Going to Extreme Measures

Chapter 7

The rest of the afternoon was quiet for the guys. Johnny did sound better after a hot shower, although he was still coughing some from the smoke he had taken in earlier that day. They had actually been able to enjoy an entire meal at lunch time without getting called out. At four thirty their luck ran out.

The station was called out to another big fire, this time at a small winery on the outskirts of town. By the time they got there the place was totally involved. "Not much we can do here but surround and drown the buildings." Captain Stanley instructed his men and the incoming responses to do just that, surround and drown. Since there seemed to be no one still inside any of the small buildings that made up the storage area, office and production rooms Johnny and Roy were also assigned to pull a line. A short time later the owner of the winery pulled up at the scene and ran towards the building where the offices were. Captain Stanley grabbed him by the arm, "Hey there you can't go in there."

"But my secretary, I don't see here anywhere. I think she may still be in there. You have to find her."

"Okay sir why don't you step over here beside the engine and wait. I'll get my paramedics to look for her. Can you tell me where she might be?" The distraught man quickly explained the layout of the main office. Captain Stanley called Johnny and Roy over and filled them in on the situation.

"Okay Cap," they both responded in unison as they turned and ran towards the burning building. Once inside the front door Roy tapped Johnny on the shoulder and pointed towards the far end of the hall then he pointed to the offices near the reception area they now stood in. Johnny responded by pointing down the hall. He would go further in and let Roy handle the offices closer. They nodded agreement and set out on the search. There was no time for debating who would go where. The fire was fast eating away at the building. Chet and Marco followed Johnny and Roy into the reception area to help offer any protection from the flames they could. The guys checked each small office quickly and put an X on the doors as they exited. Marco and Chet kept a steady stream of water on the hallway keeping it clear of flames.

Johnny entered a room that appeared to be used for filing. He weaved his way between the rows of file cabinets. The smoke had gotten thicker and visibility was very difficult. As he rounded the last row he found the missing woman. Immediately dropping on his knees beside her he checked for a pulse. He found one. Stripping his mask off he brought it down on her face so she could breathe clean air. He quickly checked her for apparent injuries and finding none he scooped her up and lifted her. Knowing that the fire was getting hotter he hurried to the exit. Stepping into the hall he almost ran into Roy as he came out of the room across the hall. Knowing that Johnny had already been exposed to smoke earlier that day Roy took his mask off replaced Johnny's with it. He then pushed Johnny's mask back over his face and followed the man out of the building. Once they got outside Roy ran over to the squad to get the equipment out. Mike had already placed a yellow blanket on the ground for the victim. Johnny lowered her down and began taking her vitals as Mike placed an oxygen mask on her.

Johnny pulled his mask off again and immediately started coughing. Mike looked over at him with concern. "I'm okay Mike. Just irritated my throat again," Johnny assured his friend.

As the exchange took place by the squad other activity continued all around them. At a fire scene things happen really fast. Captain Stanley had gone into the burning office building just as Johnny and Roy had exited to make sure Chet and Marco had everything under control and were on their way out. As Johnny finished telling Mike he was all right they could hear the falling debris inside the nearby structure as the ceiling caved in on their Captain and crew mates.

Debris fell all around Chet and Marco as they dropped the hose and turned to run from the building. They both knew it was going to go, but stayed behind to make sure Johnny and Roy got out of the building with the victim. Captain Stanley also knew as soon as he first stepped through the entrance. Being by the door he was hit by the least amount of debris, however he was knocked backwards and hit his head hard on the reception area desk causing him a few seconds of disorientation. Chet was knocked down on top of Marco causing him the worst of the fall. Marco's arm fell hard against the nozzle on the end of the fire hose. He felt the cut on his wrist as it happened. Chet twisted his ankle as he fell. The debris fell hard against his back.

Johnny, Roy and Mike heard the commotion behind them. "Roy you got her?" Johnny asked as he rose up and began to pull his air mask over his face.

"Go!" Roy told him.

Johnny sprinted to the entrance and ducked inside. He almost immediately found Captain Stanley who was scrambling to his feet. "Cap are you all right?"

Captain Stanley looked over at Johnny and nodded that he was okay. Together they began searching for their fallen crew mates. "They were right over there. We were coming out. They should be together."

Neither Chet nor Marco had lost consciousness so they started trying to get up. "Marco are you okay buddy?"

"I cut my arm, but I'm all right. Are you okay?"

"Twisted my ankle I think. I can't get up. There's too much debris."

"Chet, Marco?" Johnny yelled to them.

"Over here Gage." Chet called back.

"Are you near Marco?"

"I'm here too Johnny." Marco pushed against Chet trying to help him up.

"Are you hurt?" Captain Stanley asked this time.

"I cut my arm and Chet hurt his ankle, but mostly we just can't get up."

"Hang tight. We just need to move some of this stuff," Johnny told them as he lifted the last big piece of ceiling off of Chet and began to check him for injury. Chet struggled with Johnny and got up anyway.

"Geesh Gage we told you it was just my ankle." Chet stumbled as he got up and Johnny caught him. Captain Stanley helped Marco up and the four men moved to exit the building.

Mike and Roy were anxiously watching the doorway looking for their friends. As soon as Mike saw the men coming out of the building he ran over to help them. The group of weary fire men trudged over to the blanket beside the squad. Johnny wrapped Marco's wrist as Roy put a precautionary splint on Chet's ankle. Next Johnny checked Captain Stanley's head for bumps. "Okay Chet you go in the ambulance with Roy and his victim. Marco you ride with Johnny in the squad and Mike and I will follow in the engine. We'll see everyone at Rampart." The men knew better than to argue with their captain. They would all go to Rampart and anyone with the slightest injury would be checked out.

An hour later the crew from 51's had been treated and released for duty. Marco had four stitches to his wrist. Chet had his ankle wrapped and had been given instructions to keep it elevated when he was not on a run. Captain Stanley had a minor concussion. Johnny was given another breathing treatment. They were tired and hungry when they all came into the kitchen. "How about some sandwiches and chips for a quick dinner?" Mike asked. The group of men nodded their heads in agreement. They were too hungry to wait for anything more. Mike grabbed all of the supplies from the refrigerator and began setting it out on the table. Johnny got up and started a fresh pot of coffee. Roy got plates and chips from the cabinets. Soon they were enjoying the normal banter around the meal table.

The rest of the night for the crew went smoothly. The squad was only called out on two minor calls and the engine to a back yard fire set by a couple of kids. The morning tones sounded waking a fairly well rested group. Shift change came and everyone headed home except for Mike and Johnny who were going horse back riding. The two men climbed into Mike's pick up truck to make the short trip.

"Hey Mike you gonna risk hangin' out with Gage again? Be careful you'll be late again next shift," Chet yelled to the men as they were climbing into the truck.

Johnny and Mike looked at each other and smiled and together they leaned out of the truck windows and yelled, "Shut up Chet" as Mike pulled the truck out of the parking space. They waved as they drove away laughing.

"Man Roy they sure are hangin' out together a lot. Johnny seems to have found a new best friend." Chet again tried to stir up something between Roy and Johnny.

"Chet you can give up on trying to make me mad at Johnny and Mike. I know what they're doing. I'm glad they are having fun together. They both need it. Besides for your information they've been doing stuff together for years. This was not the first time Mike has been camping with Johnny. He just doesn't always tell YOU about it." Roy smiled at the thought that he had just gotten the best of Chet. He could tell by the man's open mouth that he had no clue that Johnny and Mike had spent time together before. Roy backed his Porsche out and drove away leaving Chet standing alone in the lot.

Once again Marco took pity on his best friend and invited him to breakfast. "Come on Amigo, breakfast awaits us at Momma's." Chet limped over to his vehicle and followed Marco home.