Monday evening during torrential rains throughout the region, a call came into the Hartford Dispatch Center reporting a meowing cat stuck in a storm drain on Nahum Drive. A dispatcher apparently dispatched a fire assignment to check put the situation.Almost immediately after the engine and District Chief were dispatched , the District Chief cancelled the action. Apparently unlike almost every other agency across the Country, according to the District Chief, "Hartford doesn't do cats".
Fortunately, a dispatcher didn't take the Hartford Fire Departments District Chiefs word as the final answer. The Dispatcher decided to try the Hartford Police to show some compassion for a creature in distress. She made the correct call. Sergeant Winston Brooks , who was the HPD street supervisor at the timer was called. Brooks has had his own unwarranted attention recently regarding not letting civilians into the Hartford Animal Shelter. Brooks was recently villainized on a Facebook page over his efforts to protect the City from unnecessary liability He would not allow civilians trying to have unsupervised access to the animal shelter
It seems minor, but imagine the law suits if HPD allowed someone unrestricted access and they were to be bit or mauled by a dangerous animal? These aren't all lovable puppies in the Shelter. So back to the cat, or as it eventually turned out, the kitten.
Brooks and several other HPD Officers responded to 73 Nahum Drive. Sure enough, the sounds of the cat in distress were clearly coming from the storm drain. HFD still refused to respond, the MDC was also less than responsive. Brooks and the HPD officers refused to allow the kitten to drown.
Officer Holly Donahue, clearly an animal lover as a HPD k-9 Officer was on her way home from what am I am told. Officer Donahue is also a member of the HPD Dive Team and she heard the radio conversations about the rescue effort. She immediately responded back into the City, donned her dry suit ( like a wet suit but it is sealed instead of letting water in) She offered to be lowered down into the storm drain on a rope and attempt to coax the kitten out for the rescue.
This was also as the rain continued and flash flood warnings were in place throughout the state. Probably not the safest thing to do or the best place to be, but HFD still refused to assist. Besides, Mike and Molly was on TV and who wants to go outside in a rain storm just to rescue a kitten in distress. The cops are on the streets all the time anyway, so they are used to it.
The rescue attempt was successful, the 8 month old kitten probably used up one of its 9 lives but it lived to see another day thanks to Officer Donahue, Sergeant Brooks and all the other HPD personnel involved. Shame on HFD for turning their backs on a creature in distress. Where is the Facebook page about that?
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11 comments:
Kudos for the HPD's efforts to save the Kitty! It's what you do that defines who you are and these folks are THE BEST!
What a shitty response from HFD. Could have at least sent a Ladder over to check it out. What dickhead Deputy said "we don't do cats"? No wonder the FD is going down the toilet. Way to go HPD for picking up HFDs slack, good move, was the right thing to do, and it got you some good press. Shame on Deputy Don't Do Cats!
Too bad HPD doesn't put that much effort into people.
First, a correction. The kitten wasn't about 8 months old. By the looks of it, about 6 weeks if that. I surely agree that the person who said "we don't do cats" should be sent to the wild cat game range in South Africa for a car tour with no windows.
This remark reminds me of a homeless cat I tried to capture in from of city hall 2 winters ago in winter. It wasn't feral only homeless since I had walked up and pet it. It was shivering and very skinny. But I knew I needed a carrier to take it home. I called the animal control and Graybeard the Officer arrived and when he saw it was a cat, he said, "we don't do cats." Fat a__hole. The only assistance he would give me is to stand by the side of his van with the door opened and wait for me to pick up the stray and rush over to drop the cat inside. He was willing to then bring it to my home. Picking up a stray is not the manner to handle such a cat but I had no choice so I grabbed it and on the way to the van, it struggled and grabbed and bit deeply into my finger. (Later, I received a shot for tetanus at the hospital.) I threw the cat into an inside cage but Graybeard didn't close the doors in time and the cat got away. Now, as I searched the city hall grounds with blood drops around the front and sides of the building, Graybeard followed me around with a chart telling me he had to fill out accident report. I told him to f__k off. My mission was to find the cat. I didn't find it however, I spent the next 2 weeks trying to trap it in back of the Hartford Times building where it had taken refuge.
Can't we retire that worthless POS; Officer Graybeard?
Let's not go crazy on the praise for HPD it's a feel good story but the reality is the violated OSHA standards by entering a confined space with an unstable environment (flooding conditions) without the proper equipment and back up available. Under no circumstances is entry allowed with a cold water suit and a rope tied around a rescuer. Rescuers die each year attempting to save people in situations like this HPD should be very careful about the publicity this brings I'm sure CT OSHA will not share in the praise. I have no idea what HFD was thinking about not responding they should have at least responded and made a real decision and at least it might have prevented HPD from this very dangerous act.
HFD doesn't have the best track record with CT OSHA if I read the Bell report correctly. I am hoping that some sort of corrective action has been taken to educate the DC who refused to respond. HPD would not have to do what they did if HFD responded properly. It was dangerous, but you make decisions based on risk assessment. HFD was better trained and equipped to handle the rescue, but you do what you gotta do when pushed
Most cities and towns don't do the kitty rescues any more just like public safety mostly won't pump water out of your basement or try to unlock your car anymore. Takes time and resources they don't have. I remember Mayor Mike telling stories about residents calling him at home after he was mayor to help them get cats out of trees. And no he didnt rescue them or tgink HFD should. HFD has plenty of shortcomings this really isn't one of them.
In response to the earlier city hall employee crying about a stray cat. First off, one of the main reasons HPD does not deal with stray cats is because of the storage costs. Do you have any idea who pays for every angry pit bull that needs to be separated in a kennel cost ? Its very expensive and already a burden on the city. The cat issue actually comes from city hall, so before you go on a bashing and typical angry employee blaming trip, do some educated research. I would enjoy to watch you chase and attempt to catch the hundreds, yes hundreds of loose and violent pit bulls around the city. I would never want to do that job and grey beard as you call him has been doing since you were still picking your nose in high school. So if you are going to blame him because a cat bit your pinkie, i guess my attempts at educating an obvious illogical person failed.
Kevin,Dont know if you or your followers know this, HPD held the Medical First Responder status for years before the Hartford Fire Dept took it over. During this time they avoided EMS calls at all costs even though they were aware that Hartfords residents and visitors were either sick,injured and in some cases DYING after initiating a 911 call ! I find it insulting and ironic that you would go out of your way to praise HPD and bust HFD's balls on this kitten issue. Don't think I'm heartless,i love kittens too. BUT I also love humans! HFD has responded to thousands of medical calls that HPD "CHOSE" not respond to. So in closing ,I hope HFD and HPD are even now! If your keeping score HPD ,one kitten saved = HFD hundreds of lives saved. P.S. Kevin,HPD has a entire unit committed to animal control I would expect them to "DO CATS"
Anonymous 12:14 is correct about HPD and EMS, the Hartford Courant did a series of articles back in the late 90's on the subject and the City put together a panel to look into delivery of EMS, all public record. The panel agreed with the Courant findings and recommended that EMS first responder status be transferred to the Fire Dept. Fire took over First Responder duties around 2001 and has provided excellent care, response times and value to the residents and visitors of Hartford since. There can be no arguing that this was one of the best decisions the city has made for it residents and visitors. Kevin I know you for one have experienced this level of service firsthand.
@logical city employee:
Listen up; First, I am not a city employee. I was doing business at city hall when I chanced a cat sitting on the steps of the building on a very cold winter day. Cats should have a place in rescue and I don't give a dam what you think. It is money humanely well spent. I do some cat rescue and if everyone one would do their job and fix their cats, there wouldn't be an over population problem. As for Officer Gray Beard, if you are not him and I doubt it, I say, retire and allow a more humane person to take the position. I can attest that some of your fellow workers don't think that much of you.
So put that in your Santa pipe and smoke it you overweight, semi worthless animal officer.
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