After a small hiatus, I am BACK. It feels like forever since I even uploaded and I'm so happy to be doing this once more. Anyways, I just want to say that I originally planned this story to be around 50-60 chapters long, but I guess I made unexpected changes and made this a very long storyline. Not that I'm complaining. But I really love how this is shaping up and for what's ahead! Anyhow, I hope you have enjoyed the story by far, and I'm eager to continue! Enjoy!
An hour passed by, Arnold had gone to see Dean and see how he was holding up. Despite the fight that had escalated earlier, he decided to bring him back for the remainder of the shift in exchange for Dean being on desk duty for the week.
In other words, Arnold bent the rules a little, and Dean was let off the hook this time around.
Despite their shift ending, they were working overtime until nighttime.
Soon, it transitioned to an apartment building.
Dean and Warren were working on this one. Tanner joined them.
"This is the apartment. Neighbor heard screams and got concerned." He told them.
"Alright. Got it." Dean leaned into the door. "Fire Department!"
Groans were heard.
"We're right outside, do you copy?"
"Yes…."
Dean then kicked open the door.
CRASH
They soon walked inside and found a dark-skinned woman on the floor.
"Ma'am, can you hear us?"
"Big laceration on her forehead, must've hit the bench on the way down." Warren pointed out as the smoke detector kept beeping.
While Ben checked on her, Dean looked up and checked. "Something's wrong…" He grabbed his axe.
He started to poke at the roof. "This is the top floor, right? An attic above?"
"Yeah…" The woman replied.
Dean started poking the roof with the axe. He then broke through the roof.
Smoke came pouring through.
"We have to get out! Now!" Dean picked up the woman after dropping his axe.
They immediately headed outside and told Tanner.
"Come on, call it in!" Dean told Ben while setting the woman in the Aid Car.
The scene transitioned to a view of the sunny city, and soon overhead of Station 55.
"Ladder, Engine 55, respond to apartment fire." The station alarm went off.
"Smith's reported he's starting a top-floor evacuation! Grab extra tanks for Smith and Warren! Let's move, people!" Arnold hopped into the Ladder truck.
The trucks soon drove off with the sirens blaring.
Within minutes, the Ladder truck was already parked as the Engine soon came to a stop.
"Smith, fill us in." Arnold came over to Dean.
"Smoke coming from the top floor, in the attic possibly. Smoke is sizzling in the ceiling. Smoke detector picked it up through the ceiling and that's how we managed to catch the fire before it broke out."
"Alright, let's start a full building evac on the building! Truck 55, we're on ventilation!" As Arnold started handing out orders, Gerald was finally back full-time. He soon came up to him, passing by the Aid Car.
"Spoke to the building manager, he says plumbers were fusing pipes in the attic," Gerald started while sirens were wailing and nearing them. "Some guys reported this building as a ratty installation. I know this building, I inspected it before. Looks like some things don't change." Gerald said while Arnold strapped on his SCBA.
"Alright, get a hose line ready, get pike poles for ventilation." Arnold buckled up his SCBA.
"If that isn't Gerald Johanssen, I don't know who that is!" The dark-skinned woman said.
"Wait a minute, Timberly?!" Gerald looked over.
"Hose line. Pike poles. Now!" Arnold reminded him while Stella hopped out of her Battalion pickup. She strapped on her white helmet and approached her son.
"Get me up to speed."
"Primary search is in progress and hoses are set up inside. Ladder is being set up to the roof." Arnold said while the ladder on the truck was extending to the roof.
"I see you're working overtime while your wife is being a stay-at-home Mom." She smirked.
"Mom, c'mon…" Arnold chuckled while Gerald came back with a pike pole with the trash hook attachment.
"Now I'm definitely right about things not changing." Gerald smirked.
"Come on, smirk-face. We have a roof to vent." Arnold started climbing.
"Warren! You have the pole?" Donovan asked as he carried both a pike pole and chainsaw.
"Yeah!"
"Dixon, tell us why we vent the roof for structure fires." Donovan then asked Patrick to test his knowledge.
"Ventilation pulls the fire up and out of the building, preventing it to fuel the fire inside! Less spread, less damage, and makes visibility easier for search and rescue!" Pat Dixon listed out.
"Alright, Probie, you're on ventilation with us. Come on." Donovan told him as he walked to the Ladder truck. "Keep up with us if you don't get exhausted from how heavy the gear is." He smirked.
"What are you watching?" Spinelli asked Pep, who was in the living room watching the TV. Specifically the news.
"Look, chopper footage of an apartment roof ventilation." She pointed and kicked her feet up.
"Sweet!" She had Andy in her arms. Spinelli then sat next to her.
Chopper footage showed many firefighters climbing a Ladder to the roof while carrying gear.
"Wonder who's the lucky station getting to vent that roof." Spinelli pouted and looked at Andy.
"I'm just curious to see how that'll go." Pep added.
Most of 55 was climbing to the roof.
Soon, they were on the roof. Most of them had on their breathing masks as they were tapping around the roof with the pike poles. Dixon finally reached the roof.
"Welcome to your first roof ventilation, Probie." Arnold started. "What do we do here?"
"Move from one side of the roof to the other while tapping out the roof as we go!" He replied while masking up. He put on his helmet.
"And what are we looking for?" Arnold questioned.
"Fire's location. Hard means it's cool underneath, spongy means there's trouble below!" Dixon started tapping the pike pole against the roof.
"Well done, Dixon. Alright, keep going." Arnold told him as he inspected the others.
Banging on the door was heard. It had transitioned inside to Dean and Cutler.
"Fire Department! This is an evacuation!" The apartment alarms were going off.
They went to another door. Dean motioned Cutler ahead. "Fire Department! You NEED to evacuate!"
He ran to another door as it transitioned back to the roof.
"You know I can hear you, Don?" Scott said.
"I think that's the point!" Travis replied.
"I think that the point here is that we're here to vent the building!" Arnold shouted.
Warren then got his hook stuck. "Shoot! My hook's stuck!"
"Hey! Easy! Easy! Don't lean too far or you're taking us all out!" Vic helped him get his pole unstuck.
After a few seconds of fiddling around…
CRASH
WHOOSH
Fire flared up from the hole from where the pole was hooked to.
Vic and Warren backed away.
"Alright people, that flareup means the fire's more aggressive than we anticipated!" Arnold started. "Dixon, see those pipes?" Arnold pointed to the roof pipes.
"Yeah! I see them, Cap!"
"Report any changes to me."
Dixon hesitated. "Keep seeing them?"
"Yes. Report any changes to me. Keep your eye on them or we're all dead."
"Am I being hazed?" Dixon asked himself.
"Chief, we had a flare-up. Fires hungry." Arnold radioed.
"Crank it up, Shortman. We don't know how long we have."
"Alexander, Doss, make a heat hole on the bravo corner!" Arnold directed.
"Hear that, Vic? Let's cut this baby open and see what we're working with!" Donovan looked at her.
"Heat hole will cost us time!" Scott said.
"Scott and I know this building, the attic is a big open space and fire could eat through it fast!" Travis added.
"I say we cut to cutting a straight strip! Draw the fire to it and stop the blaze in its path!" Scott suggested.
"Gibson, Montgomery, I appreciate the advice but there are steps we can't skip through! Alright? Alexander, Doss, start cutting!" Arnold gave the go-ahead.
Donovan soon started cutting a hole in the roof.
"Look, if the heat hole works, it'll preserve way more structure than the strip hole!"
"If we wait too long, we could lose our chance!" Scott retaliated.
"It's my call and I stand by it! KEEP CUTTING!" He then yelled.
"Yes, Captain…"
At street level, it looked like everyone was evacuated from the building.
"Company 55, is everyone out? I need everyone out now!" Stella came over.
"Chief," They started walking away from the crowd.
"Chief, the hole is nearly done. Have the interior team on standby with hoses." Arnold radioed. "Dixon, how are those pipes?"
"Still pipey! I'm definitely being hazed…" He replied, then told himself.
"We should just start cutting the strip hole!" Travis told Scott.
"Montgomery, hold off on that!"
"Captain, status report!" Stella radioed. "Captain! Do you copy?"
"Chief, I copy!"
Arnold anxiously looked at the hole Donovan cut out. Vic was pushing down the hole to see if smoke or fire came through.
Only light smoke.
BOOM
WHOOSH
HISS
"SHOW US WHAT YOU'RE MADE OF!" Michelle called out while looking at the raging flames.
Arnold then reached for his radio. "Chief, the hole is done! We're ready for water inside!"
Arnold and everyone else noticed the fire wasn't dying down.
"Uh oh…" The fire kept pouring.
"Captain! We're about to hit it inside, I need confirmation!" Stella radioed once more. She looked back up.
"The fire isn't going out, we need a strip hole!" Gerald suggested.
"Start cutting. NOW! Alexander, Doss, join 'em!" Arnold gave the go-ahead.
The chainsaws started cutting away as the scene went back inside.
With his SCBA mask on, Dean banged a door repeatedly. "HILLWOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT! IS ANYONE IN THERE? CALL OUT!"
"Here…." A weak reply was heard.
"WE'RE COMING IN!" Dean tried opening the door, but it was blocked.
"CALL OUT!" He forced the door open.
They looked around for a moment and found the man.
"Smoke alarm is broken…" The man said as Dean and Cutler came up to him.
"Floors all clear! Come on!" Dean put the man's arm over his shoulder and walked out.
CRASH
CRACK
CRASH
Roof debris came crashing down.
Back On The Roof
As everyone kept cutting, Dixon looked back at Arnold.
"Captain, I also have a chainsaw I could jump in-"
"Keep talking to me about those pipes!" Arnold interrupted him.
"Well, there's nothing to talk about!"
"Just how I like it!" The chainsaw noises stopped. "Alright, people! On three! One! Two! Three! Open up!" Everyone grabbed their pike poles and started lifting off the strip hole pieces.
Smoke came pouring through.
"Nothings happening!" Dixon said.
"Give it a sec!" Gibson replied.
HISS
CRASH
WHOOSH
Fire flared up and started pouring from the holes.
"Love it!"
"There we are!" Travis patted Scott's shoulder.
"Alright, Chief! We cut the fire off!"
"Copy that."
"I think this strip is gloating for you, Gibson!" Arnold chuckled.
"Are we all clear, Captain?" Dixon shouted.
"Yeah! Got somewhere better to be, Probie?" Arnold replied and looked at him.
"Uh, yeah! Off this roof! My good friends, the pipes, have grown in size! Looks like the roof is sinking and we have to get off now!" Dixon shouted.
"He's right! Everyone! Boots to the ground!" Arnold went on the radio. "Roofs losing its integrity! Time to wrap up evac inside!" He radioed as he headed to the ladder.
"How long do we have?" Dixon asked as he got on the ladder.
"How long have the pipes grown?"
"Around six inches!"
"I'd say we have 30 seconds, give or take! Get a move on, Dixon!" Arnold replied as he got on the ladder. He only looked at the pouring flames and smiled. He soon started to climb down.
Soon, everyone was climbing down and toward safety.
Donovan soon nodded at Warren as he headed toward the Engine. While Arnold came up to Stella.
"Everyone down?" She asked.
"Yup. Is everybody out?" He asked.
"Dean and his team have been doing a final sweep while you guys were venting." Stella replied.
"Chief, the roof isn't stable!" Arnold replied.
"I updated him on the roof's status, he knows what he's doing." Stella sternly replied.
"Chief! Pull him out or he'll keep looking for tenants!" Arnold sternly answered.
"I know how to run a scene!"
"GOT HIM!" Dean called out. He had the man over his shoulder.
A stretcher was immediately brought over, where the man would be placed on. Dean walked away coughing with his hands on his knees.
CRASH
KA-BOOM
CRASH
KA-POW
"And the roof just collapsed." Dean looked up.
"Possible fractured right side, severe smoke inhalation so his airway is probably burning! Keep an eye on his lungs!" Travis told the paramedics.
"Seth, are you alright?" Timberly came over. Gerald yanked her arm.
"Will you mind telling me why you never bothered to even look for me?!" Gerald asked while Travis slapped the rear of the ambulance.
The ambulance sirens started blaring as it soon drove away.
"Why uh… Hey, Gerald?…"
"Why do you look like a mess? Why is your hair all messy? What the hell are you even up to?!" Gerald had so many questions.
"Captain, post-incident. Walk me through it." Stella had Arnold and Scott at the front of the Ladder truck.
"Started with a heat hole but Scott suggested a strip hole. I took the recommendation but I ignored it."
"Enough." Stella stopped him. "On the ground, this call sounded like a mess. Right now, it's worse. Gibson, I heard you arguing through the radio. And Shortman, you have several firefighters with relevant experience of this building. Captains lead by utilizing their team to the best of their ability. And firefighters need to listen, follow commands, and do as they are told!" She scolded both of them.
"I'm not a kindergarten teacher! Do better! Figure out how to work together or I will have one of you transferred! And I mean it!" Stella walked away after picking up her helmet from the bumper.
"Damn." Scott muttered. "You said it…" Arnold looked at Stella as she walked away.
"You're such a mess, you know that?" Gerald told Timberly. "I can't believe you grew up to be what you are."
"Gerald, I-"
"Save it! I don't need to hear anything else from you!" Gerald walked away.
"Someone has family issues." Travis pointed out. "Look, you'd have the same reaction after your sister grew up to simply not care enough for her big brother that has done so much for her!" Gerald replied upset, and walked away.
"Just give him some time. I'm sure he'll get over it or something. It all takes time, Trav." Michelle told him.
"Everyone alright?" Arnold came over.
"Well, we're fine, but I don't know about Johanssen over there." Travis replied. "And just when you think he hasn't gone through enough." He shook his head.
"And I better go stop him before he messes up the equipment." Arnold mentioned as he walked to the rear of the truck.
As the day passed by, the view of the beautiful sunny city soon fast-forwarded to nighttime, around eight-thirty. It was also time to clock out, as Arnold had the next three days off.
He stretched after getting into his street clothes.
"I'm so ready for these next three days." He yawned.
"If it isn't my competition to become Captain." Michelle came over in street clothes with a smirk.
"Surely you aren't going to try and compete against me. You've had little time as Lieutenant, what makes you think you'll have a chance at Captain, respectfully?" Arnold replied with a question.
"I have what it takes, I've been learning about leadership from both my Dad and you, I have chemistry with everyone, so I think I stand a chance against you."
Arnold chuckled. "You can try, and I know how much of a hard worker you are, I'll give you that."
"I'll see you tomorrow night for a few drinks at Silver Tiger's bar with the others?" Michelle offered with her pearly white smile.
"Yeah, yeah." Arnold adjusted his hoodie.
"Great. See you." Michelle walked away.
Arnold smiled as he shook his head while grabbing his Ford pickup keys. He soon grabbed his phone from his pocket and started to text Spinelli.
"Yo, Spin, sorry I haven't texted you, worked overtime. I'm headed home right now. Love you, sweetheart." A red heart at the end of the sentence to finish it. Arnold smiled as he sent the text and put his phone away.