PHOTO OF THE WEEK

As I rolled over in my bed for another couple hours sleep on a recent

Saturday morning, my pager started beeping. I thought to myself, should I

check it? Or is it just going to be my annoying friend calling before he

goes to work.

I decided to look. It was the Newport Beach Fire Department calling to

give me a heads up about a structure fire in Balboa. It made me kind of

feel like a fireman. I had to just throw on my clothes and gear and go.

By the time I got there, the fire was already out. But this didn’t

bother me. Recently I have been working to make better contacts with the

fire department and the police. Sometimes the authorities don’t always

think to call the Pilot when an event breaks and we miss it.

I feel that making contacts with these agencies, as well as with the

public, will tie the paper closer to what is happening in our community.

So that Saturday call from John Blauer, community relations officer

for the Newport Beach Fire Department, was a welcome wake up call,

proving that the police, the fire department and the people of the

Newport-Mesa can be our ears and eyes in the community. For breaking

news, call Daily Pilot at (949) 642- 5680.

-- Sean Hiller