Allowing Hank to rest against her lap as she kneeled in the parking lot, Dixie pressed her fingers to Hank's neck to count his pulse. Two orderlies wheeled a gurney out into the parking lot to the downed man and attending nurse.
"Watch his head." Dixie instructed as the two men lifted the unconscious man up from the ground and onto the gurney. "Take him into two."
Dr. Mike Morton, who had been assisting Dr. Joe Early with Roy's treatment in exam room one, was informed by another nurse about Hank's collapse. "Dixie, what happened to him?" Dr. Morton asked as he met the gurney in the hallway before it was wheeled into the designated room.
"The explosion at the hotel concussed him. He lost consciousness out in the parking lot."
Clicking on his penlight Dr. Morton checked Hank's eyes. "Move him into two." He followed the gurney and turned to Dixie in the doorway. "Could ask the technicians to wheel the x-ray over here when they've finished with Roy? I want a full skull series performed. Also I want a blood test to ensure nothing toxic was released during the explosion."
"Right away." Dixie acknowledged Dr. Morton's request as she stepped into exam room one. She saw Dr. Early leaning over the injured paramedic. "How's Roy?"
Dr. Early was listening to Roy's chest with his stethoscope. "He's holding his own, but still hasn't shown any signs of consciousness. What about Hank?" He took the stethoscope from his ears and let the device dangle casually around his neck.
"Don't know yet, but I checked his pulse before he was taken away and he's stable. Dr. Morton is with him."
Dr. Early looked at the x-ray tech who was awaiting instruction. "I want a full skull series, neck and spine. Also chest and shoulder." He looked over at Dixie. "Is it safe to presume Mike has orders for a skull series as well?"
"I don't think anyone could ever write a better prescription than you." Dixie smiled and nodded at the tech to confirm the instructions. "He also wants to run a blood test to check for any possible toxicity."
"Same here."
Exiting the exam room while the x-rays were being performed, Dr. Early and Dixie returned to the bay station where Dr. Kelly Brackett was on the line with Bellingham back at the scene of the hotel. "10-4 45, start one liter of oxygen and transport right away."
'10-4.' Bellingham acknowledged over the line.
Dr. Brackett turned to face his colleagues. "Joe, Dix, how are we doing?"
Dixie mentally went over their list of critical patients. "All smoke inhalation and burn victims have been treated. Those who needed admission have been taken care of, the other shave been released and have gone home. As for our firefighting friends, well, that's only just begun."
Dr. Early gave Dr. Brackett an uneasy glance as he answered with a weary sigh. "Roy's still unconscious and now Hank is, too."
"The Captain from 51?" Dr. Brackett asked as he crossed his arms. "What happened to him? Brice said he was stable."
Dixie spoke up. "He collapsed in the parking lot. Dr. Morton is taking care of him."
"Hm." Dr. Brackett didn't like it when firefighters or cops, let alone his paramedics, were injured in the line of duty. Sometimes he took it personally. "Is Brice still here?"
Dixie motioned toward the doctor's lounge. "He's in the lounge, no doubt restocking supplies."
"Thanks Dix. I want to talk with him, figure out what happened at the scene."
The x-ray technician left one exam room and entered the other.
"C'mon Dixie, let's check on Roy."
"I'll join you soon, Joe, I want to call JoAnne."
Bob Bellingham was watching Johnny like a hawk in the back of the ambulance. Chet was on his own smaller stretcher next to Johnny. Marco and Mike were also riding in the back, sitting on the bench next to Bellingham. It was always an unfortunate day when a fellow firefighter or paramedic took the role of the patient after a call, but having four firefighters in the back of one ambulance was almost a tragedy.
Johnny continued his struggle to breathe. The oxygen mask aided him greatly but the pain in his chest was too much. His ribs had been wrapped up to prevent infection to the large bleeding gash, as well as provide some form of support to the painful fractures that shifted with each breath. Dr. Brackett had ordered a small dose of morphine for the pain as well as a normal saline to ensure Johnny wasn't dehydrated from the fire.
The cardiac monitor beeped away with every beat of his heart, the sound nearly drowned out by the blaring siren from the ambulance itself.
Instinctively Johnny was watching the monitor, counting his own breaths and heart rate during the transport.
Bellingham put his hand on Johnny's shoulder. "How do you feel? Is the pain bothering you?"
Johnny shook his head slightly. "No, I'm okay..."
Marco, Mike and Chet knew that Johnny was denying his pain, a bad habit that always reared its ugly head when he felt guilty or worried about someone else. That someone, as usual, was Roy.
"Johnny," Marco spoke up. "Roy's already at the hospital my friend. Stop worrying."
"Y-yeah..." Johnny's breath hitched as he began coughing a little.
Bellingham put both hands on Johnny's shoulders to try and hold the man steady until the coughing stopped. "Easy Johnny, deep breaths."
Johnny suddenly began coughing harder and wheezing, unable to catch his breath.
"Johnny?"
"I c-can't..." Johnny coughed even harder, his face paling and taking on a blue twinge.
"Hold on Johnny!" Bellingham encouraged. "Get Rampart back on the line, he's going into respiratory arrest."
...to be continued...