Aside from my job, the few encounters I have had with law enforcement have included speeding tickets.

So unless I’m working it’s understandable if I’m a bit nervous when I see a police cruiser in my rearview mirror.

That’s not to say that I’m not grateful for local law enforcement. They keep us safe on the roadways, respond at a moment’s notice to any number of crimes and ensure that local citizens are protected.

Throughout my life, I have never had a reason to dial 9-1-1 or otherwise seek their aid; however, that changed about three months ago when I covered a raging fire at Dyson Corp. in Painesville Township.

Dyson Corp. was engulfed in flames Sept. 30 after pits of oil caught fire in the manufacturing facility. It erupted close to midnight and flames and smoke seemed to reach more than a hundred feet into the midnight sky. The total damage to the building was estimated at $2 million, according to the Painesville Township Fire Department.

After relaying a majority of the details via cell phone to my colleagues, I felt I had enough, considering I was close to deadline.

Walking back to my car in the rain, I saw that two Lake County Sheriff’s deputies had blocked the intersection to the factory. Nearby I saw my car, but was puzzled since my four-ways should have been blinking.

As I got to the car, I forgot I had left my lights on and in doing so had drained the battery. Since it was well past 1 a.m., I thought there was no way a tow truck would be available.

With no family in the area and co-workers at least 20 minutes away, I felt I really had no options. Luckily, I remembered the deputies at the intersection.
Without the slightest hesitation, one deputy brought his jumper cables and we had my car started in no time.

Needless to say, I want to say thank you to that deputy, whoever you are. I guess I never thought I would be in a situation where I would need help from local law enforcement. As I’ve come to learn, they are there when you need them.

- Jacob Lammers