High Call Volume for Amherst Fire/EMS over Labor Day Weekend

Source: amherstma.gov

This Labor Day weekend, the Amherst Fire Department experienced a high call volume for both fire and EMS incidents. Some, but not all, of the increased activity was related to the return of college students to the area campuses. Two lengthy incidents in particular required a large number of emergency personnel and multiple agencies: 

1. Saturday evening (8/31) there was a rescue of a woman in her 50s from Bare Mountain area of the Holyoke Range. The Amherst Communications Center received a 911 call at 7:45 p.m. from the hiker stating she was lost and had slid down an embankment. She was hiking alone, and went off trail, ultimately sliding down one of the shale areas to a ledge where she could not get herself out. Initially the Amherst Police and Fire departments responded, and along with rangers from the Department of Conservation Services (DCR) were able to locate the hiker about an hour after the initial call. Due to the rugged terrain the Western Mass. Technical Rescue Team was called to assist with the extrication of the hiker. Ropes and harnesses were used to pull the hiker back up to a trail so she could be walked out. She was evaluated by Amherst paramedics and in the end was not in need of any medical treatment. The rescue was about a four hour operation, involving approximately twenty responders from Amherst Fire Department, Amherst Police Department, the Western Mass. Tech Rescue Team, and the DCR rangers.
   
2. Sunday night (9/1), there was a fire in a dormitory room on the 20th floor of Coolidge Dorm at UMass. The Amherst Communications Center received a call at 11:08 p.m. for a fire alarm activation at that location. Subsequent telephone calls reported the sprinkler system had activated and that there was smoke on the 20th floor. Fire crews encountered moderate smoke on the 20th floor, and discovered a fire in a dormitory room that had been extinguished by the automatic sprinkler system. Investigation showed that the fire was started by a candle that was left unattended on a desk. Fire damage was confined to the desk and some items nearby. The sprinkler system activation caused some flooding on the 20th floor and some floors below. The entire building was evacuated for about 3 hours. As of 2 a.m. Monday morning everyone on floors 1 thru 18 were allowed back in. Floors 19 through 22 could not be reoccupied until the sprinkler system on the 20th floor was restored – all occupants, except those from the fire room, were allowed back in by approximately 4am. There were no injuries.