"Squad 51, respond to 7744 Quebec St, 7-7-4-4 Quebec St to assist Engine 19 with a Code-I. Time out 2107."
"I hate responding to Code-I's, and it's gonna take us at least twelve minutes to get there." Johnny muttered from the passenger seat. Roy nodded his head tersely, not knowing what to expect. 19's crew surely hadn't advised anything else.
The scene was utter chaos. There were police cars blocking traffic and three civilians sitting on the running board of the engine with oxygen masks. Surprisingly, there was a firefighter there with a mask too. He looked pale and sweaty from a distance and was clearly providing care for the other three sitting with him. "Where's the rest of the crew?" they both thought. The remainder of the engine crew were nowhere to be found. Even it's engineer had left his post, his gear and tank missing from the front seat. Roy and Johnny looked at each other before they exited the squad with their equipment. Roy headed for the engine and Johnny went to look for the missing crew.
Roy saw the firefighter but didn't recognize him. He squinted at the name tag, 'S. James'. "James?" Roy asked, the man nodded slightly. "I'm DeSoto with 51's, what happened?"
S. James panted a reply. "There were - three people - in the house. The call was for - for a smoke alarm." Roy encouraged him to keep breathing. "Inside, I started feeling sick - so we assumed CO. Hence the oxygen."
"You guys did a good job," he assured S. James. "I'll be right back with ya." Roy promised as he moved over to the other three victims. Quickly assessing them, he found no injuries and no complaints. Before returning to the panting firefighter, he picked up the radio and requested two ambulances.
Johnny stood in the doorway to the house. He was hesitant about stepping inside, figuring there must be a CO leak somewhere since everyone was on oxygen. "Captain!" he yelled again. He finally heard movement from inside. "Cap? He asked.
"Hey, get outta the house!" he heard the distinct muffled yell. Three fully dressed firefighters were coming down the staircase.
"Hey folks." John waved from the door, "What's the story?"
The 'missing' crew walked out of the house and pulled their face pieces off, hungrily gulping fresh air. "Steve, the guy sitting on the running board over there," The Captain pointed to the empty engine. "Well, the grass now." he amended when he saw his man on the grass. "Anyway, he started feeling pretty bad so we evacuated the house, we're checking it out for CO. He got everyone on oxygen, that's where we are."
"Gotcha Cap, everyone here okay?" John asked, eyeing them all.
"We're fine, it's just James. Home owners didn't have any complaints, something smells fishy Gage." The Captain said, recognizing the well known medic. John nodded and headed for his partner.
Roy heard Johnny walk up behind him, "Can you get vitals on them John?" Roy said pointing with his shoulder to the civilians. "I only gave them a once over, James' pulse is racing over here." Johnny nodded again and went to get the necessary vitals. Now John was properly assessing the other people, Roy was able to fully focus. After taking off S. James' turnout gear and moving the man to the yard, he was finally able to get a blood pressure. The cuff hissed as Roy asked, "Any pain anywhere James?" Taking a pulse for a third time, not truly believing his own results.
"My chest, it feels kinda of funny, I'm dizzy too."
Roy frowned, really hoping he wasn't going to say that. "John, I need your help over here!" he calmly yelled getting his partner's attention.
Finishing the last blood pressure on the civilians Johnny joined his partner. Kneeling down he looked at the firefighter, his turnout gear now a pillow. "Take a pulse for me would ya?" Roy asked. John immediately frowned, recognizing Roy's tone. Roy not believing his own vitals is never good. While John felt a pulse, Roy opened up the biophone and called Rampart. In the corner of his eye, he saw John leave and return with the monitor. Roy's frown deepened. Rampart gave permission for the other people to be transported without a medic. Roy copied and added, "Rampart, we also have a code-I at our location. Male, age 33, he's having some respiratory difficulty, and complains of chest discomfort. Blood pressure of 94/58, respirations of 28, and a pulse too rapid to count."
"Send me a strip 51." Brackett ordered.
"10-4, this'll be lead 2." Roy replied hanging up the phone, knowing John already had him patched up. "Lead 2 John." he said, this time to his partner.
"It's SVT Roy, I'll set up the adenosine." John said, turning to reach for the drug box. Roy turned to James, who was looking wide-eyed at the two of them.
Brackett was talking on the biophone, which John answered while setting up the drug.
"Your heart's beating really fast," Roy explained to the panicked firefighter. "We call it SVT. We've got a medication that can fix it, but let's see what the doc says okay?" he said, making sure the man nodded. "Just keep taking deep breaths. How long ago did this start?"
James looked at his watch, "Twenty minutes?" he shrugged his shoulders, "I had to help the people out - outta the house."
"Wait," John piped up, his conversation with Rampart paused, "You carried people out of the house feeling like this?" James nodded.
While Roy continued talking to James, Rampart replied. The man was indeed in SVT and they wanted adenosine. Johnny immediately picked up the biophone again and added, "Rampart, patient has had chest discomfort for at least twenty minutes, he has also been under exertion."
"Get the adenosine in now." came the firm reply. Roy picked up an IV start kit and tossed one to Johnny. "Whoever gets one first…" Roy said trailing off. Turning his attention to James, he explained what was happening to the pale, nervous looking firefighter. "You are in SVT," Roy said, "It's not good, especially since you exerted yourself. Like I said, we have some medicine that can fix it, but we need an IV first."
The first ambulance arrived. Looking up at Roy, John silently asked if he could ensure the others were off safe. Roy nodded his head and John excused himself for a moment. Soon, the three other patients were safely on their way to the hospital. Before the ambulance had even turned the corner, John was back feeling for a vein. James started looking around for his shift mates, a familiar face. 19's engineer appeared, his face mask leaving red lines on his skin. He looked at his friend, who was now lying in the grass, shirtless, wires stuck to his chest, and two IV's making their way in.
"Looks pretty serious Steve." he said, pulling his glove off to put his hand on James' shoulder.
"S for Steve huh?" Roy asked, trying to ease his mind. Steve nodded, still numb after hearing the news. "Got one John." Roy said to his partner. "You set up the adenosine?" John pointed with his chin to the drug box, as he was in the middle of securing another line. "I'll get the flush ready." Roy said, placing the prepped drug on Steve's chest.
John got his line and secured it, just closing it off and taping it down for the moment. He said, "Okay Steve. My partner is going to give you some medicine, it'll make you feel pretty lousy for a second, but you'll feel better after."
"I trust you guys, I hear you're the best." Steve said honestly. The group could hear Brackett, practically yelling at them from the phone for an update.
Johnny, hands free for the moment said, "Stand by Rampart." Rolling his eyes and covering up the phone, "So impatient." he said fondly under his breath. His antics slightly calming Steve. Johnny stared at the monitor, and uncovered the biophone, tossing a thumb's up to Roy, letting him know he was ready.
Roy hooked up the syringe and pushed the medication, soon followed with a flush.
Johnny said into the biophone, "6 of adenosine is in." John watched the monitor with eagle eyes. "No conversion." he said into the phone after a second. Roy pursed his lips and got a second dose ready.
"51, give 12 of adenosine." Brackett ordered. Johnny copied the order. The same process was repeated. John watched the monitor, stressed as it read asystole, then breathing a sigh of relief when normal sinus reappeared a second later.
"We read sinus tach here." Johnny said into the biophone smiling. "How do you feel Steve?" he asked.
"Horrible for a second, but now my chest feels better, and it's easier to breathe."
Steve made to get up. Before either Roy or Johnny could say anything, a new voice ordered, "Not so fast James." His Captain said, "You're going in, can't get out of this one buddy."
"I know," Steve sighed relaxing, "I'm just nervous is all." The Captain placed his hand on his lineman's ankle.
"I know," he said, "We'll follow you in." Steve nodded, biting his lip.
John backed the squad into Rampart's emergency entrance and wandered in. He looked up, trying to guess which treatment room they were in. The engine crew had beaten him, he saw them all sitting in the waiting room, legs bouncing or fingers drumming. Deciding to join them, he leaned up against the wall. "Brackett's Chief of the ER, he's in good hands." he said to the crew, attempting to calm them.
"You trust him?" James' fellow lineman and newest member of the crew asked.
"With my life." John replied seriously. The tension slightly dissipated.
Roy walked out of treatment three, clearly looking for a group of LA Firefighters. Johnny noted he was smiling, always a good sign. John stood up, and went to join his partner, "Well?" he asked, hands in his pockets.
"He's outta SVT and looking good, they're keeping him for tests though." John nodded, smiling. The duo walked over to tell the good news.
Couple of shifts later Roy and Johnny were out in the back, cleaning their equipment. "Man, I don't know who left this all gunky. I could make a tree outta all this sawdust…" Johnny complained, blowing a piece of sawdust off his lip. Roy smirked from his spot out of the wind, watching the sawdust fly towards his partner. Captain Stanley yelled for both of them from the bay.
"Roy, John! You got company!" The two medics looked at each other and shrugged. Getting up they carried their tools with them, just in case.
To their surprise, an engine sat on the front ramp along with four firefighters standing with Stanley. Roy recognized S. James first.
"James, good to see you! How are you doing?" Roy asked. Johnny grinned, thankful to see their previous patient in uniform.
"Good, got cleared for duty yesterday." He grinned broadly.
"Cutting it a bit close aren't ya?" Johnny asked.
"You know how Brackett is." Steve shrugged, hands up in surrender, eliciting chuckles.
"Glad to see you back at work." Roy said honestly, putting his hand on James' shoulder.
"We are too." his crew replied. "Brackett was holding out to the last minute." they complained collectively. Hank and the medics shared a look, completely understanding.
"I just wanted to come by and say thanks. Brackett said you guys saved my life out there." he said looking them both in the eyes.
They ducked their heads, mumbling along the lines of 'Just doing our job.'
"I mean it guys, I can keep working thanks to you."
Smiles returned to the partners faces, "Well alright then." John said, "Just don't do it again."
"I don't plan too, I don't think these guys would let me." he said jabbing his thumb in his crew's direction. The three guys were firmly shaking their heads.
Stanley chuckled, "Good luck boys." he said to the three, pointedly looking at Johnny. Johnny shrugged, taking the jibe in stride. Engine 19's radio beeped as they were dispatched out to a call. "Stay safe out there guys!" Stanley said as the four men retreated. The engineer hit the air horn as they departed. The two medics waved and smiled at each other, their faces saying enough.
"Well alright." Johnny said smiling, conveying his message to Roy in two words. Roy beamed back at his partner.
"Let's go clean up that K-12." he said. The two medics sauntered back to the squad with a pep in their step.
"Twits." Hank Stanley fondly said, watching the two depart.