As Chet and Marco prepared to saw away the support beams to the roof of the squad, Captain Stanley placed an asbestos blanket over the turnout coat to prevent showering sparks from igniting anything inside.
Mike had managed to pry open the damaged compartment that housed the bio-phone. He handed it off to Captain Stanley before he worked on opening the other compartments for the backboards and c-collars.
Setting the bio-phone down on the ground next to the road near the front bumper of the engine, Captain Stanley was alarmed to see that the protective casing for the bio-phone was dented. If the line between the crew and Rampart was impossible to establish, then Johnny and Roy could be in serious trouble. A quick onceover told the experienced engineer that the damage was merely aesthetic and that the phone should be in proper working order. He picked up the line.
"Rampart, this is Engine 51; how do you read?" He put a hand up to cover his exposed ear in attempt to drown out the now roaring saws in the distance.
Dr. Brackett immediately responded to the call, the very call he had been waiting for. "This is Rampart 51, we read you loud and clear."
'Rampart, we have three victims of a two vehicle collision: Two Code-I's.'
As Captain Stanley spoke Dixie approached Dr. Brackett with a pad of paper and pen at the ready. Dr. Early silently listened in on the tense call.
'The first victim, an unknown male, is a Code-F.'
Both Dr. Brackett and Dixie momentarily flinched after hearing the 'Code-F'. The accident was just as serious as they had feared.
'The second and third victims are still in the process of being extricated. Stand by Rampart.'
"Standing by." Dr. Brackett looked over at Dixie and saw the concern in her beautiful blue eyes. "Don't think like that Dix, you know as well as I do that Johnny and Roy aren't the type of guys to go down so easily."
"I know that Kel. It just never gets any easier when it's a friend who needs to be rescued."
The roof of the wrecked squad had been sawed free and set aside on the ground. Mike had managed locate two backboards and two c-collars. Chet tossed aside his facemask and saw as he climbed onto the hood of the squad. He pulled the blanket and turnout coat away from Johnny and Roy, who had remained unconscious despite the chaotic noise just inches from their heads.
"Give me one of the neck braces."
Mike handed Chet the requested item. He and Marco watched in silence as Chet carefully slipped the collar around Johnny's neck.
"He's good, now the other."
Just as before Mike handed Chet the second c-collar and Chet mindfully used it to hold Roy's neck in a stabilized position as well.
Marco then climbed up onto the hood of the squad next to Chet. "If we slip the backboard down at an angle we should be able to get it behind Johnny and 'log roll' him into position."
"Right." Chet agreed.
Mike slid the two backboards up onto the rear of the squad then climbed up after them.
Captain Stanley had been observing from the road. Keeping the line to Rampart open he returned to his diligently working crew to assist in anyway he possibly could.
"You got him?" Chet checked with Marco before even trying to lift the backboard.
"Yeah! We can go now." Marco finished applying the safety straps to Johnny's upper chest and legs.
Chet and Marco supported the weight of the backboard near Johnny's head while Mike and Captain Stanley lifted the opposite end. The four men moved in perfect synchronization to lift and carry their wounded colleague from the decimated vehicle to the relative safety of the soft grass close to the bio-phone.
Captain Stanley retrieved the line to Rampart. "Rampart, this is Engine 51, the first Code-I has been successfully extricated. Note that the victim is John Gage."
'Noted Engine 51.'
"Can you three get Roy without me?"
"Yeah," Mike answered confidently. "no problem."
"Okay, but be careful of his ribs. Before John blacked out he said Roy probably has a broken rib or two."
Captain Stanley resumed communication with Rampart. "Victim is suffering from a broken arm, and probable concussion." After unfastening the safety straps he carefully opened Johnny's blue uniform shirt and lifted away the white t-shirt which had concealed several bruises beneath. "There is a small cut on his forehead and multiple bruises over his upper body. Victim is unconscious and has been for approximately..." He noted the time on his watch. "twenty minutes."
'51, splint the arm if at possible. Can you get a set a vitals?'
"Stand by."
'Standing by.'
Taking Johnny's wrist, from his unbroken arm, Captain Stanley took his pulse. "Got a pulse of 76. Unable to get a B.P. at this time."
'51, has the second squad or ambulance arrived at the scene?'
"Negative."
Chet, Marco and Mike approached their Captain with Roy on the second backboard. Roy was beginning to have trouble breathing.
"Rampart, second victim has been extricated. The second victim is Roy DeSoto."
'Do you have a set vitals on victim two?'
"Stand by." Captain Stanley took Roy's pulse just as he had Johnny's. "Pulse on victim two is 94." He looked up at his crew. "Can you guys locate the drug box and the rest of the squad's equipment?"
"Right away." Marco answered for the three of them as they returned to the wrecked squad.
"Rampart, victim two is also unconscious with a severe laceration above his left eye, he's also showing signs of respiratory distress. His breathing is becoming labored, there is no airway obstruction." He leaned over Roy and saw a small trickle of blood beginning to run from the corner of Roy's mouth. "Probable internal bleeding apparent."
Dr. Brackett bit his bottom lip anxiously. "51, if at all possible start victim two on two liters of oxygen. Keep us posted with frequent updates until the squad arrives."
'10-4.'
He looked over at Dixie. "They'll be okay."
She gave him a look of cautious optimism as she answered. "Yeah."
"Kel?" Dr. Early finally broke his silence. "If Roy is bleeding internally..."
"I know. Time is critical."
"And time seems to be the one thing working against us and them."
"Like always."
...to be continued...