I was trapped in Emeryville Public Storage, but the fire department got me out
January 17, 2002
Why send a car when you have a full-on hook-and-ladder sitting idle?


To: anna@communityimpact.org, meigan@communityimpact.org, "kevin kearney"
Date: 01/17/2002 09:20 PM

You know, I thought they probably closed at 7:30pm, but as I drove in at 7:25pm, I tried to check the signs on the office windows and didn't see any hours.  And the person at the gate talking on his phone and the person in the upstairs window on her phone didn't say anything to dissuade me from going in.

Of course, I didn't see the hours printed on the sign on the gate.

And I guess they really mean it when they tell you to be out by 7:30pm.

Because at 7:40, the access code no longer worked.  The office was closed, any parked cars were gone, and even though the lights were on, the woman in the upstairs window never reappeared, despite my honking my horn, and ringing her doorbell, and knocking on her door, and trying the phone numbers but only getting the machine.  So I called the number for national reservations, and got a person who suggested that if I couldn't raise the on-site manager, then I'd either have to leave my car there and come back in the morning, or maybe the fire department could help me. 
I thought I might be able to take apart the electronics and figure out which wires to short to get the gate to open, but the fairly certain illegality of it was a bit of a deterrent.

So I called the fire department.  I didn't want to cause any trouble, but I was hoping maybe they had an access code that worked 24 hours.  Instead, they sent out a fire engine and a police car.  Between the three firemen, they fiddled and jiggled and pushed and coaxed for ten minutes until they managed to get the balky emergency access keyed switch to open the gate, while the cop stood by and watched detachedly.  Oh, and the on-site manager did eventually come out, and she seemed apologetic, but the gate was already open by then.

I think the firemen were having a slow night, as they didn't seem to mind.  Regardless, thank you, Emeryville Fire Department!

--Yong, summoner of fire engines



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