S is also for Sink
The house was a very nice one in an equally nice neighborhood. Two story dwelling, attached garage, in-ground swimming pool. Being in a nicer neighborhood might have helped with avoiding things like crime, but it didn't do a thing for avoiding fires. Especially fires caused by a novice cook who made the very dangerous mistake of throwing water onto a grease fire.
Engine 51 and Squad 51 quickly sprang into action. John and Roy were checking over the two sisters who had been the only family members at home. The novice cook in question was in tears - not only from the stress of the fire, but from the burns she sustained when the fire flared. She had been highly fortunate that her older sister hadn't been far away and remembered the safety course she'd taken for her Girl Scout badge years before. She'd forced her terrified sister to get down and smothered the flames. The girl had been very lucky - the quick actions had kept the burns from being far worse. As it was, they were mostly first degree burns with only a couple of spots bad enough to be considered second degree.
The kitchen was on the back side of the home, so at Captain Stanley's instructions, linemen Chet Kelly and Marco Lopez quickly pulled their hose line from the front, along the side and then signaled their engineer, Mike Stoker, when they were ready to have the line charged.
The girls were both being given oxygen to help clear any smoke that they might have inhaled and seemed to have calmed down from the ordeal when the older girl suddenly sat upright in a seeming panic. Johnny was the first one to her side.
"Easy there, easy. Is something hurting you?"
"No! I just remembered something important! My dad - he has a little covered area just off of the kitchen where he keeps his grill. And the propane tanks that it uses. He just had them refilled last week because we're supposed to have family over for a barbeque next weekend."
Roy was close enough to hear what the girl had said and immediately turned, yelling to Cap that there was a problem. He hadn't even gotten out more than two words when the explosion from behind the house seemed to shake the entire area. Mike immediately shut off the water to the hose. If the men had lost hold of it from the explosion, the last thing they needed was a wild hose with that heavy nozzle thrashing around them.
Johnny's eyes went wide and he looked back to the girl.
"You and your sister keep those masks on and stay still. We'll be back."
Then he got up and ran after Roy, who was already running alongside Hank to check on Chet and Marco. Hank was calling out to dispatch over his HT as he moved.
"Dispatch, we have had an explosion on site. We need backup."
"10-4, 51."
As they rounded the corner, the sight that met their eyes was not good. The explosion had taken down part of the back of the house and they soon spotted Chet. He had a leg pinned under some of the burning debris, but Chet didn't even seem to notice. He was trying as hard as he could to reach the pool - where they spotted Marco. Marco had been fighting to keep on the surface, but had been drug under the surface by the weight of his gear and was continuing to sink toward the bottom even as he was frantically trying to get the extra weight off of himself.
He and Johnny had been working with the girls so they weren't in turnout gear. Roy dove into the water after Marco without hesitation. Johnny dove in just a minute later as Hank left Marco's rescue to them and went to see if he could help Chet. The hose had been damaged in the blast, but he found a non-burning length of wood and managed to use it to lever up the heavier piece that had Chet pinned. Chet was able to drag his leg free just as Roy and Johnny were hauling Marco out of the pool.
Marco was choking and throwing up the chlorinated water, but it was a huge relief to his co-workers that he had never lost consciousness. Roy stayed with Marco to make sure he kept breathing on his own while Johnny moved over to do a preliminary exam on Chet. Hank had moved to the side again to report that he had two men down and needed an ambulance sent to their location.
"Hey, pal. How are you feeling?"
"Alright, John. Just bruised, I guess. Is Marco going to be okay?"
"Well, we'll need to get him to Rampart and have everything checked over to make sure he didn't aspirate any water, but I think we got to him fast enough. I believe he's going to be fine."
Johnny stopped talking as he got a look at the back of Chet's leg. There was a rip in the turnout gear and he had a burn - at least a second degree one. Between the adrenaline still pumping and his attention on Marco, Chet might not be feeling it yet, but once he did, he was going to be in a lot of pain. The sound of approaching sirens was music to Johnny's ears.
"Cap! We need to get them up to where our gear is. Can you help me carry Chet?"
"I might be able to walk alright, Gage."
A firm hand from Johnny kept him down.
"No, Chet. You can't."
Giving Johnny a puzzled look, Chet looked up into his eyes and saw what he'd always thought of as Johnny's 'keep the patient calm' look. Roy had his own variation of it. He quit fighting and laid his head back down with a sigh.
"Oh. Great."
Another set of paramedics were making their way their way down the hill as the newly arrived engine crew took over the fire fighting duties. Neither Johnny nor Roy has realized that they were shivering themselves until blankets were broken out and wrapped around them as well as around Marco.
"Ambulance should be here in five. Let's get everyone ready for the trip."
Chet's burn was starting to make itself felt by the time they were loaded in the ambulance, but because they'd been caught in the blast, the doctors weren't authorizing pain medicine until any possible head injuries could be ruled out.
Looking over at Marco next to him, Chet spoke softly. He wanted Marco to hear, but didn't particularly care for anyone else to. If the other station's paramedic that was making the ride with them could hear, he was being polite enough to pretend he didn't.
"I am so sorry, man."
Marco was wondering if he still had water in his ears. His hand closest to Chet wasn't restrained, so he reached over and touched his friend's arm.
"Sorry? For what, amigo?"
"I heard you hit the water and I could see you struggling, but I couldn't do anything - not a single thing but watch you sink."
"I couldn't have helped you either, Chet, but I know it must have been hard for you to have to watch. I always hate being there when Roy or Johnny is working on a rescue and watching is all I can do. Kind of like your heart sinks in your chest, isn't it?"
"Guess that describes it as well as anything."
Marco gave his friend a light prodding.
"Guess then we both had kind of a sinking feeling."
Chet groaned, but a slight smile formed.
"If you can make that bad of a joke after all that, I guess you are going to be fine."
Chuckling, Marco felt the ambulance start to back up. In another few seconds, the doors would open and the flurry of ER activity would begin.
"We will both be fine, Chet. See you Recovery."