Chapter Seventeen
Roy had drawn the short straw. He grumpily watched the snorkel descend with his partner. "I'm never gonna make it down before shift change." he muttered as he carefully walked down the steep incline. He listened intently to the radio as he walked. Mike was giving vitals of the man that passed out. Roy didn't like them, but he also worried about his partner, how was he doing?
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Johnny tapped his foot impatiently while the snorkel descended. He had been listening to the vitals the engine crew were taking and he didn't like them. Finally, the snorkel reached the ground. Johnny unclipped his harness from the snorkel rails and slipped out, leaving the crew to assist the last two riders. He jogged over to where he saw Chet, Marco, and Mike kneeling. Shedding his helmet and gloves, he asked if there was any change. Chet, who was holding the piece of paper with all the vitals, shook his head. "He fell and hit his head." Marco said. John frowned as he kneeled on the ground looking at the man. He looked around for injuries and found a hematoma to the back of his head.
"Pass me a pen light?" John asked as he looked at the man's face. He recognized the face as the man who was sitting next to Jane, "Of course it's someone she knows." he thought inwardly cursing his luck. "His name's Paul, right?" he asked anyone who was listening. He received four yeses. "Let me see the biophone." He said blindly reaching his hand out. When the receiver was in his hand, he spoke confidently into it. "Rampart, this is Gage on 51's, I'm now available. It looks like a vasovagal syncopal episode with a fall and head trauma. There's a hematoma to the posterior of the head, eyes are equal but sluggish." The three firefighters were relieved that someone who knew what they were talking about was back. After John received orders from Rampart, he sent Mike and Marco off to check everyone else out. "Hey Chet, can you grab me an IV kit?" he asked.
"Is he going to be okay?" Jane asked timidly from the side. She didn't want to bother the calm medic and firefighter, but was worried about her friend.
John stopped what he was doing and looked up at her. "We're talking to a doctor right now and we'll take him in to get checked out." he said to her. He looked up at Chet, "Chet, did Cap send for an ambulance?" Kelly nodded his head. "Good." John looked back down and started looking for a vein. He continued to shove all of the letter's content to the back of his mind.
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Jane was worried for her friend. He was lying on the ground almost motionless, aside from his breathing. She watched John tie a rubber rope around Paul's arm, and then she saw a needle in his hand. She inhaled sharply. The firefighter, presumably named Chet, turned to her and said, "Don't worry, John's the best in the business, apart from Roy o' course." By the time Jane looked back, the needle was gone, only the tubing remaining. She was impressed at how comfortable John looked with all the medical equipment, as well as with the ropes. She had been watching the others use the equipment, they were competent but not confident. The two other men he sent away came back. John looked up for a moment and raised his eyebrows expectantly. As they talked to him, he began checking Paul over head to toe. She was again impressed at how he could multitask, assessing one patient and listening to eight other sets of vital signs.
"I'm fine with everyone else going home, tell them to call if they feel off." Johnny said while he checked Paul's pupils again, frowning as he did so. Jane copied him, frowning when he did. In her book, it was never good when a medical professional frowned. In the distance, a siren could be heard. "Hey, tell Roy not to rush huh?" he said to one of the men in blue. He had a smirk on his face, but Jane could feel the sentiment.
"Can I come along?" she shakily asked John.
John looked at her, almost evaluating her in a way. "You can sit up front." He finally said, she nodded.
Chet led her to the front seat of the ambulance and made sure she was wearing her seatbelt. He walked back to Johnny, "She's all set. She looks exactly like you." he pointed out.
"I know." Johnny said, taking a deep breath. Chet was aware John knew more than he was saying. He opened his mouth, but then remembered Captain Stanley's order.
"Take care huh?" Chet offered as Johnny walked behind the stretcher.
A distracted, "Yeah" came from the experienced medic. Chet frowned as the ambulance drove away.