Introduction

Hi there cats and chicks! Thank you for taking an interest in my new series titled "In The Mouth of the Dragon". In this series, we will be following the exploits of a firefighter/paramedic just out of paramedic school and hitting the streets for the first time. This story takes place in a fictional city located in Southern California called North Beach. North Beach Fire Department is modeled after a few departments located in Orange County, California. The bulk of it deriving from Anaheim Fire Department (ill explain later!). The story takes us to North Beach fire station six, located at 17100 Beach Boulevard. Station six is modeled after Anaheim fire station five as seen above. The response area station six encompasses is largely residential and light commercial, with some light industrial sprinkled in. The residential is mostly lower to middle class, with a high crime rate. The northern part of the district includes the tail end of a beach and some highly desired condominiums. Station six is a mixed bag as far as types of medical calls go, and has a higher instance of fire. North Beach utilizes paramedic engine companies. Meaning, the fire engine also serves as a paramedic unit. Patient transportation to the hospital is done by private ambulance via a contract by the city. If warranted, the firefighter/paramedics will ride with the patient and the engine follows the ambulance to the hospital. At least two crew members on the apparatus have to be certified as paramedics. Station six not only has a paramedic engine company, it also has a truck (ladder) company. The following are the cast of characters that make up A Shift at station six:

Engine Six Members:

Clyde Presley - Captain/Paramedic: Clyde is a twenty two year veteran of North Beach Fire. Nineteen of those years he has served as a paramedic. Clyde is the commanding officer for engine six. He stands 5'11" with a semi muscular build with a bit of a pot belly. Clyde is even tempered, always plays it cool, thoughtful, a smartass and a bit of a prankster. He is the type that works hard and plays hard. He is a fatherly figure to many in the department including his own shift. He knows he is in the dusk of his career and it really bothers him. Clyde is married with two sons, one is a firefighter in a neighboring city and one is a police officer in North Beach.

Thomas Latour - Engineer/Paramedic: Tom is a seventeen year veteran of North Beach Fire. Thirteen of those years he has served as a paramedic. He is the apparatus operator for engine six. He stands 6'6", very broad shoulder and stocky. He is also even temped, full of life and energy. He commands attention where ever he goes. He is never in a bad mood, and he may seem gruff to others, but if he is he holds you in high regards. Like the captain, he works hard and plays harder. He plays in various bands as a bass player or a keyboardist and is also the resident cook on the shift. Tom is a bachelor and is not the type to settle down.

Hector Gonzales - Firefighter/Paramedic: Hector is a five year veteran of North Beach Fire. He is a newly released paramedic. Hector is 5'8" stocky and not an ounce of fat on him. He plays a lot of football and is an avid runner. Hector like the rest of the crew is a fun loving individual who can keep his cool. He is very proud of his heritage and hailing from Burbank. He makes friends quickly and is known as a stand-up guy. He has a girlfriend he is on the outs with. Hector is the main character in the story.

Chad Kingshott - Firefighter: Chad is a new member to North Beach Fire. He has eighteen months on and is nearing the end of his probationary period, which after he will be a full fledged member without being treated as a red-headed step child. He stands 6'0", and has a thin build. He is a surfer boy to heart and spends a lot of time at the beach. He has your typical surfer attitude, go with the flow. He has been a bit defensive lately, eighteen months of teasing, pranks and trying to get through his probationary period has worn him a bit thin. Chad has a live-in girlfriend and four dogs.

Truck Six Members:

Scott Lawson - Captain: Scott is a twelve year veteran of North Beach Fire. Scott was a lateral transfer from Los Angeles Fire-Rescue (LAFR). Scott has a total of sixteen years in the fire service. Scott is 5'7" and built like a fire hydrant. Short, stocky and wide. He is a newly appointed captain and is taking to it well. He served in the Army and brought his love of tactics to the fire service. He is usually all business but does enjoy a good joke. He is married with three daughters, two in high school and one in middle school. He works as a construction contractor in his spare time to help offset the mounting clothes and manicure bills. He has his eyes on a battalion chief position.

Jeremiah Southerland - Engineer: Jeremiah is a seven year veteran of North Beach Fire. Like the captain, he is a newly appointed engineer to the truck company. He is the apparatus operator. Since truck six is a tractor drawn ladder truck, there is someone in the back who steers. He is 6'5", with a perfect body. No fat on him and extremely muscular. He is HUGE. He played football at Louisiana State University, where he is from. He is a southern boy in southern California. He ended up there following a dream for acting, which never worked out. He is a soft spoken, church going, very caring man. He never has a bad word to say about anything and has a very infectious laugh - very deep and warm, like santa claus. He also loves to cook and shares the responsibility with Tom. He has a live-in girlfriend and works a second job as a bouncer at a bar. He is very interested in the paramedic program but feels he doesn't have the intellect to pass the course.

Michele Cox - Firefighter/Tillerman: Michele is a five year veteran of North Beach Fire. She also serves as the tillerman, steering the back end of the apparatus. She is 5'8" with a slim build and red hair. She is feisty, likes to joke, has no shame what so ever, and is a bit tom boy-ish. She is from a family of brothers. She is very strong and has a lot of guts. Nothing scares or phases her. She is married and in a mentally abusive relationship with her husband, which is starting to wear her thin. She was in the same academy is Hector, and the two know each other well, but fell out of contact in the last couple of months.

Anthony Pizzachillo - Firefighter: Anthony is a five year veteran of North Beach Fire. He is no stranger of the fire service. He hails from Northern New Jersey and was a volunteer firefighter for a few years. He stands 5'11" and has a bit of a stocky build. He is a bit full of himself and has a big ego. He thinks of himself as a ladies man. He likes to get the other members riled up about "proper" firefighting which is done on the east coast. He likes to stir the pot and push limits. Deep down he is a great person. He is a bachelor. He ended up on the west coast chasing the girl of his dreams, which didn't pan out. He also attended the same academy as Michele and Hector.

Now you have a feel for the characters. You will experience life as a firefighter/paramedic through their eyes. You will feel the joy, pain, laughter trials and tribulations that make the american fire service so great. I am an avid fire buff if you couldn't tell! I also served as a basic EMT with Plaza Volunteer Rescue Squad in Virginia Beach, VA (Rescue 16) and as a Volunteer Firefighter with the Chesapeake, VA Fire Department (Station 4). I have an uncle who serves as a firefighter with Anaheim Fire Department, so hence why a lot of this follows that department pretty closely! Some of these stories will be based on my experiences, some the experiences of others, what I have observed as a ride along, and whatever my mind can come up with! I'm brushing up on my academy notes and medical protocols. I will make this as technically and reality based as I can. So, grab your gear, strap in, and feel what its like to get that adrenaline rush as you roll out of the bay door, en route to a call!

Spread the word of my series and comments/suggestions/questions/explanations/death threats are always welcome! Don't be shy please tell me what you really think! I want to hear it, and most of all, I hope you enjoy the story. It'll be one wild ride!