"Engine on scene with command. We need 6 additional brush trucks and two additional tankers to this location. Start an additional engine company for manpower support." Meg sent a silent prayer heavenward as Renee parked on the opposite side of the road from the fire. The chief had command and was directing the fire fighters and equipment into what had the potential to turn into a fiery hell.
Meg set her helmet on the seat and began preparing for worst-case scenario. "What are you doing?" Renee asked.
"At the very least we are going to give someone O2. I'm praying that's the only thing we have to do." Renee raised an eyebrow. "Look, we can do a triage ourselves and take care of our guys or they can call in a bunch of other companies. Let's show Chief that we've got this. Take a couple of tanks and get the masks ready. Set them up there. Then get the gauze and…" Renee was surprised by the organization and ideas that Meg had.
"Fire ground to EMS. Report to fire ground." Renee and Meg raced across the road to grab the next overheated firefighter and led him to the back of their ambulance.
"Drop the jacket on the ground and sit on it. We're going to give you some O2 and water. We'll monitor you and see if you need transport." Meg wasn't surprised that his machismo had him waving his hand at her as he tried to breath in the pure oxygen. "Yeah, yeah. I know. You are ready to go back and join your brothers. Hate to break it to you but you are done for the day. Follow my directions and you might avoid a trip to the ER. That's not a promise, though."
"Fire ground to EMS."
"Stay put." Meg ordered before racing back across the street for another patient. Are they actually beating this beast? The smoke seems to be billowing more than it was when we got here. She grabbed hold of another wobbly fire fighter and led him to the ambulance. "Oh, Seth, you just wanted to see Renee." Meg teased as she lowered him to the ground slowly.
Meg's radio squawked to life. "Fire ground to EMS. Fire ground to EMS. The fire has jumped the road. Repeat, the fire has jumped the road."
Meg snatched Seth from the ground and gave him a shove towards the open ambulance doors. "Get in!" She moved to the next reclining firefighter and extended her hand. "Up and into the rig. Let's move!" She grabbed the oxygen bottle and said, "Take it with you." A total of four men sat on the edge of the ditch. Meg shoved them all in the direction of her ambulance. "Talk later. Get in now!"
"EMS, what is your status?"
"Clearing the area, sir." Meg pulled the last man from the ground and helped him through the open doors of the ambulance. "Start 'er up, Renee." she hollered as she snagged an oxygen bottle and slammed the back doors. She raced to the passenger side and snatched her helmet. "I'm going to guide you out. Follow my lead." Meg had her gear fastened and tapped the side of the unit. Renee cursed. Meg stepped back and looked around. The fire was definitely gaining strength. "Let's move!" She motioned for Renee to back the ambulance up. The rear alarm began to sound. "Good to go!" She gave Renee a thumbs-up. They worked their way backwards foot by careful foot. Firemen raced across the road battling the inferno. Meg made sure they didn't get struck by the slow moving ambulance. One weary fighter succumbed to smoke inhalation and heat on the periphery of Meg's vision. As she saw him sink to his knees, she tapped the side of the ambulance to signal to Renee to pause her movement. Meg raced to the fallen man's side and threw his arm over her shoulder, hoisting him and shuffling him over to the waiting vehicle. She stuffed him into the passenger seat and shut the door behind him. Care could wait. Time was of the essence. Renee began backing up again. Watching the road, Meg realized that they were almost clear of the field and backing through the woods. The road took a bend and then would head back towards town. They should be almost in the clear she figured, hoping to find a new place to set up a triage area. With the fire raging the way that it was, she feared many fire fighters were going to get hurt. Sending a silent prayer heavenward that she was wrong, she put her hand on the side of the ambulance and kept walking. Her heart leapt with fear when she heard the unmistakable cracking sound fill the air just slightly over her head. She slammed her hand against the warm metal, hoping that Renee would stop and that they would be okay. Meg watched as the tree sparked, split, and fell across the road, narrowly missing the back bumper. "Pull up! Pull up!" I'm not a truckie but these patients are my responsibility. We've got to get clear and that means that tree has to go. More are going to fall. Now, Meg, you can stand here and wait for someone to do it for you or you can put on your big girl thong and do it yourself. I hate thongs. Nothing more than dental floss for your butt. Who invented them, anyway? The day I die, I wouldn't want to be wearing one of those. Why am I thinking about thongs and dying, anyway? I need to get a 2 inch hose and water. I can handle that. Through the smoke and cinders, Meg gave Renee an 'okay' sign and headed for the nearest engine.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Dean shouted over the crackle of the fire and the rumble of the engines.
Meg reached for a hose coupling. "Tree down blocking the road. We can't leave. Gotta put out the fire."
Dean cursed loudly. He pulled his radio and called the chief. "Engine to chief. EMS still on the fire ground. Tree blocking roadway. Engine assisting." The chief was heard cursing over the airway. Dean pulled another hose and found a minor pump to utilize. "Won't be much but…" He looked around for Meg. "MEG?!" She came through the smoke haze with a chain saw.
"Renee can't drive over the tree. We gotta make a hole. You want to spray or cut?"
Dean shook his head. "It's not exactly safe to cut on a still burning tree."
Meg started pulling on the chainsaw. "You're hose and I'm saw."
Dean cursed again. "Stubborn-ass woman. Put water on the damn tree." He got the saw started with one pull.
Ten minutes later Renee had the ambulance through a hole and into a field on the other side of the woods. Meg had a new triage area set up and had called for all-hands on deck for ambulances as well as firefighters in the county. The next rescue squad joined the triage as an oxygen tank refill station, both for patients and for firefighters. Meg took charge of it all. The chief knew that his people were getting refreshed and only came back when she deemed that they were safe to fight again.
The field fire raged for six hours. Only two fire fighters were transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion. Meg and Renee worked together to treat numerous other cases in their makeshift triage area, thankful that they didn't have to send the firefighters on for further medical care. One hundred and twenty-seven acres of land was scorched. What had begun as a field fire had worked its way into the edge of the woods, requiring three loads of water to be dropped from helicopters so the entire scene didn't become totally out of control.
Eight hours after the first alarm, Meg and Renee were finally back at the fire house and restocking the ambulance in drained comradery. Each drawer was pulled open, wiped and cleaned, counted, and stocked. Seth and Dean finished washing the engine and made their way over to sit on the back bumper. "I can't believe the two of you." Dean muttered.
"You can't?" Seth shook his head. "I was in the box-on-wheels when the tree fell. Renee wasn't letting anyone out and I couldn't see Meg. I think I need new turnout gear. Mine kinda smells like shit." Meg looked up with a raised eyebrow. "What? You need clarification on that? A tree crashed into the ground and I couldn't find you. Yeah, I think I…wet myself."
Meg shook her head and went back to counting gauze. Renee ran her fingers through Seth's hair. "It was edgier than any of us were used to this time. We're all okay though." Dean nodded. "I think we need to set up a drill on what to do if a fire jumps the road like that. I certainly wasn't prepared for changing triage locations and backing the ambulance through the smoke like that. If we plan for it and train then we won't have as many goofs."
Dean nodded. "We train with the Hurst and the Jaws of Life. We train with the hoses and water pressure so why not? I like it. And… you know when you have a great idea like that, you get to plan the drill. Have at it!"
"Son of a bi…" The rest of the group laughed as Meg swore under her breath before slamming a drawer and leaning back against a counter with her arms crossed against her chest. "Know what you're in for, Big Boy."
"Bring your worst." Dean taunted.
Seeing Meg's raised eyebrow, Seth propped his arm on Renee's shoulder. "Are we sure we want Meg planning this? She looks rather evil right now."
Renee nodded. "She's motivated. Meg's the one to do this."
"I agree. That's why Meg and I will plan the training together." Seth, Dean, and Renee turned to face the department's chief with their mouths gaping open. "Problem? Didn't think so." He turned on his heel and walked away.
