I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I know its been a while, but I wrote this before I could even get the second chapter up. So, I thought I would update all at once. So, again, I do not own anything and hope you all enjoy. Please read and review! It fuels the writing.
Kelly Brackett walked over to the base station to get a cup of coffee; he was in definite need of caffeine. He noticed that Dixie was sitting at the desk, looking a little confused. As he poured himself a cup, he glanced over at the head nurse.
"Hey Dix, what's going on?"
She startled out of her revelry to look at the doctor. "Not much. How is Karen?"
"She's stable, but we haven't found out what is wrong with her yet. Are you okay? You look confused about something," Kel replied, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Well, I've been listening to the fire department's transmissions, and Station 51 isn't responding to their calls."
"That is strange. Maybe you're missing their acknowledgements," Kel said, putting his cup down on the counter.
"No, I stayed next to the radio when the dispatcher couldn't reach them. I even tried calling the station; nothing. I believe they are sending a police officer to the station to check it out," Dixie replied, looking over at Kel.
"Well, stay with it, huh Dix? Let me know what happens."
"I will Kel," Dixie replied as Kel headed back down the hall to the treatment room where Karen was.
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To say he was a little worried was an understatement. Officer Vince Howard pulled up in the driveway of Station 51, fear nagging him in the back of his mind. He grabbed the mic off his dash as he put the car in park and said, "137-David at scene."
He got out of his squad car, cautiously making his way to the front door. His worry increased when he found the door unlocked. He took his gun out of the holster as he eased into the apparatus bay. The first thing he saw was a body next to the squad, almost to the radio alcove. He realized that it was Captain Stanley as he eased by. Vince silently made his way into the day room, fear becoming full blown panic. He saw Mike sprawled out on the floor in front of the couch, Marco was laying on his side next to the kitchen table and Chet was next to the recliner.
Vince backed out of the room, holding his breath as he checked the rest of the station. He entered the dorm cautiously, making sure to look before he entered. He didn't notice anything different in the room, until he spotted a black shoe sticking out from in between the bunks. His eyes scanning the room, he made is way over, to find Roy face down on the floor.
Dread was beginning to overwhelm him as made his way into the last room; the latrine and locker room. He checked in between the rows of lockers, before finding the last member of A-shift unconscious next to the sinks. Johnny was on his side, facing away from the room. The whole station was empty, except for 6 unconscious firefighters.
Vince ran to the radio alcove. "LA, this is Officer Vince Howard with the LAPD, unit 137-David. I just checked the station and we have six firefighters down. I am not sure what is wrong. Please send at least two squads and three ambulances."
"10-4 unit 137-David. We have notified your dispatch of your findings. They have requested that you stay on scene."
"10-4," Vince replied, putting the mic back. He heard the alarms going off, sending help to him. Vince opened the main garage door, just in case it was a gas leak or something like that. He then kneeled next to Cap, turning him over on his back. He checked to make sure the captain was breathing before running to each firefighter, checking the same thing. As he was making his way back to Cap, he heard sirens coming up the street.
He glanced up to the sky, saying a silent prayer.
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"Kel!"
Brackett looked around to see Dixie waving him over from the nurse's station. He walked down the hallway quickly. "What is it Dix?"
She used her pencil as a pointer as she said, "I just heard on the radio, all six firefighters are unconscious at the station. Vince Howard called it in a few minutes ago."
Kel let out a long sigh before replying, "Man, that is really strange. I wonder if it is a gas leak."
"I guess we'll find out in a few minutes. They dispatched 39, 8 and 16, so we should be hearing from them in a few minutes. They also sent three ambulances so they can transport quickly."
"That's good. I'll be down the hall, so let me know when they call in. Have Mike and Joe standing by too."
"I will. How is Karen?"
Kel sighed before looking at Dixie, "Not good. We haven't found out why she had the seizures or why she is breaking out. Her breathing is still a little shallow and ragged. If it gets any worse, we're going to have to intubate her."
Dixie bowed her head before looking up, "I hope we can find out what's wrong."
"Me too Dix. Me too."
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Vince glanced outside as he heard vehicles pulling up into the driveway of the station. He noticed that Engine and Squad 16 pulled up. He ran out to meet the captain.
"What have we got Vince?" Captain Bill Hopkins asked as he climbed down from the engine.
"All six of the guys are unconscious. Hank is in the bay next to the squad; Mike, Marco and Chet are in the kitchen and day room; Johnny is in the locker room and Roy is the dorms. I opened the garage doors, thinking it might be gas, but I don't know."
"Thanks Vince. Can you stick around and help us?"
"Yeah, no problem," he replied, helping Tom Dwyer and Doug Phillips pull their gear.
"Cap? I think we should bring them all here into the bay so we can treat them all," Tom replied.
"Sounds good Tom. We'll bring them to you and Doug," Hopkins replied, making his way to the downed captain. He and Vince carried Hank to the front of the bay. They watched as two of the linemen carried Chet and Marco in. Vince went to get Johnny, Doug had Roy and Hopkins grabbed Mike.
Doug began working on Mike and Tom was starting on Chet when they heard sirens. That was when Squad 39 pulled up. Craig Brice and Bob Bellingham jumped out of the squad, grabbing their gear.
"Craig, take care of Roy, Bob, take Johnny," Tom said as Squad 8 pulled up to the scene behind Squad 39. Tom Wheeler and Kevin Andrews grabbed their gear as well. They could see who to begin to work on. Tom took Hank and Kevin worked on Marco. All six paramedics had their hands full, so the engine crew of 16's and Vince helped in any way they could, especially when all six were trying to get in with Rampart at the same time.
They had finished inserting IV's and medication when a red car pulled up behind Engine 16. Chief McKonikee ran up to Captain Hopkins. "What happened?"
"We don't really know Chief. Rampart doesn't either. Their other paramedic, Karen Summers, had to be taken to Rampart this morning. They still don't know what's wrong with her. When we got here, Vince had the doors opened. He thought it was a gas leak, but I don't think its that because Vince checked every room with nothing happening to him. Other than that, we don't know Chief," Hopkins replied. He and the Chief watched as the six firemen were loaded into the three waiting ambulances.
"I hope they find out soon," McKonikee replied, watching the ambulances pull out, heading for Rampart.
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At Rampart, Kel, Mike, Joe and Dix were have a conference on how to handle the six patients that were coming in.
"Why don't we use three treatment rooms and put two men in each. That way we can work on them together and use the least amount of rooms," Mike suggested. The others nodded their heads in consent.
"That could work. Dix can you set it up?" Kel asked, glancing over at the head nurse.
"Yeah, I'll take care of it," she replied, leaving the room.
"We'd better get ready for them," Joe said as the three doctors left the base station. They hadn't gone far when they heard Dixie, "Kel! Its Karen!"
The three doctors ran as fast as they could to the treatment room Karen was in. They saw Michelle bagging Karen and Dixie getting a fresh set of vitals.
"What happened Dix?"
"She stopped breathing!"
"Laryngoscope!" Joe yelled, as Kel pulled her to the top of the table. Joe deftly inserted the trach tube, Dixie hooking Karen up to the vent.
Kel put both hands on the table and looked down at the young paramedic. "Karen, what is happening to you?"