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Bomb Scare

Officer in the background instructing people to move on

Diffusing the situation
Not much happens outside the KMHC building with the exception of fire and ambulance responding to an emergency at the retirement residence across the street and next door is the Hamilton Police Services Central Station.  If you don’t have a problem with the presence of police going about their daily business then it’s not so bad residential area.
All that changed yesterday around 12.45 pm I and another fellow tenant were sitting in the courtyard chatting away when a female officer approached us.  For public safety she kindly asked us to move due to a bomb scare in the neighbourhood we gladly obliged and proceeded to our building.  Minutes later I hear fire truck sirens, from my apt windows I notice the presence of mounted police and fire fighters at the other street corner and the area being taped off.  Soon after I decided to go to the store and to see what’s going on.  As I left the building I walked towards King Street and noticed a young police officer standing at the other corner.  He looked and signaled for me to move on I then called him over and asked will I be able to come back to the apt building.  He said no and apologized saying he’s only doing his job.  I didn’t put up a fuss just then another tenant approached the building and was sternly told she could not enter the building.  She was pissed and eventually walked away in a huff.
So there I was standing outside the perimeter wondering how long until I’m allowed to get back to my apt building. Will it be all day or just a few hours!  I had clothes in the dryer.  Soon after more tenants and one staff member came out of the building unaware what’s going on they too were instructed not to reenter the KMHC building.  Here’s a group of angry and annoyed Native tenants standing outside near the courtyard wondering what to do next.  The officer noticed we were upset he then asked for our address and radioed his supervisor.  After a brief conversation with his supervisor we were allowed to enter our building.  Yippee!   The young police officer probably thought “Let’s not start another war with the Natives they just want to go home and put away their groceries". 
When I came back to my apt I checked Twitter for updates.  There was a tweet announced the situation was a false alarm and the streets will soon be open to traffic and pedestrians.
What’s interesting about all this is how we humans react to possible danger, our insatiable curiosity and disruption of our daily normal routines. 
You may be asking where is the KMHC office staff during all this!  Well HOW Christine didn’t show up for work, HCS Ingrid was nowhere to be seen and HOW Lynda was hiding in the office.  Talk about lack of leadership.  :P

After all this excitement I looked forward to "An Evening With Canada's Astronaut Chris Hadfield" at Hamilton Place.  :)

Tk

Comments

Tony King said…
Flipping The Bird - I haven’t spoken to HSC Ingrid Nosel in many moons and I rarely see her in the KMHC building. She gives the impression of a soft spoken gentle old gal but I see right through the facade. 20 minutes ago as I approached the KMHC building there she was leaving the driveway and she “Flips The Bird at me” meaning she stuck out her middle finger at my direction as she drove by. I had to laugh! The gesture is something an beer bellied truck driver would do on the highway after being cut off. You’re real classy Ingrid and so ladylike. :P
September 23, 2015 at 12:39:00 PM EDT
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