewood and Williamson. Once we had everyone out, we again gathered at City Hall to await further instruction.

At this point point, teams were sent to Lakewood High School to assist the Red Cross. CERT volunteers helped everyone who came in with registration, so the Red Cross people could continue their process.

There is usually a gap between when the Red Cross is called and when they are ready to provide shelter - they have a lot of equipment, supplies and people to collect. One of the things we hope CERT can do is to fill the gap while waiting for Red Cross. This frees up police and fire resources. Several of the Red Cross folks mentioned their Lakewood connections, including a nurse who lives on Wascana.

The Red Cross people said they were happy to see CERT and were sorry we couldn't have been called up for the recent Highland Avenue apartment fire.

At about 11:30, Commander Healy instructed volunteers that we could go home for a while as it was going to take time for the situation to be resolved and for the all-clear to be given. Meanwhile, since it was getting late, the Red Cross let people get some rest. We were asked to be back to help with breakfast at 7 a.m. unless we got a call in the middle of the night to come back.

Still cold and now quite tired, we were happy to head home.

CERT seemed to flow seamlessly in assisting LPD, LFD and the Red Cross. This is a program that was started in Lakewood by the Mayor, who hired Kevin Galvin to get the program up and running. It is now under the watch of Fire Inspector Scott Gilman.

I was really impressed with our city last night. There were units called in from all over the region, like the bomb squad and S.W.A.T. to help. Dottie Buckon coordinated the human resource effort, which included the aforementioned Office on Aging buses. Department heads (like Tony Beno) and city workers were out in force. Some of the CERT volunteers are city employees. LPD, their Axillary units and LFD did a great job.

The Mayor coordinated the entire effort. He was the one making sure everyone was called in and communicating with each other and that all bases were covered - including feeding folks.

The mayor personally oversaw the set-up at Lakewood High School as well.

When Tom George says he's interested in the safety of Lakewood citizens, it's not just lip service.

I know in mentioning a few people, I'm missing a lot.

Everybody was working together to keep our neighbors safe and it was a pretty smooth operation from my point of view.

DH & I joined CERT because we wanted to be able to help our neighbors in case of an emergencies without getting in the way. I don't think we imagined this scenario, but we were happy to help. It is possible to go through CERT training so that you know what to do in an emergency without volunteering to be on the call-up list.

This was one type of situation where CERT may be called upon, but if there is some sort of natural disaster, we'd also want to pitch in. Some of the most important ways of helping include keeping track of the people who are being assisted, so no special physical requirements are necessary. You must be 18 if you want to to the training. You can find out more at http://certlakewood.com.

[David Lay]

For being called up for the first time, CERT definitely worked like a well-oiled machine.

My kudos to you and the rest of the CERT team on a job well done.

[David Lay]

I have definitely come to know that our Mayor is a man of action.

Kudos also to Lakewood PD/FD/EMS, and Westshore SWAT, for going in the face of danger, and still being professionals.

Great job to all.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I have definitely come to know that our Mayer is a man of action.

Kudos also to Lakewood PD/FD/EMS, and Westshore SWAT, for going in the face of danger, and still being professionals.

Great job to all.

David

Funny, you mention that. The mayor was there working the command center, in touch with Brian Corrigan. I never saw him mug for the cameras, or do anything with "media" interests the whole night. Others might have stayed home and waited, or worked the cameras instead of the problem. Meanwhile "Jane, his wife" is working the other side making residents comfortable, fed and relaxed.

The police, fire, were really on their game, and SWAT as I said got it together with a couple minor glitches. CERT was pretty amazing for newbies. It gives you a weird vibe seeing friends and neighbors dressed for emergency response. Makes it all very real.

Three stand offs this year. ALL FROM OUTSIDERS, and the police and fire got all three right. Very impressive.

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