It was a much appreciated and all too rarely quiet day at Rampart General Hospital. Head Nurse Dixie McCall had been monitoring the radio in the bay station and heard Engine 51 call in the accident. As a nurse she was able to keep calm and professional but as a friend to both Johnny and Roy she was expectedly worried. She had another nurse inform Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early of the situation.
Dr. Kelley Brackett exited his office and made a beeline for the bay station. "Anything develop yet Dix?"
"No, not yet."
He wrung his hands together as he approached the silent radio. "I hate auto collisions almost as much as I hate house fires." Impatience filled the air as he stood waiting for the crew to make contact over the bio-phone.
"I know what you mean." Dixie absentmindedly began organizing the patient files in front of her. "But I think I hate waiting most of all."
"Yeah, I think you're right."
Captain Stanley kept his cool as he continued to take control of the unfortunate situation. "Chet, Marco, get the crowbars and peel the windshield back. Mike, get the jaws and a chain. We need to get the steering column pulled back and away from Roy before we can get to him."
Each man knew his role and acted with flawless professionalism.
Carefully Chet and Marco positioned their crowbars at the top corners of the windshield and worked together to peel the broken glass back, away from their injured colleagues. The windshield awkwardly fell from its normally fixed position across the crumpled hood of the squad. Chet slid the cracked pane of glass onto the grass next to the squad.
Marco reached his hand into the exposed cab to check on his friends' conditions. He pressed his fingers against Johnny's neck and silently thanked the Heavens that he was still alive. Reaching over he did the same for Roy. When he found Roy's pulse he thanked the Heavens a second time. Neither man reacted to Marco's touch. "They're still alive, but they aren't moving!"
Now able to reach the steering column Mike wrapped one end of the chain around it, then wrapped the opposite end around the jaws of life. Using controlled speed and force the jaws roared to life and steadily pried the steering column upward and away from Roy.
"That's good!" Marco had been closely monitoring the situation and signaled for Mike to stop.
Mike shut off the jaws while Marco removed the chain from inside the squad.
With his turnout coat in hand Captain Stanley slipped it into the squad's cab and draped it over Johnny and Roy, covering their faces and upper bodies. "We need to get the roof of the cab off before we can move them. Let's get to it."
"Right Cap!" Chet and Marco returned to the engine to retrieve two small, but powerful hand saws and protective face masks.
"Mike." Captain Stanley addressed the engineer. "We're going to have to set up the line to Rampart, think you can find the bio-phone?"
Mike looked at the heavily damaged storage compartments at the side of the squad. "I'll need the crowbar, but I think I can get it."
"Good man."
Dr. Joe Early arrived in the bay station, a mug of cold coffee in his hands. "Kel, Dix, any news?"
Dixie shook her head solemnly. "No."
Dr. Brackett crossed his arms and leaned against the counter. "I don't like this. If Johnny and Roy were both injured in the accident, then they'll have to wait until the second squad arrives for any treatment. And we don't know how many occupants were in the other car. I just don't like it."
"Do you know how far away they are?" Dr. Early had heard about the accident but didn't have all the details yet.
"They're on the back roads. Mulberry and something."
"Mulberry? I know that road."
"Should we be worried?"
"Only about the time it'll take for the second squad to respond, for the ambulance to arrive and for the ambulance to reach us here."
"That far, huh?"
Dr. Early slowly nodded his head. "Kel, I hate to say this but..."
"They may not be able to wait for help." Dr. Brackett finished now fully understanding Dr. Early's concern. "But what can we do besides wait?"
"Well, it may be unprofessional, maybe even illegal in the eyes of some, but we may have to rely on the engine crew as our eyes and our hands."
Dixie's blue eyes widened with surprise. "You mean talk the engine crew through the treatment process?"
Dr. Early slightly shrugged his shoulders. "Our options are limited."
Dr. Brackett tagged on. "And so is the engine crew's medical training."
"I know. But as you recall Johnny and Roy, and all the other paramedics in the county, had virtually no medical training whatsoever when they joined the program. Look how quickly they learned the proper techniques, how to identify one type of injury from another and observe any all details that may save a victim's life later on."
Both Dr. Brackett and Dixie were still obviously skeptical.
"And," Dr. Early continued. "I know for a fact that after the snakebite incident a few years ago Johnny and Roy decided to give the rest of their stationhouse a '101' in basic treatment."
Dr. Brackett arched his eyebrows. "You mean they know how to start I.V.'s or insert a tracheal tube?"
"I can't answer one way or the other."
Dr. Brackett mentally weighed the pros and cons of potentially allowing the engine crew to treat the paramedics, if absolutely necessary. He sighed. "I guess we'll have to trust the engine crew to do the right thing, if and when the time comes."
"Just like Johnny and Roy do everyday."
...to be continued...