Glad Tidings
Given the headlines lately, “the season of joy” isn’t looking particularly joyful. So here’s a bit of glad tidings for a seasonal boost. If you have some to share, send them to thefrederickextra@gmail.com.
Ask and You Shall Receive
Back in October, a Frederick city resident noted that the crosswalk at the MARC Station on East Street was not safe for pedestrians or drivers. Melanie Smith-Bell contacted Frederick city to let officials know that the pedestrian signal at the crosswalk triggered the light too quickly, and that drivers had problems seeing the crosswalk and often failed to stop.
“Having been both a pedestrian and a driver in the area, I feel like people's lives are in danger from this road design. Either the signs indicating "stop here" should be enhanced with some strobe lighting, or a second signal should be put up on either side of the road that makes it clearer where drivers need to stop,” she wrote.
In response, the city’s traffic engineer reviewed the conditions at the crosswalk and within weeks of receiving Smith-Bell’s email, installed new signals for the northern crosswalk and coordinated them with pedestrian crossing signals for the southern crosswalk. The city also added new and updated STOP bars, and new pedestrian crossing signs.
“We believe that the above enhancements will improve overall pedestrian/bicyclist safety at both crosswalks and hope that pedestrians and bicyclists will pro-actively use the tools provided to them to make their crossings safe. We will also greatly appreciate any feedback that you can provide us on the effectiveness of the improvements implemented or if any additional changes should be implemented,” wrote Cherian Eapen, manager of traffic engineering.
Frederick County Emergency Management Delivers!
Mom, Katharine Miller, Dad, Jay Lee and Baby Charlotte thank dispatcher Rick Clark at a
November 22 event at Frederick County Emergency Management, photo by Robin Santangelo.
Dispatcher Rick Clark took a frantic call recently from soon-to-be parents on their way from the Myersville area to Frederick Memorial Hospital when the baby decided not to wait for a hospital room.
They called 911 to see if an ambulance could meet them, and while on the phone, Charlotte came on her own. The car never stopped moving! Dispatchers alerted police so the new parents wouldn't get pulled over, and had FMH staff ready when they arrived. And, yes, Dad had to clean the car afterward.
Director of Frederick County Emergency Management John Woelfel shared a note of thanks from Loudon County Emergency Services.
According to Woelfel, Loudoun County suffered a loss of most of its 800Mz radio system on July 29, 2016. Frederick County shift supervisor Karlea Brown quickly made notifications to Administrative staff for permission to allow Loudoun County to use talk groups on the Frederick County 800Mz system. Supervisors Jimmy Worley and Matt Garvey assured the continuity of the radio operation through the night until Loudoun resolved the issues. Karlea’s quick actions allowed Loudoun County to make it through a tough situation without any disruption to the citizens of Loudoun County.
