An Act of Friendship
Chapter 2
The trek down the hill proved long and arduous for Roy and Brice. The rain made the ground slick and treacherous, causing their feet to slip and throwing them off balance. As they descended, Roy went over scenarios in his head, trying to mentally prepare himself. By the time they reached the bottom, he wanted to scream in frustration.
They unhooked their belts and Roy ran to the side of the river as Brice looked for someplace suitable to tie the ropes off. Roy scanned the water until he saw the faint outline of the car's roof. The car seemed to be resting about 15 feet down. While Brice started setting up the ropes, Roy reported the situation to Cap on the HT.
Marco and Chet arrived carrying more ropes and equipment in a stokes. They quickly went to work helping Brice to secure the lines as Roy set up the medical equipment. Roy continued to scan the river occasionally, knowing his partner he wouldn't be surprised if they popped up at any time. Roy and Brice had just finished tying off when Mike and Cap arrived with another stokes.
Cap came over and placed his hand on Roy's shoulder as he said, "Be careful out there."
Roy nodded once then walked over to join Brice at the side of the river. They looked over at Cap, awaiting his 'go ahead'. When Cap nodded, they lowered themselves into the river.
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As Joanne nodded her head, Johnny positioned himself. He turned sideways on the seat, leaned back on his elbows and rested his feet briefly on the window. He felt a pop in his side as he took a deep breath and pulled his legs back. He heard, 'Don't Johnny!' as he kicked the glass as hard as he could. Pain exploded in his leg, overwhelming him as the glass spider webbed and water began trickling in. Joanne reached over and pulled him closer as he trembled and moaned. Johnny fought to stay conscious as the cracks grew and the water began pouring in. He rolled sideways and lost the contents of his stomach.
Joanne was shocked. She hadn't expected Johnny to break the glass with his feet. As he vomited, she held his head and said, "Johnny! My God…are you okay?" When he was done, she leaned him back against her as he shook with pain. The water was now up to their chests. Joanne felt a flash of panic as she wondered if she could do this.
Johnny knew they had to get moving. He carefully sat up, fighting the pain. "Okay Joanne. Get ready. I'm gonna get the glass out the rest of the way. Then I want you to crawl across me. Take a few deep breaths and climb out. Okay?" He waited for her nod before he smacked the glass with his casted arm. The window broke into big chunks and the force of the water helped him accomplish the rest of the task. Johnny ran his cast along the edges of the window, making sure there weren't any big shards left. He looked at Joanne and said, "Ready?" The water level was now up to the bottom of the window.
Joanne gave a nod and crawled over Johnny. She took a couple of deep breaths then held her breath. Water was gushing through the window as she placed her hands on the sides of the window. Crouching on the seat she pushed herself against the torrent of water. The water briefly pushed her backwards. Trying again, she pushed off more forcefully with her feet. When she pushed off, she misjudged the height and her head cracked against the window frame. As she lost consciousness, her body fell back towards Johnny.
Johnny saw Joanne's body go limp. He grasped her arm and turned her. She was now floating in the water, which was almost to the top of the window frame. Johnny knew they were running out of time. He slapped her face, but she didn't respond. He was going to have to get her out.
Johnny positioned himself next to the window. He would go first and pull her out. Once his legs were out of the window, he pulled Joanne so her head was resting against his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and placed the heel of his hand under her chin. Taking a couple of deep, painful breaths, he held the last one as he pinched her nose and backed them out of the window.
As soon as he knew Joanne had cleared the window, Johnny started kicking his legs and using his casted arm to propel them to the surface. Pain shot up the broken leg and he almost cried out. He kicked as hard as he could, but they were barely moving. He hadn't anticipated the weight of his casts.
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Roy slipped into the water and shivered. 'Man that's cold.' He heard Brice's quick intake of breath as he, apparently, thought so too. He looked back at Cap to get his bearings then turned and headed in the direction of the car.
It was difficult to tell exactly where the car was from this angle. Roy swam to where he thought it should be and then glanced back for confirmation from his captain. When he received a nod, he waited until Brice caught up to him.
Roy looked at Brice. "You ready?" he questioned. Brice nodded and they dove beneath the surface. The water was slightly murky, which hampered their vision, but as they descended they could make out the roof of the vehicle.
Roy scanned the area. As he approached the driver's side of the car, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned and saw Johnny struggling to swim with something in his arms. It took Roy a moment to realize that it was his wife Johnny was holding.
Roy swam over to Johnny and tried to pull Joanne out of his grasp, but Johnny wouldn't release his hold.
Johnny, struggling desperately to get to the surface, was unaware of Roy. Pain was slowly working its way into his awareness. He was running out of air quickly and his only thought was of saving Joanne.
Trying a different tactic, Roy swam right in front of him and put his hand on Johnny's chin while establishing eye contact. He could see the pain and desperation in Johnny's eyes followed by recognition and relief. They nodded to each other then Roy replaced Johnny's hand on Joanne's chin and nose. As Brice arrived, he pulled Joanne from Johnny's grasp and headed for the surface.
Johnny's lungs burned as his endurance faded. Knowing that Joanne was taken care of, the adrenaline that had sustained him departed. He felt someone grab him around the chest and involuntarily gasped when pain engulfed him. As water filled his mouth and nose, panic set in. He struggled against his unknown captor but couldn't break loose from the unrelenting hands. He needed to get to the surface and breathe, now. He started coughing and his body went limp as his vision tunneled to a pinpoint and he lost the battle to stay conscious.
Roy broke the surface of the water and let go of Joanne's nose and chin. Immediately she started breathing on her own, he sighed in relief. He then checked her pulse, it was thready and weak. Chet and Marco started reeling them in while he tried to get a response from her.
They were about halfway to shore, when he heard Brice shout, "Pull me in quick!" Roy glanced back and saw Brice begin rescue breathing on Johnny.
Mike and Cap heard Brice's command and started pulling quickly.
Chet and Marco reached down and pulled Joanne onto the bank. As Roy scrambled out of the water, they carried her over and laid her on a yellow blanket. Chet ran to help Cap and Mike as Roy began his assessment.
Marco set up the oxygen, "How much?" he asked.
Roy lifted his hand from Joanne's abdomen. "6 liters."
Marco adjusted the rate and placed the mask on Joanne's face. He moved over to the biophone. "Rampart, this is Squad 51. How do you read?"
"Squad 51, we read you loud and clear." Dixie's husky voice responded.
"Rampart, we have two victims of a car accident with entrapment underwater. The first victim has been extricated, vital signs will follow. Rampart, victim is Joanne DeSoto. The second victim is still being extricated. Victim is John Gage."
Hearing the names of the victims, Dixie was stunned. She knew Johnny had an appointment with Kel this morning. "10-4 51, we'll be standing by," she replied as she picked up the phone to call Kel.
Roy relayed Joanne's vital signs to Marco, who wrote them down. He gave a sigh of relief, when he noted her pupils were equal and reactive but a little sluggish.
Running his hands around her head, Roy called out his findings. "Marco, can you get a 4 by 4 on that laceration?" he asked as he placed a cervical collar around her neck.
Roy's hands traveled across her shoulders and down her arms where he noted the swollen wrist. He had Marco splint it as he continued his assessment. When his hands pressed on her ribs, her eyelids fluttered and she moaned.
"Joanne. Joanne, wake up honey." Roy called as he checked her abdomen, nothing. He ran his hands down her legs, thankful that he didn't find anything. He looked up into beautiful green eyes and smiled. "How are you feeling?"
"C…cold…and my h…head hurts." Joanne replied with a grimace as she shivered. She blinked heavily trying to clear the fog in her head.
Marco opened a blanket pack and laid it on her as she gave him a soft smile and murmured 'thanks.'
Roy moved over to the biophone. "Rampart, this is Squad 51, victim one's vitals are BP 100/70, pulse 40 weak and thready, respirations 12. Victim has a laceration to the left temple, contusion with lump over the left ear, and forehead. Pupils are equal and reactive but sluggish. Possible wrist fracture. Marked tenderness to the left side of the ribcage. Mild hypothermia is present."
Brackett's deep voice responded. "10-4 51. Start an IV, D5WTKO. Splint the wrist. Full spinal precautions. Keep her warm and get her in here as soon as possible."
Kelly Brackett's mouth twitched as he looked into Dixie's concerned blue eyes. "Dix, get Joe. I want him to look over Joanne." He saw her nod and walk down the hall as he waited for word on Johnny.
Marco brought over the backboard. As they log rolled Joanne onto it, Mike and Chet pulled Johnny onto the bank.
Mike ran for the BVM as Chet immediately started rescue breathing. Cap helped Brice onto shore then they picked Johnny up and carried him over to the other blanket. As they set him down, Mike placed the mask over Johnny's mouth and began bagging him.
Marco tucked a second blanket around Joanne as Roy pulled out an IV set up.
Brice grabbed the stethoscope and listened to Johnny's chest. After a few moments he looked over at Cap and relayed, "diminished breath sounds on the right with bilateral rales present." He grabbed an intubation kit.
"Rampart, this is 51, victim two has been extricated and is in respiratory arrest from near drowning. Diminished breath sounds on the right, bilateral rales present."
"10-4 51, intubate. Hook him up to a monitor and send me a strip."
"10-4 Rampart." Cap responded as he saw Roy tape down Joanne's IV and Brice tilt Johnny's head back.
Brice inserted the airway. Mike attached the BVM to the tube and bagged him as Brice moved down to check the placement of the airway. He gave a quick nod and began his assessment as Chet attached the leads.
Marco and Roy placed the backboard in the stokes and tightened the straps around Joanne.
Brice called out vital signs to Cap. He noted the contusion on Johnny's head and checked his pupils. He moved down. "Chet, get a C-collar on him." He directed as he checked Johnny's arms.
"Rampart, 51. This will be lead two."
'What a mess.' Brice thought as he ran his hand over the cracked, sodden cast. He heard Brackett's 'normal sinus rhythm' as he ran his hands over Johnny's ribs, they shifted. 'Not good.' He reported his findings as he checked the abdomen then moved to the legs.
Roy called, "Meet you at Rampart," as he, Marco, and two guys from 36s lifted the stokes and started up the hill.
Cap acknowledged with a nod as he moved out of Brice's way.
"Rampart, this is Squad 51. Victim two's vitals are BP 90/60, pulse 150, respirations 12 assisted. Victim has a contusion on the right side of the head. Pupils are equal and reactive but sluggish. Rib fractures with movement. Broken casts on previously fractured arm and leg." Brice relayed.
"10-4 51. IV D5W wide open. Full spinal precautions. Get him in here and watch his breath sounds and heart rate."
Brackett turned to Dixie. "Set up a chest tube tray. Have 4 units of blood ready. Call Mitchellson from Respiratory and I want an OR on standby."
"10-4 Rampart." Cap replied then packed up the biophone as Chet and Brice log rolled Johnny onto the backboard.