Fire Chicks Kick Ash
An
Emergency! Fan Fiction
Written September 23rd 2008
By Angela Burkhart
Research by Marion Welsh
I do not own any rights to the characters or Emergency! itself. This is strictly for entertainment purposes only. I am not making any profit off of this story.
Chapter 1
The men of station 51 are fighting a three alarm fire with several other stations, including a volunteer company (one that hasn't been merged with the County department). The structure is an abandoned cigar factory that is fulling involved. The smoke inside and out is thick and black.
"Man, I hate factory fires! You never know what you are up against", Gage was thinking to himself. "Hey Roy, how many firemen did the Chief say were missing?"
"Three so far...GOD I hope we find 'em fast..."Roy was calculating just how few precious minutes the downed firemen had before certain death.
The communications over the HT were fast and furious. Teams were checking in to see if the victims had been located and if everyone else was alright. There was building terror inside all of the men, knowing how fast life can be extinguished.
"Who's there?" came a voice from the darkness.
"It's DeSoto from 51!"
"Martinez from 36, you find anyone?"
"Nothing how about you, anything..."
"Roy, over here I got one of the guys!" Gage screamed through his face mask.
DeSoto and Martinez hurried their crawling toward Johnny's voice.
"Wait, do you hear that? Wait, I found another...its McCoy, one of my guys!" Martinez exclaimed lifting the fallen firemen onto his shoulder, heading for the light that showed him where the door was.
"Roy, can you grab him? My air hose is stuck on something."
"You alright, Junior?"
"Yeah, I can get it loose, just grab him and get moving; we don't have much time before this thing comes down on us!"
DeSoto slings the unconscious man over his shoulder and follows the light towards the door, assuming that Gage is right behind him. As he exits the building he lays his patient down. Glancing around he realizes Gage is no where to be found. "CAP, did you see Johnny come out?"
"No, you came out alone!" Captain Stanley spins around looking for the Chief.
Finding him he exclaims, "we have located McCoy from 36 and Simons from 110 but now one of my men is missing!!"
"WHAT! So Logan from 36 is still missing and one of your is MIA too "DAMN!" The Chief gives the ALL CALL order. The deafening sound of the air horns fills the air. This tells every firefighter to immediately exit the building. The reason becomes apparent when reports of collapse come screeching across the airwaves.
"Chief you can't be serious there are still guys in there!" Capt. Stanley's eyes were pleading.
"Hank, it isn't safe in there...Logan has been missing for 45 minutes and now Gage. Side A C and D have begun to collapse...we can't risk any more lives. Let's pray that they find them on their way out of the building. The fire is still threatening the rest of the business park. We have to get it under control." The Chief heart is breaking at the thought of pulling out the bodies of his men.
"The operation is now surround and drown! Protect the surrounding structures!" The orders go out over the HT.
DeSoto can't believe what he is hearing and runs for the door. "Roy, you can't!" orders Capt. Stanley, as he grabs him.
"Cap, we can't let them in there, not Johnny!"
"Roy, these guys need your medical attention! Look there are still rescue teams coming out... maybe they've got Gage and Logan."
They both look pleadingly at the building, and are shocked to see two firefighters emerging from the smoke each carrying a firemen with them.
DeSoto motions them over to the rehab area. The fallen men are placed down next to Roy.
One of the rescuers walks over to the chief to find out his next assignment. The second pulls off the face mask and asks I'm an RN do you need my help here?"
Roy glances up to respond and his eyes widen, as he takes in the feminine features of the firefighter standing next to him. "Uh, could you help me with the O2? I don't see any major injuries but I'm short handed until the other squad gets here."
Wasting no time she begins to examine Gage, checking for gross bleeding, other injuries and his vitals. "BP is 130/85, pulse is strong and rapid at 120, Respirations are 14 and lungs sounds are clear bilaterally. There are no other apparent injuries and he is starting to respond to the O2." She starts to look at one of the other firemen when paramedics from the arriving squad come running up.
As Roy begins to catch them up to speed the female firefighter gets up and reports in to her Chief, then disappears into the mayhem.
Chapter 2
"County, show fire under control...time out 2 hours." The Chief slumps next to his car, knowing how close he came to informing the families of two of his own.
"Oh man, Roy I really came close to buying it this time!"
"Once again you have probably taken 2 years off my life span! What the hell happened to you in there? I could have sworn you were right behind me!" The guilt in Roy's voice didn't escape Johnny.
"I got myself untangled and some debris came raining down knocked me out for...only a second or two." Gage knew full well it was longer than that and a shiver went down his spine, realizing just how close this one really was. "Who pulled me out anyway?"
With a rather shitty grin Roy said, "You wouldn't believe it if I told you."
"What kind of smart ass comment is that? What was it one of those vollies? This must have been something for them...a real fire call."
"Gage do yourself a favor and shut your mouth." Roy urged him while looking behind the grumbling firefighter.
"You know what I mean, it's not that they can't do the job. Just that they can't possibly have as much experience as us. This kind of fire would be something they don't see everyday." The normally 'humble' paramedic boasted.
"Apparently enough 'experience' to pull your butt out of the fire." Came this dead pan voice from behind Johnny.
Gage swung around with confusion only to have his mouth drop open as he took in the sight of his rescuer. He drank in all 5'4 of her, feminine yet with a strength that shone through her bunker gear. "Uhh, well I only meant that, well that is that..."
"Glad to see that you clean up nicely. How are the other guys?"
Watching his partner's still gaping mouth Roy responded, "The other two had their masks on the entire time inside, Logan wasn't as lucky. Right now we can only hope that he hasn't done too much damage to his lungs."
Hearing her Chief calling she started to walk away and then turned and said "Nice working with you...and gaining all this valuable 'experience."
Gage and DeSoto watched her walk away both thinking, "What's a nice (looking) girl doing in a job like this..."
On the way back to the station Gage is mumbling, "Just wait till the guys hear I was carried out by a girl, I am never going to live this down!"
With obvious amusement Roy glances over, "Relax Johnny, it isn't as if you haven't had to be carried out any other time. Don't tell them who carried you if it bothers you that badly."
"You won't say anything?"
"Consider it partner to partner confidentiality."
Chapter
3
During the next shift the men of 51 were going through the regular morning routine of roll call when Capt. Stanley informed them that they would be getting a new paramedic trainee that day. "A new firefighter out of the academy named A.J. Whitewolf."
"Do you know anything about him, Cap?" DeSoto inquired.
"No, it was a little strange, the Chief seemed to be sort of tight lipped about him." Hank found this a little curious himself. "Guess we'll just have to wait and see, he should be here anytime."
The men hear the sound of a vehicle pulling around the station to the back lot. They walk back to see a Harley Davidson being backed into a parking space. All stop and stare at the rider takes off the helmet and shakes out her shoulder length hair.
Not a word is said as she walks up to Capt. Stanley and introduces herself. "I'm A.J. Whitewolf...you're new trainee. Sorry I'm late I got held up at Headquarters with some last minute paperwork. With a pause, "Judging by your silence I am presuming that Chief Johnson kept details about me...well to himself?" she finished with a grin.
Quickly regaining his composure he introduces the crew, "yes well...this is our team. Marco Lopez, Chet Kelly, Mike Stoker and of course our paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto." They will be evaluating you, you can learn a great deal from them."
"Oh, long time no see, as she looks over at Roy and Johnny. "Bet you didn't plan on seeing me so soon!"
"Wait you two know her?" Chet asks with a puzzled expression.
"Yeah...well I am a volunteer firefighter with Liberty Fire Company, we were there assisting you guys at the factory fire on Wednesday. I pulled one of the firemen out of the building. When I brought him out, I stayed and helped out until the other squad arrived. I am a Registered Nurse too." She purposefully left out the fact that it was Johnny she rescued.
"Which guy did you save?" asked Marco, who was trying to picture her carrying a full grown man in gear anywhere.
"Since he was unconscious at the time, I didn't catch his name." no one but Roy noticed her glancing in Johnny's direction. Nor did they notice him audibly sigh when she didn't elaborate.
John, Roy why don't you show A.J. around the station. I am going to call Chief Johnson and ask him a few questions", Cap. excused himself.
After Stanley got off the phone he walked into the kitchen. "We are going to have to make some sleeping arrangements as well as use of the locker room and shower."
The three returned back to the group from their tour just in time to hear Chet wondering out loud, "how on earth is it going to work, she'll be sleeping right next to my bunk!"
"Kelly, if it makes you feel any better I PROMISE that I will do my very best to control myself and NOT molest you in the middle night. Besides, as a nurse I am pretty certain that you don't have anything I haven't already seen." A.J.'s response sends a ripple of laughter throughout the room. "Captain is it alright if I use the locker room to change into my uniform?"
"Of course, gentlemen you can start on your tasks for the day." Stanley ordered.
Chapter 4
Their first few runs where run of the mill. The kind where paramedics weren't really needed at all. It was late afternoon before they even went to Rampart. As they were walking up to the nurse's station Johnny could no longer contain himself," Why didn't you tell them that it was me you pulled out of there? Oh and since I never did thank you...thank you."
"Look Gage I am not here to bust anyone's balls. I have been in the fire service long enough to know that sometimes telling all the details can lead to more trouble than it's worth. The guys will rib you about it and it isn't a big deal to me either way. I was just doing my job. If you want to tell them have at it, if not it is no skin off my back. Just give me a chance to prove that I can do this job, let me earn the respect of all of you. That's all I ask, deal?"
"You have got a deal!" as he agrees, Gage and DeSoto both visibly relax.
"Well I seen you've brought in the new blood." Dixie flashed her trademark smile. How is it going, riding around town with these guys?"
"Now Dixie you know we make excellent tour guides! That's all we have been able to do so far. Normally that is a good thing, being so slow. She'll see the real deal soon enough." Roy winked.
"Junior you want to go get the supplies we need? Give A.J. the 50 cent tour while your at it." Johnny and A.J. head off to retrieve the supplies.
"Hey Dix, do know anything about her?" Roy curiosity was getting the best of him.
"You won't have to worry about her being able to deal with the blood and guts of this job that is for sure."
"What do you mean?"
"She served two tours of duty in Vietnam at an EVAC hospital. That should make the training easier on you two. She learned the hard way, the same way I did at my MASH unit in Korea."
"I was the 'lucky winner' of a stay at one of those hospitals when I was over there. Most people can't even imagine what it was like." This information only made Roy more curious."
"So has Johnny asked her out yet? Dixie grinned.
"No he is still in the shock phase of it all." Roy was smiling too, "I will admit we are all a little off our game here. I can see that a woman could make great paramedic but a firefighter? I guess I just never really thought about that possibility."
"So partner you ready to roll?" Came Johnny's voice as they approached with their supplies. "I am starving, oh man it's Chet's turn to cook isn't it? Think we could stop by the coffee shop and quick buy some 'just in case' food?"
Roy's comment was "yeah when it's Chet at the stove you never know what surprise is in store!"
"So you guys take turns cooking meals and I am guessing you prefer some cooks over others? Well sometime I have to treat you guys to some genuine
Pennsylvania Dutch dishes."
The HT starting talking," Squad 51 are you available?"
"10-4 County." replied Gage.
The additional came across, "on the corner of Elm and 6th, difficulty breathing."
"Squad 51 responding"
A man waived them down as they arrived. " My wife can't catch her breath, she doesn't look real good, hurry!"
Walking in they see a younger woman sitting on the couch just inhaling deeply and in some what of a panic. " I feel dizzy and and my mouth feels numb!"
Roy takes the lead, "Miss, what happened before you started to feel this way?, as he is starts taking her vitals. Johnny sets up the bio phone in case they need it.
"My husband and I were having an argument. He promised me he would pick up supplies I needed for my business and well as you can see he didn't. I was really upset and then this started happening...what is happening, why can't I breath right?"
After taking her vitals Roy tells her to breath into a paper bag. "Are you starting to feel any better?"
"A little but it still feels really strange all over my body, especially my legs?"
"Johnny, call Rampart, let's just double check on this one."
Meanwhile A.J. is glancing around the room and notices stacks of luggage. "Excuse me Sir, are you both going on vacation or have you just gotten back?"
"Oh, we came back early this morning from Las Vegas."
"Did you fly out?"
"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"
Looking at the wife she asks "Are you currently taking birth control pills? For over a year at least?" The woman shakes her head yes.
Turning towards the other paramedics she begins talking softly," Women who take birth control pills for an extended period of time are at greater risk for Deep Vein Thrombosis, blood clots in the legs. If those clots start to break loose, they can go to the lungs. Sometimes changes in altitude or even vigorous exercise can be the last straw that causes them to break loose."
"This seems like simple hyperventilation to me", says Gage.
"The first symptoms can present that way. However if I am right then she could develop a pulmonary embolism, fast. Look there is one simply test I can do, if she has pain in her lower legs that is almost certainly what it is."
"Would you guys do SOMETHING for my wife?!"
"Go ahead A.J." Roy concedes.
As she kneels down by the woman she says" Alright, now I am going to touch your calves and you tell me how it feels, OK?" She nods in response. As she gently squeezes her legs the woman cries out loudly in intense pain.
"Rampart, we have a woman 26 years of age. She has difficulty breathing, numbness around her mouth, dizziness and responded only slightly to breathing into a paper bag and slowing her breathing. She currently taking birth control pills and has been for nearly 2 years. Also has extreme tenderness in her lower legs. Is there a chance of blood clots in the legs, causing the pain?"
"10-4 51 that could be a cause. Get her here ASAP!" Brackett follows up with additional orders.
"Ambulance has just arrived, ETA 10 minutes, 51 out."
Back at Rampart Gage and DeSoto are talking to Dixie while AJ goes and grabs more supplies. "How is the woman we brought in earlier?" asks Johnny.
"It was clots in her legs that had begun to break away, they only traveled as far as her upper legs but left untreated it would have been fatal."
"You guys did a great save with this one", came the voice of Dr. Brackett as he approached.
"Actually our new trainee was the one who did the diagnosis. We're supposed to be teaching her and today it was the other way around." Roy seems pleased to be hailing A.J.
"Well Roy, I think that this is going to be the most interesting trainee we have had yet." Brackett was grinning as well.
Chapter 5
Another bullshit session at the fire station before roll call has the men discussing the newest member of the department. A.J. is taking her turn in the locker room changing for the shift.
"Do you think she REALLY carried one of the men out of that factory fire? Did anyone see her? Maybe she is just exaggerating. I mean how strong can a chick be?" Chet is being his usual non biased self.
"Chet, have you looked at her? Her biceps are bigger than yours!" Laughter in sues as Johnny delivers yet another 'burn' on Kelly.
"Cap says that she has been with the department for over a year, as a life guard at Baywatch before getting into the academy. She would have to be in really great shape to do that job." Marco counters.
"Still do you think she can really do all aspects of the job, rescue and hose work?" Chet for once isn't trying to be sexist just unsure if he can trust her to save his or his friends asses.
Gage is mentally debating on whether to mention his first hand experience of her abilities. She deserves to be given the chance to 'pass the test'.
"Look Chet, I saw her that day. She really did carry someone out of the building over her shoulder, just like we do."
"Really! Then which guy did she rescue?" Mike Stoker the station's quietest member spoke up this time.
With a quick exchange and a nod towards his partner, Roy replies, "I owe her because I thought Johnny was right behind me when I came out of that building."
"You mean it was YOU Johnny...she pulled YOU out?", Chet's face lit up with the possibilities of how he could torture 'his pigeon'.
"Yeah Chet and if she hadn't you would've had to break in another bird! Now come on, she isn't asking any more than what any man we have trained has, to be given a fair chance to proven herself."
Entering the room A.J. pretends not to have overheard the conversation taking place. "Did I mention that there is one simple rule I have for you guys?"
Confusion and apprehension crosses the faces of the men.
"I have been informed that practical jokes are an epidemic in this station. Do your worst to me, however no crying like a little girl when I return the favor. I am the 'queen' of payback jokes. Could someone relay that to your 'Mystery Phantom'?" she finished with a mischievous grin.
After Roll Call and their chores(in between runs)the guys start the 20 questions in an attempt to get to know A.J.
"What made you want to become a firefighter?" inquires Chet.
"The same as you, I guess. Wanting to help people and challenge the limits. My father, grandfather and uncles were firefighters since they were teenagers too. I grew up with them running off at all hours, helping the community. The first training session I was drawn to it, the first fire I was hooked. It was out of the ordinary for a girl to want to be one, as it is here. Then, someone in the paramedic program wrote to me telling me about it."
"Who?" asks Johnny.
"Well, that is a secret..."
"Why?" Roy is now even more curious.
"Because I wanted to get accepted to the program, pass the class, and gain your respect because of my abilities not because of this person. I wanted to make absolutely sure that there was no assumption that I made it for any other reason."
"Your an RN too?" this time it the Captain with a question, giving her a graceful bow out.
"Yes, I got my nursing degree in the army. My family could have paid for it but I wanted to make my own way. Then the army got their monies worth shortly after I completed the program."
"Which EVAC did you serve with", Roy asked hoping he wasn't over stepping. He understood the 'code' that a lot of vets lived by, only sharing details about 'that time' with people who were there and would understand. If they shared anything at all. After all she had no idea that he shared the same 'code'.
"I see you've talked to Dixie." She answered with a slight reservation. Like most veterans, talking about her time over there wasn't something she did often with anyone, much less with people who weren't there.
"Then you dealt with a lot of casualties?" this time it was Marco. I would imagine if you could handle that, being a paramedic would come easy."
"In the first 18 months I was there...we treated 16,000 wounded." In a strange way, it felt freeing to discuss that time in her life. As long as she didn't share too many details. "It doesn't make being a paramedic easy, the work I did there in some ways is similar but it is also a great deal different."
Question time ended when the tones sounded for the squad to handle injuries from a bar brawl. As the squad called in responding, Gage and DeSoto couldn't help but be concerned about A.J. being in this potentially dangerous situation.
As they arrived Vince one of their closest friends in the police department told them to hold tight until they secure the scene. Two other squads had to be dispatched because too many of the injuries were serious, even critical for the paramedics to handle. The lesson...the Hell Angels and the Pagans do NOT play nice with each other.
On scene it went rather smooth, all considering. The police were there in force and had those with minor injuries hand cuffed and in their cars before the paramedics even stepped out of their respective squads. The others were in too bad of shape to cause much trouble.
Once they arrived at Rampart and gave the Docs any additional on their patients, Dixie inquired if they could stay for just a while longer and help 'keep peace' with all the patients on gurneys and others walking around.
"It shouldn't take too long, once the minor cases are treated they will be off to jail curtsey of the county. Then it should settle down."
"For you Dix, anything" Johnny chimed in.
"I'll go gather up our supplies." A.J. told Roy as she was walking away.
A few minutes went by when Lori one of the emergency LPNs came running down the hall screaming. "He cornered me as I was coming out of a room! He grabbed me, she kicked him! He is going to hurt her, PLEASE help!"
Dr. Brackett, Gage and DeSoto bolted down the hall in the direction Lori came from. Turning the corner they were just in time to see this towering and very pissed off biker reaching for A.J. In a swift second she jumped up wrapped her legs around his neck, rolled onto her back and flipped the burly man over her head, sending him flying into the wall and landing flat on his back. The stunned men never even had a chance to react.
As the orderlies and another doctor attend to the now unconscious man Brackett asks "Are you alright?" as he notices the stream of blood flowing from her bottom lip and the bruise forming at the right corner of her mouth.
"Oh, he split my lip a little, nothing serious. He just got a lucky shot in. Is Lori alright? She was really scared."
"Let me check it out and make sure it doesn't need a couple of stitches." The look on Brackett's face told her not to shrug of his request.
In exam room 1, Brackett started to examine the slice in her lips and the dark bruise.
"Where did you learn to do that?" Roy was fascinated.
"My dad always wanted to make sure I could defend myself. So I started learning martial arts as a kid and of course the army taught me a few tricks. That particular move is Kung Fu."
"No stitches, just put some ice on it when you can." Kel Brackett suggested, "maybe next time you should zig instead of zag."
"Thanks Doc. I will have to keep that in mind!"
Chapter 6
A.J. was slowing but surely beginning to fit in at Station 51, after several shifts. The 'Phantom' has been lurking in the shadows attempting to size up his next victim.
"OK today we are going to do 'gear up' drills. You should be able to put your bunker gear on and an air pack in under 90 seconds. The man...uh person with the slowest time gets to do the cooking for the next two shifts." ordered Stanley.
"Chet what are you planning on cooking, anyway?" ribs Johnny.
"Hey, I've been practicing and besides I BET I'm faster than her!"
"Exactly what are you betting?" A.J. sets up Chet.
"Well...um..."
"Tell you what, I want to have you guys over for a cook out. How about the loser pays for the food?" A.J. is waiting to see if Chet takes the bait.
"Deal!" You don't know who you are messing with!"
"Alright Stoker, you first." Each man is timed one by one.
"Now, A.J. are you ready? Time...WOW, 67 seconds!"
"OK, Chet your the last one Pal, let's see what you got! The time to beat is 67 seconds."
Chet begins to put his boots and pants on and continues through till he gets to his face mask. He reaches in the bag containing the mask and begins pulls it out. As the mask comes out so does a blizzard of rose petals!
"GAGE...!" screams Chet as the others laugh so hard their eyes tear up.
"Wait a minute! No... HONEST Chet... I HAD NOTHING TO DO with it... I swear!"
"Maybe it was the Phantom?" Inquires A.J.
"Nooo...I mean I know this wouldn't be something the Phantom would do" stutters Chet.
"Then if it wasn't Gage and it wasn't the Phantom...I wonder who it could have been?" She doesn't even attempt to hide her satisfaction. "I know it must have been the Gremlin. After all everyone knows that Gremlins can outwit Phantoms."
When the Cap. can finally stop laughing he retests Chet, who was still last and has to pay the Piper.
Chapter 7
In between shifts Phantom stewed over how to outwit the Gremlin.
The shifts since A.J. came on board were quite boring and mundane. The only source of amusement came in the form of the Phantom attempting to strike A.J. The amusing part was that inexplitly she seems to know where and when he had planted his little tricks. Gage unfortunately wasn't so in tune, so they usually happened at his expense.
Then came a call that was a far cry from mundane. Station 51 respond to 1899 Front Street, for an entrapment, time out 14:42.
The engine and squad arrive to Vince waiving them down. "Capt. Stanley we have a real problem here. Apparently two boys were running and jumping roof tops. One of them found an air shaft the hard way. He is stuck at least 30 feet down. This is Billy, pointing to the child by his side.
Roy kneels down to talk to Billy, "what is your friend's name?"
"Sammy"
"OK, do you know where Sammy's mom is?"
"Roy, his mother's been contacted and she is coming here. She was hysterical screaming that Sam is a diabetic." Vince looks grim.
On the roof top the situation is assessed. The lay out of the shaft was narrow, barely large enough for Sammy to fall in. Just getting down to the boy was going to be a challenge, there was no room to do any kind of treatment down there. Time was draining away, Sammy's blood sugar had to be dropping dangerously low by now.
"Look Marco, Chet I need you to set up the tripod, get the rope gear, the Stokes and a back board."
"Stoker, can you try and find where this shaft ends up in the building? Maybe we can lower him down once we have him free."
"County, dispatch Ladder 110 to this location" Stanley knows they will need the fastest method of getting the young patient off the roof.
The paramedics start setting up their gear, including the bio phone and contact hospital. "Rampart, this is Squad 51."
"Go a head 51"
"We have a boy approximately 12 years of age, he is currently stuck in a ventilation shaft. He has been there for well over an hour. The patient is diabetic."
"51, can you start an IV?"
"Negative Rampart, there isn't enough room to start an IV. We could possibly given an injection of glucose."
"10-4, get patient glucose and assess. Keep us updated on his vitals. Be advised patient may start seizing after injection."
"10-4 Rampart"
"Alright, now who is going to go down there?"
"I can do it Captain." A.J. awaits the excuse as to why she can't.
"I don't know..."
"Captain please, you promised me you wouldn't treat me any differently. I am the lightest and smallest one here. Let me do my job, OK?"
"She's right Cap. it isn't exactly the Grand Canyon down there. We are going to need all the maneuvering room we can get." DeSoto and Gage are in agreement. They have confidence in her medical and rescue ability at this point.
A.J. put her harness on and puts the dosage of glucose in her pocket. She will be lowered in head first since there is little room to move around.
"Now remember, he might start seizing on you. If you can get this rope around him first." Gage had a bad feeling about this, and it had nothing to do with her gender.
As she is lowered down she mutters "Now I know how a sardine feels..."
Slipping a rope around Sammy was impossible, he was wedged in tight. She gently administers the glucose and almost immediately his body begins to convulse. "He's seizing!" Shit...give me some slack...he SLIPPING!"
"Cap. this is Stoker...we are at the shafts end. You can't lower him down, there looks like some kind of industrial fan towards the bottom, it will slice him up. We have to get the saws and tools and take it out."
"OK boys let's try to slowly bring her up with the boy".
"Hold on to him we are going to try and pull you both up this way", DeSoto shouts down the shaft.
When Sammy had begun to seize both of them had dropped further into the shaft. Now when they began to pull it was apparent that the angle of the shaft was preventing her from coming out the same way she got in. All the while her shoulders begin to ache from holding Sammy from certain death.
"Cap. this is Stoker again...we are seeing a steady stream of blood dripping down the shaft!!"
"A.J. does Sammy have any other injuries?" the alarm in Gage's voice was rising.
"NO, that's not coming from Sammy! When he started slipping something along the wall caught my arm." She was trying real hard not to think about what she couldn't control anyway.
"Cap. we have the fan out, she can let go and we'll get him on this end."
"A.J. let him go now...Stoker will catch him at the bottom." DeSoto was anxious to see how badly she had been hurt.
"OK, now let yourself drop down!" Stanley voice had the same apprehension as the rest of them.
Roy and John hurry to meet Stoker and Marco at the other end of the shaft.
"Easy...easy", they were guiding A.J. out as they arrived.
Back at Rampart Dr. Early was stitching up A.J.'s arm. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had appeared, it only took seven to close it up.
"Thanks again for keeping my little secret."
"So how long do you think it will be till you finally let them know." Dr. Early was wondering.
"At least until I am certified and even then I just want to be sure that..." she was interrupted by a nurse asking Dr. Early if he can check on another patient.
Dr. Brackett and Dixie come out of Exam Room 1 and walk towards the paramedics.
Seeing Dr. Brackett they ask how the boy was doing. "He'll be fine, it was lucky you were there before he went into a diabetic coma. A.J. will be out shortly, only took a few stitches."
Gage trying to sound nonchalant asks, "Hey do either one of you know it was that wrote to A.J. telling her about the paramedic program?"
They both look confused and Dr. Brackett responds, " I have no idea, what are you talking about?"
This time it was Roy, "All she will say is that someone from the program wrote to her and that is how she found out about it."
"Well I guess I will have to start snooping around and find out!" Dixie jumped on the curious bandwagon.
"Well in any case, I think Junior and I are in unison here. We think she can be certified at anytime!" Roy was all smiles.
Johnny says with a grin, "If for no other reason then she showed the Phantom a thing or two!!"
"She just has a few more shifts to meet the requirement. Man, things are never going to be the same, I don't think!" Once again they all agreed.
Chapter 8
This shift was a rainy one. There aren't all that many rainy days in southern California and this was making up for that. The Phantom was lurking, trying to lay out a master plan, after all A.J. wasn't going to be running with 51 for much longer. A.J. was now ordained 'Wolfie'(mostly due to part of her last name).
A.J. was sitting in the sleep quarters thinking about the last few weeks. She had gained the respect and trust of her counterparts. They were the first people that she had revealed anything about the war to. Of course her family knew she was there but she hadn't discussed what she did or saw there. Not that she gave much information to the men here...still...
"Hey Wolfie, can I talk to you for a minute?" It was Roy walking over to her.
"Sure, is there something you wanted me to do?"
"No, look I wanted to have the chance to talk to you alone. The other day...when I asked about the EVAC you served with, did I overstep? What I mean is, did I make you feel uncomfortable? I did a tour in Nam, and I know that talking about it...well isn't something that I do very often. Not even with my wife, Joanne."
"I figured that you were a Vet."
"How did you know that?"
"Every veteran I have known or talked to...there is something in their eyes. A shadow that hides what they've seen or did. I have to admit that it felt weird telling them about it. Just having someone know I was there, it's hard to explain. But Roy, you didn't do anything wrong."
"Good, I am happy that is off my chest!" Roy turns as he hears shouting voices from the kitchen.
Chet had once again started a 'conversation' about Gage's Indian Heritage.
"So Johnny doesn't it get cold running around with a loin cloth on?" Chet Kelly was smart enough (so far) to stay out of the 'swing zone' when taunting Gage.
"Isn't it hard always hearing the wind in your head?"
"What?"
"You know the wind, due to the void that is between your ears?"
"What are you going to do, scalp me?"
"Don't tempt me, Kelly!"
Walking into the room with Roy, then over to the sink and picking up a knife, she begins speaking in Lakota Sioux, "Tell him we only scalp good looking white people!"
A huge smile crosses Johnny's face and he begins laughing. The others in the room just look confused. "How did you know?"
"What that you have Indian blood or that you are Sioux? You have the features that told me about you heritage. The other day, after that call with the woman and her 'bleeder' of a paper cut, you were cursing and I recognized the dialect."
"Alright, then how do you know the language?" asked Marco. He was wondering, considering her blue green eyes and fairer skin.
"I know I don't look very likely. Wait till summer starts, when I am out in this California sun my father's genes with shine through more."
"Your dad is Indian?" inquired Gage.
"Full blooded, my mom is German Swiss with a touch of Irish, with green eyes, and skin whiter than paper! I grew up in Pennsylvania but spent the summers with my dad's parents on the reservation. The kids always made me play the cowboy!" she continues with an over exaggerated pout.
"Which Reservation?"
"Standing Rock in the Dakotas, you?"
"Fort Peck, in Montana."
"Well I guess 'they' are right, it really is a small world."
Before Chet could think of a proper insult to goat Gage some more the tones went for another medical call. No rest for the weary...
Chapter 9
Returning back from the last call, Wolfie goes about cooking dinner for the men. She is anxious to see how the men like her version of one of her grandmother's Pennsylvania Dutch dishes.
"Alright, I have some Potato Soup, homemade bread, and some Shoo Fly pie, dig in!"
The almost immediate sounds of culinary pleasure soon let her know that the dinner was to say the least well liked.
"Wow, this is wonderful! Where did you learn to make this?" Stanley commented.
"Why do they call it Shoo Fly pie?" Marco asked in between mouthfuls of the pie in question.
"The legend has always been that at some point one of the women making it, shooed away a fly away. My Grandma always made this as I was growing up."
The tones went again, it was 11pm and already this would be their 9 run of the day. "Stevens and Industrial Way, a building, Station 51, Station 110, Station 36, and Station 94, time out...17:05.
This call would turn out to be a literal test of life and death.
Chapter 10
The warehouse was along a water front. A total of 6 stories, it looked like a monster awaiting its next meal.
Several people are awaiting Engine 51 as it pulls up to the building. Captain Stanley is already giving orders to incoming apparatus and telling County to hit it as a third alarm.
"Is there anyone inside?" Even though it was an abandoned structure Stanley knew that often times there are transients that 'live' inside.
"Most of us ran out when we smelled the smoke. There is a family of 3 sleeping on that floor and 4 people who usually sleep on the floor above." The floors she was pointing to were the 3rd and 4th.
"Fantastic!" Capt. Stanley proceeds to inform the teams performing search and rescue that there were a total of at least 7 people missing with in the huge structure.
Crews were surrounding three sides of the structure, while a fire boat was covering the forth. They were taking hose lines in and master streams on the engines were flowing massive amounts of water. The building wouldn't be saved, at least not much of it. However they have to hold it at bay long enough for the other men to retrieve the victims.
Since there was currently no patients Gage, DeSoto and Wolfie headed in to do search with the others. Captain Stanley had been relieved of his temporary command duties by the Chief, so he also joined his crew to search. Marco and Chet and Marco were on a hose line, advancing as far as they could.
"Alright Gage and DeSoto you help search the 4th floor and Wolf and I will take the 3rd." Stanley on the HT repeats this to command, giving them locations of his teams.
The smoke was laying heavy, the actual fire had yet to be located. Although judging by the heat that Stanley and Wolfie were encountering it wasn't too far away. "Command from Capt. 51: we are taking some heat up here on the 3rd floor, side A. Has the source been located yet?"
"10-4 51, the original seems to be rolling on the 2nd level, however it is crawling up towards you, take extreme caution."
One of the biggest fears of firefighters is collapse, sometimes from the heat and fire and sometimes because of the condition of the structure itself. Walking across these wood plank floors had that very concern in the forefront of everyone's mind.
Stanley and Wolfie had 2 other teams intersect with them. Their question of course was, "Have you found signs of anyone?"
"Not yet, we haven't searched this side yet. How about we form a chain and sweep out from the wall?" Capt. Stanley was really giving an order in the form of a question.
They hit the jack pot, two adults and a child! The other two teams each grabbed an adult and A.J. sweep the smaller child into her arms. No one had reason to speak, the groan of the floor underneath them told them what they needed to know. The each sprinted for the window along the left wall. They had wisely observed earlier that a ladder was in place there.
The team from 110 and 94 got to the window first. Each team maneuvered themselves and their victim onto the ladder and began to lower them down.
Stanley was by the window, A.J. and the child were only several steps behind. His eyes widened in horror as the floor began to buckle under her feet.
Not carrying the child she could have sprinted and most likely have reached the window or at least Stanley's hands as he was perched in the window. The extra weight of the little girl would make that less likely. Knowing the consequences, A.J. took a couple of steps and heaved the child towards her Capt. screaming "Take her!"
As her caught the girl, Captain Stanley looked on helplessly as the floor beneath her feet betrayed her and Wolfie was enveloped by the darkness.
Chapter 11
One would think that free failing would be a terrifying ordeal. However for A.J. that wasn't the case at all. In fact it was almost a surreal feeling. Thinking to herself she thought, well at least I won't feel any pain. I'll probably die on impact. The thoughts were morbid but logical. I mean what are the odds of surviving this? Then thoughts of her family and what they would go through brought sorrow.
She fell through the floor of the 3rd floor, when she impacted the 2nd floor that floor also gave way. Upon hitting the 1st floor, she crashed onto something soft. What on earth? Even though the pile underneath her wasn't rock hard, the sudden stop was enough to jar her entire body. "Well so much for feeling no pain", she muttered out loud.
The splintered wood of the collapsed floors had ripped off her face mask and cracked the shield part of it. She one severe gash across her right cheek bone and several smaller ones over her face. All considering, not so bad.
She glanced around, which was no easy task. You see fires doesn't only creep upwards, they also slithers down below as well. The smoke was already thickening. So far it was dancing along the top half of the ceiling. A.J. knew it was only a matter of time before that would rapidly change. The fall didn't kill her but the flash over certainly would.
Capt. Stanley felt as if the fall of one of his own took forever, in reality it was really seconds. "MAN DOWN, I HAVE A COLLAPSE ON THE 3RD FLOOR!! ONE OF MY GUYS IS IN TROUBLE!!" he screamed into the HT. His emotions would have to remain level and intact. The only possible chance A.J, had now, was for everyone to stay in the game, find her and pull her out. He proceeded down the ladder.
The air horns blasting through the night sky were heard by all. Two short bursts followed by a longer one, told the men to get out of the building, no exceptions. The sound was haunting, like the sirens that you heard as a kid, when the schools did air raid drills.
Locating the chief Stanley informs him exactly where on the 3 rd floor A.J. fell. "What does the first floor look like?", he asks anxiously.
"Not good, Hank. Our guys reported collapse on sides A, B, D. Side C may have some accessibility. I know what you are feeling right now. Look I am suspending any interior hose lines, it's too dangerous."
"But Chief!"
"Listen to me, I will allow 5 teams of two to begin searching for her. However if there is any more signs of collapse, they are coming out. More guys dying won't solve anything, you know that."
Stanley knew of course that he was right. No firefighter would want to give up but they all know the risks involved in this job.
Doing a self examination on herself A.J. felt no major injuries. The soft landing had turned out to be a mound stuffed animals...toys! Well I can guess what this warehouse stored. Now if I can find my HT. She was carrying one because normally each team has to have one, if at all possible. It was after she grabbed it that she was paired with the Captain.
No major injuries aside, she still was still feeling both the ungraceful landing and the lacerations on her face. Yet another miracle happened when she found the HT and it seemed to be functional.
"Command, this is Squad 51, do you copy?" she had to repeat herself three times. Oh please, anyone come back she silently pleaded.
"Squad 51, this is Chief Saunders, are you there?" The sound of her voice carrying over the air waves silenced the whole outside. "I'm here and relatively in one piece!"
"Thank God, can you give us an exactly location?"
"Basically directly below where Capt. 51 and I were, only relocated on the 1st floor. My face mask in damaged so I have no air to use."
That was bad news for the chief and others to hear. With no air she could sucum to the smoke long before anyone could reach her.
" Wolf, you need to explore around and see if you can locate an exit. Keep your ears open, and listen for one of the teams."
"10-4 chief, I'll make my presence known, don't you worry about that!"
Moving around proved to be the easy part. Finding a way out wasn't. Apparently before she fell there must have been other parts of the building that collapsed as well. The trouble with warehouses is that there is a limited amount of exit points. In the newer ones there are regulations that required a few more per so many feet. However this was one of the older buildings in Carson.
"Alright, now stay calm. I can't imagine I survived that fall just to die here anyway." She was trying to wrangle her own emotions. It wasn't the fear of death that scared her. She had faith as to where she would go. She knew first hand what burns could do to people and how excruciating that were.
Teams including Marco, Chet, Johnny and Roy entered the building on C side. It was the only entrance to the 1st floor that wasn't completely blocked. Under better conditions they would try repelling from the upper floor down the hole from which A.J. fell. With the heat of the fire and other collapses, it just wasn't an option.
The men of 51 had not known their first female counterpart very long but a firefighter is a brother(or now sister). Besides they had grown to respect and care for her more quickly than any of them had anticipated, even Chet.
"Roy, how much time has it been since she fell?"
"Try not to think about it Johnny...if she can beat the Phantom, she can do anything!" Roy was attempting to be positive but all he could come up with is that he was positive that she wouldn't make it out. This had nothing to with her being a woman. For anyone to survive that fall and now have no air to breath, it brought shutters.
A.J. stopped in her tracks, although she had not heard any audible voices, something told her that help was near. "HEY!! OVER HERE!! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME...OVER HERE!! she shouted so loudly her voice broke. Again she began her screaming.
"Wait Roy did you hear that? There it is again!!"
"A.J. are you there? Make some noise if you can hear us!" Both of their hearts were pounding from the adrenaline that was racing through their veins.
On the other side A.J. picked up a piece of wood and began hitting the debris that separated them. She knew with out looking that the black smoke had began its decent towards the floor.
"We are here, just relax, we're coming!" Roy shouted as Johnny was on the HT telling command about their discovery.
"Well that is good, cause I'm not going anywhere." to some any sort of humor in this situation would seem impossible. However in the fire service there are many times when you have a choice to either cry or laugh, and laughing was usually the better option.
The other rescue teams joined Gage and DeSoto in their efforts to free their trapped comrade. Digging isn't as simple as it sounds, for every object they removed from debris pile it became more unstable. Not only could this prevent A.J.'s rescue, it could tumble down and kill them as well.
From above the rescuers there was the sound of a hundred freight trains barreling down, their attention and flashlights were immediately drawn to the ceiling.
Marco was the first to speak, "It's coming down, everyone out!"
Reluctantly, but rapidly all of the teams ran for the door. Each man amazingly escaped before the entire section they had been working in crumpled down. Had any of them hesitated for a moment longer, this fire would have made the headlines of tomorrow's paper for certain.
Every firefighter and officer lowered their heads knowing that the fate of one of their own was now sealed.
Chapter 12
The emotions outside were that of fear, rage, sorrow and guilt. Every firefighter knows the risks and chances they take. They all knew that they did their best and that sometimes their best wasn't always going to be good enough.
The command of this incident jointly went through the process of accounting for all of the men on scene.
"Squad 51, this is Chief Saunders...are you still there?" there was a chance that she was still alive. Although it was killing him, she deserved to know there was nothing left to try.
"10-4 Command, go ahead." From the sound on the other side of the debris pile and the sounds of men fleeing, she knew it was the end. The smoke was beginning to gain momentum in lowering to the floor.
"A.J., we had another collapse, everyone made it out...there is no other way into you..." the Chief's voice broke with guilt and exhaustion.
"I know Chief...you did everything that you could. It's gonna flash soon...
I'm done. Tell my family I didn't suffer...Squad 51 over and out."
Turning to glance upwards she could see the flickers of flame in the smoke which told of the inevitable. She started to pray for it to go quickly. Then she saw brightness, a light fill the room. It was pure white, nothing like flame from the fire or a flashlight. To her left was something that made her heart stop for a second.
The image of a woman...a glowing woman was there. She appeared to be motioning for A.J. to move towards her. With a combination of 'what have I got to lose' and compulsion she shuffled in the woman's direction. As she got closer she had to crawl the smoke was too thick at standing level. Upon arriving the woman knelt and pointed to the floor and instantly vanished.
A.J. shone her flashlight on that spot, only to see a section of rotting floor boards. With the stillness that now filled the room she heard...water. "Thank you GOD!" she shouted out loud. Realization sank in, she was on the 1st floor and the warehouse was sitting above the water! With one last surge of adrenaline she took her halligan bar and began prying the rotted boards back. She was running out of time.
Still talking to herself, "I only need just enough room to jump through." The heat was becoming unbearable and the smoke was making her lungs seize. She scrambled out of her bunker gear. With out the gear she would be able to fit through a much smaller space. Plus, wearing bunker gear into the water would drown her, the boots filling up with water would drag her to the bottom. Going from the frying pan and into the fire, no pun intended.
She heard the crackling of the flames and the roar that precedes the flash over and drudged up her last amount of strength and dove through the hole. As she hit the water she looked up to see the room completely engulfed in flames.
The others outside saw the flash over on the first floor and their hearts sank. For the last several minutes each had known what was going to happen but seeing it allowed for no more denial.
The hose lines, monitors and deck guns continued to pump water out and onto the fire. The method is usually referred to as 'surround and drown', basically allowing the fire to burn itself out while protecting any surrounding structures or foliage.
The men of 51 gathered around the squad that was sitting back from the fire zone. Only they had no patients to treat. They were all standing with tears desperately attempting to not flow down their cheeks.
"GOD, this isn't right...I mean she really proved herself but it shouldn't have been this way...Chet's voice faded off as he tried to control himself.
"I should have put her on the ladder first." Capt. Stanley was doing the 'what if' game.
"Capt., no you know she knew the risks. She knew you would save the girl. By the way she is doing fine. She just had a little smoke inhalation, same as her parents. They are all going to make it because of all of you." Roy was hoping this was sinking in to his Captain.
Then the deafening silence took over as they stood there, not knowing what to say or do next.
From behind them came a tired, raspy voice, "the first one who says anything about this", she motions over her now dripping, t-shirt and boxer short clad body. "Goes in the water!"
In shock and awe the men spin around to behold a swaying A.J.!! Before anyone can snap out of their shock, she slowly falls to her knees, collapsing from sheer exhaustion.
They run over to her stunned, yet full of joy beyond measure. Marco takes off his coat and drapes it over her shoulders. Roy and Johnny go into paramedic mode and gently carry her over to the rehab area, next to the squad.
Stanley happily sprints away to find the Chief and tell him the news.
A.J. is laying there having absolutely no strength to explain how she managed to use up one if not two of her nine lives. Along with her facial injuries, she now had a deep, jagged slice into her right thigh. One of the rotting boards was still strong enough to dig into her leg as she dove through the opening in the floor.
As Roy begins taking her vitals, Johnny puts an O2 mask gently against her face, then goes about applying gauze to the plentiful gashes on her slender face and upper thigh. "Anyone who ever tells me 'chicks' can't do this job obviously has never met this one!" As he is thinking this, staring down at her, a smile of relief crosses his face.
Roy and the others, watching her with concern and admiration are all thinking the very same thing.
"Rampart, this is Squad 51..."
Chapter 13
It was another beautiful sunny day in Los Angeles County. As promised Chet bought the majority of the food for the cook out. The men of 51 and their families met up at Wolfie's house. She had gotten her paramedic certification and spent the last two weeks healing from the lacerations to her face and leg. Her leg had been sliced up when she dove through the make shift hole into the water. She would be going to 110 and work A-Shift the same as the men she first worked with. The staff at Rampart had also been invited to the gathering.
"Well what do you guys think of my house?" It was a renovated fire station from the 1800's.
"Really cool!" shouted in unison Roy's children, Jenny and David.
The other nodded and commented that they agreed.
"You know Chet, the Phantom never did out smart the Gremlin." Gage began to goad his favorite sparing partner.
"That is only because the Phantom was humbled by the escape of the Gremlin. He has determined that since he no longer has the chance to try again...it is officially a draw."
"In your dreams, Chet!" Roy interjected and they all laughed with him.
"So Johnny, now that you aren't training her, are you goin' ask her out?" Dixie was smiling.
"She already turned me down! Pouted Johnny. "Of course you know what they say...if at first you don't succeed, try, try again!"
"A.J. you never did tell us who you know in the paramedic program.." Brackett was dying to know. The others stopped their conversations to listen to what she was going to say.
"Alright, I guess if I can't tell you now, it would be never. I'll give you a clue, it is my mother's brother."
"Your uncle? How does that tell us who he is?" Morton is getting impatient.
"OK, one last clue...Early."
"What?" This time it is Johnny.
"My mother's maiden name……is Early." When she is finished talking she was standing besides Dr. Joe Early. Who was clearly amused by the look on everyone's face.
The takes place in the later 1970's. In reality, the first female firefighter in the LACoFD wasn't until 1983.