The early morning traffic on Beach Boulevard moves in the rank and file with the commuters. Hector finds himself in this strange ballet of steel, asphalt and glass. He is taking in the new sights and surroundings. He has never traveled in this part of North Beach in his life. The mix of strip malls, apartment complexes, and neighborhoods disorient him in a dizzying splendor. This is a whole new world for his senses and his soul. "Well, better get used to this!" he thought looking for any sign of an approaching fire station. He can finally make out the traffic signal in front of the fire station. The red colored sign reading "Fire station" sways in the wind, which causes a déjà vu effect in his brain. Now he is getting a mixed feeling of nervousness and excitement. "I wonder who's on the crew. Hmm, maybe I know some of them. God, I hope the captain isn't a jerkoff!" he thinks out loud as the station comes into view. Before him he sees a single story station that looks kind of small. The apparatus bay door is open, and before him he sees the front of a brand new red and white engine, just like Engine One. It is parked over to the left to allow another apparatus to park next to it. "Hmm, Truck Six must be out on a call" he thought. He takes notice that the station looks tiny, and probably is the parking lot out back. He slows his vehicle to make the turn for the back parking lot. "Next stop, hell!" he says out loud as he swings his vehicle into the back of the station.
"I’m telling you. Those C-Shift assholes always have an excuse. This time they left me at a half of a tank of fuel and one of the SCBA bottles in the jumpseat was almost empty. They were screaming like 'oh god we got our balls kicked through our assholes!' Fuck them! C-Shift so bites!" complained Tom. Tom Latour is the Engineer for Engine Six. He is in the captain's office complaining to Clyde Presley, the captain of Engine Six about what he found during his vehicle checkoff which is required at the start of every shift. He is also sipping a cup of coffee. At 6'6" and a deep commanding voice, he is hard to ignore. Captain Presley realizes this as he strokes his forehead, sipping on a cup of coffee. "Ogre, I dunno what to tell you. Trust me, I agree those animals aren't fit to even be allowed into the city limits. I’ll send an email and if the BC (Battalion Chief) swings by, I'll have a chat with Chief Kircher. Guess what? I've got even better news." he states. Tom takes from his position of hovering over the captain’s desk, and sits in the chair reserved for the captain of Truck Six. He places his feet on top of the desk, which pushes him back a bit. He is very tall, and when he does this, it makes him look taller than usual. "Fuckin' great! Can't wait to hear this. Lemme guess, there is a memo that states all insect carcasses will be removed from the front grill of all apparatus via a tooth brush and a solution of sodium bicarbonate and water not exceeding a 1:1 ratio?" states Tom as he takes another sip of his coffee. Captain Presley lets out a laugh and puts his coffee mug down. "Mmm. Now that was a good one! I got you with that, and we got those prima donna paragod's over at Station Four with that one too, buncha bums! I wish it was that, but alas kind sir, this is not the case. Didn't you even notice our illustrious firefighter, Bob Saganaw isn’t here?" he states as he mimics Toms actions and props his feet up as well. "Oh yea, I was too worried about what C-Shift did to my baby out there I paid no mind! Call out sick?" asked Tom. Captain Presley taps his fingers on the desk and says, "Nope. Worse. He got transferred. It seems our little friend didn't like it here at Six, with the late night activity and all. So the story goes, Division Chief Mazur somehow overheard it. So, they sent him packing to Station Nine since one of their guys transferred to Station One. They're sending over the dude from Station One. It got screwed up in the administration channels so the poor guy we are getting got hosed. Here's the kicker. He's fresh out of PM school, so now we will be back to three medics!" A beautiful smile comes across Tom's face and says, "Thank you Jesus! We can share the workload once more! Good, this is a great place to apply the tools of the trade. Fuck Saganaw anyway. All he did was bitch and moan for the three weeks he was here. Those guys at nine barely run two calls a day. Sounds like a typical North Beach Fire circle jerk! Who are we getting?" Captain Presley takes his computer mouse and scrolls down on the page on the screen. "Let’s see here, umm the cat's name is Hector Gonzales. Doesn’t ring any bells to me", he states. Tom scratches his head for a moment and says, "Yea, me either. Oh well, hope this guy is worth two shits and a fuck when the shit meets the fan blades!" Just then a figure appears in the doorway and says, "Dude, I’ll drink to that!" Hector is in the doorway and surprises both men. Tom spits his coffee back into his cup and Captain Presley removes his feet from the desk. "Nevermind this sasquatch looking bastard, he has a chapped ass this morning. You must be Hector?"says Captain Presley who is now standing to greet Hector. Hector locks hands with the captain and shakes. "Yes Sir. Hector Gonzales, call me Gonzo. I’m your new bitch, I mean firefighter/paramedic." he says. Captain Presley laughs and says "Wow! You fit in nicely around here. I like you already! Clyde Presley. Please for the love of shit don't call me sir. Clyde or Presley work. Nice to meet you!" Tom leans around the captain with his arm extended. "Tom Latour. Damn glad to meet you!" Hector and Tom lock hands and shake. "Call him ogre. This furry beast is the engineer. He's also a medic and so am I. Glad you are too! You'll learn a lot here. I take it you've heard all sorts of comments, my favorite is the Event Horizon one. Well, a lot of them are true. This is the busiest station here in North Beach. It’s definitely not a slow station. Oh yea, I forgot, we have one more person for you to meet." states Captain Presley as he picks up a microphone. A click can be heard over the Station's intercom speakers. "Probationary firefighter Kingshott. Please report to the captain’s office immediately with testicles in hand. That is all!" A loud groan is heard from around the corner. "Bro! C'mon seriously dude! Do you have to do that?" A tall, lanky man appears in the doorway. Captain Presley motions to the man. "Chad Kingshott, meet Hector Gonzales. He is taking Saganaws seat, and is also a paramedic." Chad and Hector shake hands and the captain continues to talk. "Well since the pleasantries are out of the way, Gonzo lets find you a loc-" The captain is cut off by a series of beeps coming from the intercom speakers. Captain Presley stretches and states "So much for that, typical station six. Trial by fire!" The intercom speakers click and come to life:
"North Beach Engine Six ... Respitory Arrest ... 724 Crossways Road ... Seven two four Crossways Road ... District 1123 zulu ... Cross Ridgeback Drive ... Delta response ... North Beach Engine Six, two foxtrot ..."
The men exchange worried, puzzled looks. Chad looks at the men with a confused look on his face and asks, "Dudes, I know I'm not like very paramedic savvy, but doesn't a cardiac arrest go with respitory arrest?" Clyde scratches his head and retorts, "Very good Kingshott! Of course! Sounds like a cluster fuck already!" The men walk over to the awaiting engine. All the men open the doors and get in. Hector grabs his turnouts and places them on the floor under his legs. A fury of clicking seatbelts and placing headphones that allow the crew to communicate with each other over the noise of the siren fill the cab of the engine. Tom flips a switch, and the gauges and lights come to life on the dashboard. Captain Presley turns his attention to the computer screen to his left. "Tom, need me to pull the district page or you got it?" he asks. Tom turns his attention back to the captain to answer him. "Naw I got it. I should know that street by heart at this point, shit!" Tom pushes a button on the dash and the massive engine roars to life. Hector can feel the vibration of the engine under his feet, and it brings back the adrenaline rush he missed while away at paramedic school. Tom pushes a button on the dash to put the engine in gear, pushes the parking brake knob in and brings the massive machine to the middle of the driveway and stops. Everyone blinks for a second while the morning sun blares in their eyes. In a synchronic motion everyone puts on sunglasses. Captain Presley pushes a button on the computer to inform the dispatcher they are enroute to the call. "Shit! They move it everytime! Damn C-Shift" screams Captain Presley as he fumbles for the remote to close the bay door. Satisfied that the door has closed he turns to Tom and says, 'Lets do it to it!" Tom flips the switch to turn on the warning lights and turns the knob to activate the electric siren. Even with the display of warning lights and siren screeching in the morning, the traffic barely notices. Tom noses the massive truck out a little more out of the driveway, stopping the northbound traffic. Captain Presley activates the mechanical siren and air horns at the same time. The southbound traffic slams to a halt. "Oh yea! That’s what daddy thought. A little ruthless preemption!" says Captain Presley as he looks right, the ads, "Clear on your right Tom". Tom Turns left out of the drive way and heads south on Beach Boulevard. The combination of the sound of the accelerating diesel engine, the siren blaring, the radio chatter heard through the headphones, and the shadow of the warning lights gives Hector an unbeatable high. Chad in the seat next to him can almost sense his excitement as well. "Gonzo, does the rush ever get old bro?" asked Chad through the microphone attached to the headphones. "Hell no dude! It never gets old!" , he says. Now Hector is running through scenarios and procedures through his head. He is interrupted by the radio traffic from the dispatcher:
"North Beach Engine Six ... Copy enroute to a respitory arrest 724 Crossways Road ... You have a male in his late thirties not breathing, P.D. on scene. Ambulance is enroute ... Nothing further."
Captain Presley pushes a button on the radio console. "Metrocomm, North Beach Engine Six copy comments", he says. "Holy shit! The cops are killing people already this morning! Then again, it is Crossways!" Tom says chuckling to himself. "Of course! To give you a heads up Gonzo, this street is a frequent flyer. Nasty little part of town. Most people say it’s a neighborhood with a drug problem. Well here at station six, we say that street is a cornucopia of pharmaceutical delights, with all the gun slinging to match!" says the captain. Hector gets a good chuckle. Chad adds to the captain "Oh bro! I almost got my teeth kicked in two weeks ago from a duster. Real fuckin gnarly bah!" The Dispatcher comes back on the radio, "North Beach Engine Six, Metrocomm." Captain Presley pushes a button again and acknowledges the dispatcher which responds back, "Further information on you case, patient is now in cardiac arrest. CPR is in progress, police advises the patient is in the courtyard." Hector's hair is now standing on end. He can tell with the urgency in the dispatcher's voice that this is the real thing, not a possibility. His mind switches and now he runs cardiac scenarios through his mind. Tom has a different thought on his mind. "What the fuck! Damn cops can't even have the consideration to wait to pull this shit after my coffee. What in the fucking hell are they doing? Fucking A!" he screams, which makes his voice boom through the speakers in the headphones. Captain Presley just shakes his head and laughs. Tom sees an intersection approaching, and he starts to slow the massive vehicle down. The engine brake kicks in, making the engine sound a lot louder. This gets Hectors blood flowing even more, he can’t sit still. Tom changes the tone of the electric siren, and Captain Presley unleashes the mechanical siren on the traffic. The loud growl of the mechanical siren brings traffic in the intersection to a halt. Seeing this, Tom still brings the engine to a complete stop. This is the most dangerous part of driving an emergency vehicle, crossing an intersection against the light. Satisfied all traffic has noticed the red and white behemoth and is stopped, he steers the apparatus into a smooth right hand turn. "Ok guys were almost there. Kingshott grab the 02 bag and Lifepack. Gonzo grab the drug box and suction. Tom snag a backboard and CID, I got a feeling this could be a most messy affair. Oh Gonzo, at night really watch your nuggets around here. Knives come out of nowhere." states the captain as he puts on a pair of latex gloves. "You got it cap!" says Hector. Tom slows down the truck and makes a left hand turn. Tom turns off the siren and warning lights. "No sense in becoming a target!" he states. The neighborhood is a bit run down, with a couple of empty lots, dingy looking apartment complexes, and menacing run down homes. The street feels just as neglected, giving the crew a bit of a bumpy ride in the cab. Up ahead there is a slew of North Beach Police vehicles in front of a decrepit looking apartment complex. "Well, no guess work where we are heading. This looks pretty shit ass!" remarks Captain Presley as he pushes a button on the computer terminal to let the dispatcher know they have arrived on scene. Tom pulls the massive engine to a quick stop behind a police vehicle in front of the apartments. "Can't wait to see this!", Tom states putting the truck in park and turning off the engine. The crew is out of the truck and gathering equipment in a urgent rush, to get to the patient as fast as they can. Time is of upmost concern and the precious seconds are already ticking away, never to regain again. A Sergeant runs up to them frantic, "Move it! This guy ain't gotta pulse!" he says to him. The crew follows him jogging. "This guy was putting up a terrible fight, and they sprayed him!" he said to them. "What?!" said Captain Presley. They finally make it to the courtyard, and are encountered with a disturbing, perverted tableau. Two police officers are engaged in CPR with a man lying on the ground, which is a heroic gesture. Something is amiss the men notice, for the person is still handcuffed. "The Fuck is this shit?" blurts out Tom in a rather puzzled tone. "Alright guys, what happened?" says the captain to the police officers. Hector, Tom and Chad rush to the man's side to check vitals. One of the police officers says to the captain in a wavery tone, "We tried to cuff him after a disturbance call. He started fighting with us, so we pepper sprayed him, and he dropped like a rock. We checked his pulse and nothing!" The police officer then kneels down, obviously shaken. "Cap! No pulse or respiration!" , Hector states. Kingshott is setting up a bag valve mask while Tom is grabbing the defibullator. "Can we get these cuffs of him so we can work?" Hector asks the officers. "He's under arrest!" states an officer. "Where in the fuck is he going to go? He's dying! We need to start an IV!" says Captain Presley, dumbfounded. Tom places the defibullator paddles on the man's lifeless body to get a quick EKG reading. "PEA (pulseless electrical activity) guys! Get those cuffs off now!" says Tom. The officers get the cuffs off him while Hector sets himself up to insert an ETT (endotracheal tube) to get him some oxygen. With the cuffs off, they roll the man onto a backboard while Tom places EKG leads on his chest. They hook him up to the EKG and Tom takes over chest compressions while Hector starts the intubation process. He cranks the man's jaw forward and inserts a laryngoscope blade in. "Thanks god, no puke", he thinks as he has a clear shot. He inserts it in, and pumps the cuff. Chad places the bag valve mask on the tube, and Hector checks breath sounds in the lung for placement. "Hit it Kingshott, ok one more time. We're in guys!" he says. Hector looks at the monitor, which still reads pulseless electrical activity. "Charge me Gonzo!" says Tom. Hector hits the charge button, "Everyone clear!" he screams. Hands go up, Tom places the paddles on the man's chest, and hits the button. The man makes a small movement, all the officers on scene watch in suspense to see if he regains a pulse. The dot on the monitor rises sharply, then descends sharply, and returns to PEA. "Shit! Gonzo get an IV. Let's get some epi and atropine going!" says Tom and adds, "Cap! Get on the horn to Western Med Center!" Captain Presley jumps onto his cellphone and starts to relay information to the hospital. Hector is starting to feel confident with the successful intubation, but now he concourse his weak spot, IV establishment. Ever since PM school, this has scared the shit out of him for some reason. Hector grabs a latex tourniquet from the drug box, ties it on and takes a look at the man's lifeless, limp arm. He sees some small puncture wounds, and a small scar, almost like an incision mark. Hector starts to slap his forearm, and finds nothing. "Shit!" he says with a dumbfound look. Tom looks up from putting together an IV bag, "Whats up?" he asks. "Nothing. I got nothing!", Hector states in a dumbfounded manner. Tom moves quickly to Hector's side and inspects the forearm. Tom gives it a good slap, and sees nothing. All Tom can say is, "Oh shit!"
The early morning sun beams off Truck Six as it moves its way through the morning traffic. Truck Six is returning from a water flow alarm right at shift change. A water flow alarm indicates water movement in a fire sprinkler system. This could be the result of a few things ranging from a simple alarm malfunction all the way to an actual fire and the sprinklers are activated. This however, is not the case with Truck Six's water flow alarm. A forklift sheered of a sprinkler head in a warehouse, which caused water to spray all over everything. Including the crew. "What a fockin' shitshow bro! Too fockin early, this shit never happens in Jersey!" states Tony Pizzachillo into the headset with a heavy New Jersey accent. Tony is a firefighter assigned to Truck Six. He stares out the window at the passing scenery that is moving at a snail’s pace due to the endless sea of cars heading to the freeway. "Oh would you grow a set already! Shit, your getting' paid and all you got was a little wet!" booms a female voice in the headphones. The voice belongs to Michelle Cox, the other firefighter assigned to Truck Six. Truck six is a tractor drawn ladder truck, meaning someone steers the back of the rig as well as the front. Michelle also performs the duty of tillerman, so she listens to this conversation via the headset. "Does New Jersey somehow lie in a abnormal paradox where all fire protection services are somehow exempted from broken sprinklers? Give me a break, your such a lame ass!" she adds. Tony sits up real quick to retort to Michelle's quip, only to be cut off by Scott Larson. Scott is the captain for Truck Six and he too is staring out the side window, resting his arm on the computer screen next to him. "Now, now kids! That's enough out of both of you! Keep it up and no dessert for the either of you!" he says with a chuckle. 'Y'all got burned!" says Jeremiah Southerland with a deep, warm chuckle. Jeremiah is the Engineer for Truck Six, he slowly glides the massive vehicle through the morning traffic. The station is approaching in the distance, and Tony sits up in anticipation and quips, "Hells yes! I can get some dry clothes!" Just then a single beep is heard over the headsets, and the dispatcher is heard:
"North Beach Engine Four, North Beach Truck Six ... Seizure ... 9540 Beach Boulevard ... District 1129 xray ... cross Hampton Acres Way ... Charlie Response ... North Beach Engine Four, North Beach Truck Six two foxtrot ..."
"Fockin Bullshit bro!" screams Tony as he throws a box of latex gloves into the empty seat next to him. "Ha ha! You just got smacked by karma, fuckface!" sings Michelle into the headset, and follows up with a mocking dance in her seat away from the rest of the crew. "Stifle it cupcake! This shit doesn’t happen to the brothers back home in black, no sir! Fuckin bullshit!" retorts Tony, who now takes a downtrodden look out of the window. The captain notifies the dispatcher that the unit is enroute while Jeremiah flips on the lights and sirens, parting the traffic like tall weeds in a neglected field. "I forgot, they don’t have medical emergencies in Jersey either, do they?" says Captain Lawson, turning around to face Tony with an evil smirk on his face, drawing laughter from everyone else. "Bullshit" is the only thing that Tony can say.
"Alright guys, almost there!" says Captain Presley as he is sliding a needle into a limp, lifeless arm. He feels a slight resistance, and sees the flash (Blood in the IV line) knowing he is there. The captain decided to jump in and take over IV establishment after seeing Tom and Hector struggling. "Its in, do it up!" say the captain, taping the IV catheter down to the forearm. Tom pops off the cap of a pre-loaded syringe of epinephrine, as Hector is popping the tops off a pre-loaded syringe of atropine. Tom gives a push on the syringe, to get all the air bubbles out, and pushes the fluid into the IV. Hector also follows suit. "Ok meds on board, lets zap him again!" Tom announces. He places the defibullator paddles on the limp body, and hands go up in unison. "Clear!" he announces, and a repeat of the officers holding their breaths, watching in anticipation for a change in the man's condition. The dot on the monitor raises again, then drops, and goes to a straight line. "Asystole! Shit! Lets try some Narcan!" says Tom as he wipes sweat from his brow. Hector can feel the early morning sun blazing bright on his back in this glum courtyard. It’s a mind scrambling scene of pacing police officers and dumbfounded spectators, he see the Captain approaching out to he corner of his eye as he prepares a syringe of Narcan (used in possible drug overdose cases). "Metrocomm, North Beach Engine Six, ambulance at scene," he states into his handheld radio. "Ambo's here, lets get rolling!" Clyde states as he helps to guide the stretcher to the lifeless man. Hector inserts the needle into the medicine port, and pushes the vital fluid into the man's system. "Narcan's on board!" He announces. He glances at the monitor in anticipation of a chance, and finds none. He has also taken notice that his forehead burns a bit, figures it’s the sun and the constant wiping of sweat. The stretcher wheels next to him, Tom straps the man to the backboard, and says "All clear, on three. One, two three." Hector and Chad lift the man onto the stretcher, the EMTs from the ambulance raise it up. Chad stands on the bottom rail doing CPR, while Hector works the bag mask. Tom and Captain Presley gather up the equipment and move double time to the waiting ambulance. Hector has been keeping a mental time of how long they have been working and thinks, "Four minutes. This ship is sinking fast!"
Truck Six has returned to the station after their medical run. Tony finally has his change of uniform on, and they are sitting around the table in the kitchen, having their first cup since they were called to service very early in their shift. "So, forgot to tell you guys, Saganaw is no longer with us. He got transferred." says Captain Lawson putting his cup on the kitchen table. Jeremiah is in the middle of planning the shifts meals, looks up from his list and chuckles. "I told ya'll stickman was scurred!", he said. Tony laughs and retorts, "What a fockin shitshow that guy was. All he did was bitch and moan! Cap', whose comin' in for him?" Michelle rests her head in her hands and gives a shy smile to the captain and says, "Out with it already! The anticipation is killing me!" Captain Lawson sits back down from pouring himself another cup and is stirring his cream into it. "Hector Gonzales, got bumped off from Engine One. Fresh out of PM school too! He got fucked second battalion style!" Michelle squeals and a huge grin comes across Tony's Face. "We're gettin Gonzo! Fuck me to tears! That so rocks!" Michelle screams in joy. "Wow! Gonzo, haven’t seen him since academy! Fuck ya bro!" adds Tony to her excitement. Jeremiah and Captain Lawson both exchange a puzzled look, Jeremiah just shakes his head. "I take it both of you guys know this kid?" he says, munching on a bagel. "The fuck I do! He's a real cool cat! That shit dick hasn't called me in months, that would explain why!", says Michelle. "Don't flood out the basement because your Latin lover is common' back! You’re a happily married woman!" says Tony while poking her in the side. Michelle slaps him across the face with a banana peel. "Enough children! Damn! Can we finish up our coffee so we can get on with the Hurst tool drill and have it done before noon?", blurts the Captain in his usual paternal tone. "Yes dad!" is all Michelle and Tony can say.
The ambulance doors swing open, and the crew of Engine Six slide in a man who clings to life like he is clinging to a thin root on a sandy hill. Captain Presley jumps in, sets up the drug box and defibullator on the bench seat while the EMTs lock the stretcher into place in a loud click. Hector is still working the bag valve mask, Chad is still doing CPR and keeps scratching his eyes with his shirt sleeve. Tom takes a seat in the chair at the head of the patient, while Captain Presley starts to duck out the side door. Tom Stops him with his foot and says, "Oh no you don’t! You haven’t work an arrest to the end in months! It’s your turn and I don’t give a shit about rank!" Captain Presley flashes him a smile and states, "My dear Ogre, 'tis not rank kind sir. Alas, I need to familiar myself with our latest toy the kind citizens procured for us!" He makes his way out the door, and Tom says, "I hate you!" The captain appears in the doorway and says, "At least I don’t fuck fat girls!" He slams the door shut, which makes both Hector and Chad giggle while they perform their functions. "Fuck! Hector get another round of epi and atropine ready, lets zap him once more before we roll." Hector turns over the control of the bag valve mask to the EMT. Tom readies the defibullator again, still showing a straight line. Hector gets the meds in and Tom zaps him again, both watch the single dot rise and fall back into the same, stagnant flat line. "Lets move it!" Tom states to the driver. The ambulance moves and the piercing scream of the electric siren drowns out the sound of the motor. It’s a bumpy ride in this part of town, Hector can almost feel the fillings in his teeth shake. Tom relays some more information to the emergency room doctors via cell phone, then gets a smirk on his face. "Request permission for one ampoule of Sodium Bicarbonate", he says into the phone. Hector takes over on CPR for Chad, who now looks a bit tired and haggard. "Thanks bro! Hey, is your face buring?" he says. Hector now all the sudden realizes it does, and his tongue feels a bit swollen. "Now that you mention it, yea. Fuckin burns!" he says puzzled. Tom looks very red in the face, and is sweating. "Thought I would throw them off with some bicarb, and of course they shot me down. Can't even do it up a la Emergency! anymore!" he says and adds, "Almost there, fuck my face burns!" The crew feels the ambulance pull to a stop, and then back up. Now all three men are feeling very uncomfortable, with faces feeling like the surface of the sun. The doors open, Captain Presley is there to greet them, along with a couple of nurses, and a very official man in a suit with a badge on his belt. Hector can see more police officers in the ER. "Treatment 4 guys!" says Tom, as they follow the gurney post haste to the room. Tom briefs the Doctor on what transpired while the man was in the care of Engine Six. Captain Presley, Chad and Hector stroll toward the report writing room, where there are more police officers about. Hector takes a seat, and catches a breather for a moment. He is trying to gather and make sense of the assault on his senses he just endured. Now his face is really burning, and he can see Chad is feeling the same thing. "Fuck! Why is my face buring?" Hector wanders out loud. "Probably because home slice was covered in pepper spray. Since you were sweating you rubbed it all over your face!" says Captain Presley as he starts to work on the PCR (prehospital care report). Hector looks at him, then pieces it together. Captain Presley pats him on the shoulder and says, "Welcome to the inner sanctum my son! Its happened to me a few times!" With that Hector and Chad find the nearest sink to rinse off. Tom walks into the room, gives the Captain a dirty look, and says in a bit of a loud tone, "Just for that shit, your writing the rest of the PCR's for the rest of the shift! Look at my face its swollen! It was a good laugh though, and for your information, I do love me some fat girls, mmmm!" Tom turns his attention to a nurse that has some extra weight. "Hey Monica! Wait up! Oh Cap, cross the T's and dot the I's. Those suits are Internal Affairs and Homicide. We're gonna get interviewed. Make it Nice!", he says, then hurries off. Captain Presley shakes his head. He'll make it good, alright.
[Authors note - The above incident actually took place while I was running a rescue shift in Virginia Beach July 4th, 1999. I still have the newspaper clippings. I would also like to thank Jen Goodman, RN as a technical advisor to this series!]
"I’m telling you. Those C-Shift assholes always have an excuse. This time they left me at a half of a tank of fuel and one of the SCBA bottles in the jumpseat was almost empty. They were screaming like 'oh god we got our balls kicked through our assholes!' Fuck them! C-Shift so bites!" complained Tom. Tom Latour is the Engineer for Engine Six. He is in the captain's office complaining to Clyde Presley, the captain of Engine Six about what he found during his vehicle checkoff which is required at the start of every shift. He is also sipping a cup of coffee. At 6'6" and a deep commanding voice, he is hard to ignore. Captain Presley realizes this as he strokes his forehead, sipping on a cup of coffee. "Ogre, I dunno what to tell you. Trust me, I agree those animals aren't fit to even be allowed into the city limits. I’ll send an email and if the BC (Battalion Chief) swings by, I'll have a chat with Chief Kircher. Guess what? I've got even better news." he states. Tom takes from his position of hovering over the captain’s desk, and sits in the chair reserved for the captain of Truck Six. He places his feet on top of the desk, which pushes him back a bit. He is very tall, and when he does this, it makes him look taller than usual. "Fuckin' great! Can't wait to hear this. Lemme guess, there is a memo that states all insect carcasses will be removed from the front grill of all apparatus via a tooth brush and a solution of sodium bicarbonate and water not exceeding a 1:1 ratio?" states Tom as he takes another sip of his coffee. Captain Presley lets out a laugh and puts his coffee mug down. "Mmm. Now that was a good one! I got you with that, and we got those prima donna paragod's over at Station Four with that one too, buncha bums! I wish it was that, but alas kind sir, this is not the case. Didn't you even notice our illustrious firefighter, Bob Saganaw isn’t here?" he states as he mimics Toms actions and props his feet up as well. "Oh yea, I was too worried about what C-Shift did to my baby out there I paid no mind! Call out sick?" asked Tom. Captain Presley taps his fingers on the desk and says, "Nope. Worse. He got transferred. It seems our little friend didn't like it here at Six, with the late night activity and all. So the story goes, Division Chief Mazur somehow overheard it. So, they sent him packing to Station Nine since one of their guys transferred to Station One. They're sending over the dude from Station One. It got screwed up in the administration channels so the poor guy we are getting got hosed. Here's the kicker. He's fresh out of PM school, so now we will be back to three medics!" A beautiful smile comes across Tom's face and says, "Thank you Jesus! We can share the workload once more! Good, this is a great place to apply the tools of the trade. Fuck Saganaw anyway. All he did was bitch and moan for the three weeks he was here. Those guys at nine barely run two calls a day. Sounds like a typical North Beach Fire circle jerk! Who are we getting?" Captain Presley takes his computer mouse and scrolls down on the page on the screen. "Let’s see here, umm the cat's name is Hector Gonzales. Doesn’t ring any bells to me", he states. Tom scratches his head for a moment and says, "Yea, me either. Oh well, hope this guy is worth two shits and a fuck when the shit meets the fan blades!" Just then a figure appears in the doorway and says, "Dude, I’ll drink to that!" Hector is in the doorway and surprises both men. Tom spits his coffee back into his cup and Captain Presley removes his feet from the desk. "Nevermind this sasquatch looking bastard, he has a chapped ass this morning. You must be Hector?"says Captain Presley who is now standing to greet Hector. Hector locks hands with the captain and shakes. "Yes Sir. Hector Gonzales, call me Gonzo. I’m your new bitch, I mean firefighter/paramedic." he says. Captain Presley laughs and says "Wow! You fit in nicely around here. I like you already! Clyde Presley. Please for the love of shit don't call me sir. Clyde or Presley work. Nice to meet you!" Tom leans around the captain with his arm extended. "Tom Latour. Damn glad to meet you!" Hector and Tom lock hands and shake. "Call him ogre. This furry beast is the engineer. He's also a medic and so am I. Glad you are too! You'll learn a lot here. I take it you've heard all sorts of comments, my favorite is the Event Horizon one. Well, a lot of them are true. This is the busiest station here in North Beach. It’s definitely not a slow station. Oh yea, I forgot, we have one more person for you to meet." states Captain Presley as he picks up a microphone. A click can be heard over the Station's intercom speakers. "Probationary firefighter Kingshott. Please report to the captain’s office immediately with testicles in hand. That is all!" A loud groan is heard from around the corner. "Bro! C'mon seriously dude! Do you have to do that?" A tall, lanky man appears in the doorway. Captain Presley motions to the man. "Chad Kingshott, meet Hector Gonzales. He is taking Saganaws seat, and is also a paramedic." Chad and Hector shake hands and the captain continues to talk. "Well since the pleasantries are out of the way, Gonzo lets find you a loc-" The captain is cut off by a series of beeps coming from the intercom speakers. Captain Presley stretches and states "So much for that, typical station six. Trial by fire!" The intercom speakers click and come to life:
"North Beach Engine Six ... Respitory Arrest ... 724 Crossways Road ... Seven two four Crossways Road ... District 1123 zulu ... Cross Ridgeback Drive ... Delta response ... North Beach Engine Six, two foxtrot ..."
The men exchange worried, puzzled looks. Chad looks at the men with a confused look on his face and asks, "Dudes, I know I'm not like very paramedic savvy, but doesn't a cardiac arrest go with respitory arrest?" Clyde scratches his head and retorts, "Very good Kingshott! Of course! Sounds like a cluster fuck already!" The men walk over to the awaiting engine. All the men open the doors and get in. Hector grabs his turnouts and places them on the floor under his legs. A fury of clicking seatbelts and placing headphones that allow the crew to communicate with each other over the noise of the siren fill the cab of the engine. Tom flips a switch, and the gauges and lights come to life on the dashboard. Captain Presley turns his attention to the computer screen to his left. "Tom, need me to pull the district page or you got it?" he asks. Tom turns his attention back to the captain to answer him. "Naw I got it. I should know that street by heart at this point, shit!" Tom pushes a button on the dash and the massive engine roars to life. Hector can feel the vibration of the engine under his feet, and it brings back the adrenaline rush he missed while away at paramedic school. Tom pushes a button on the dash to put the engine in gear, pushes the parking brake knob in and brings the massive machine to the middle of the driveway and stops. Everyone blinks for a second while the morning sun blares in their eyes. In a synchronic motion everyone puts on sunglasses. Captain Presley pushes a button on the computer to inform the dispatcher they are enroute to the call. "Shit! They move it everytime! Damn C-Shift" screams Captain Presley as he fumbles for the remote to close the bay door. Satisfied that the door has closed he turns to Tom and says, 'Lets do it to it!" Tom flips the switch to turn on the warning lights and turns the knob to activate the electric siren. Even with the display of warning lights and siren screeching in the morning, the traffic barely notices. Tom noses the massive truck out a little more out of the driveway, stopping the northbound traffic. Captain Presley activates the mechanical siren and air horns at the same time. The southbound traffic slams to a halt. "Oh yea! That’s what daddy thought. A little ruthless preemption!" says Captain Presley as he looks right, the ads, "Clear on your right Tom". Tom Turns left out of the drive way and heads south on Beach Boulevard. The combination of the sound of the accelerating diesel engine, the siren blaring, the radio chatter heard through the headphones, and the shadow of the warning lights gives Hector an unbeatable high. Chad in the seat next to him can almost sense his excitement as well. "Gonzo, does the rush ever get old bro?" asked Chad through the microphone attached to the headphones. "Hell no dude! It never gets old!" , he says. Now Hector is running through scenarios and procedures through his head. He is interrupted by the radio traffic from the dispatcher:
"North Beach Engine Six ... Copy enroute to a respitory arrest 724 Crossways Road ... You have a male in his late thirties not breathing, P.D. on scene. Ambulance is enroute ... Nothing further."
Captain Presley pushes a button on the radio console. "Metrocomm, North Beach Engine Six copy comments", he says. "Holy shit! The cops are killing people already this morning! Then again, it is Crossways!" Tom says chuckling to himself. "Of course! To give you a heads up Gonzo, this street is a frequent flyer. Nasty little part of town. Most people say it’s a neighborhood with a drug problem. Well here at station six, we say that street is a cornucopia of pharmaceutical delights, with all the gun slinging to match!" says the captain. Hector gets a good chuckle. Chad adds to the captain "Oh bro! I almost got my teeth kicked in two weeks ago from a duster. Real fuckin gnarly bah!" The Dispatcher comes back on the radio, "North Beach Engine Six, Metrocomm." Captain Presley pushes a button again and acknowledges the dispatcher which responds back, "Further information on you case, patient is now in cardiac arrest. CPR is in progress, police advises the patient is in the courtyard." Hector's hair is now standing on end. He can tell with the urgency in the dispatcher's voice that this is the real thing, not a possibility. His mind switches and now he runs cardiac scenarios through his mind. Tom has a different thought on his mind. "What the fuck! Damn cops can't even have the consideration to wait to pull this shit after my coffee. What in the fucking hell are they doing? Fucking A!" he screams, which makes his voice boom through the speakers in the headphones. Captain Presley just shakes his head and laughs. Tom sees an intersection approaching, and he starts to slow the massive vehicle down. The engine brake kicks in, making the engine sound a lot louder. This gets Hectors blood flowing even more, he can’t sit still. Tom changes the tone of the electric siren, and Captain Presley unleashes the mechanical siren on the traffic. The loud growl of the mechanical siren brings traffic in the intersection to a halt. Seeing this, Tom still brings the engine to a complete stop. This is the most dangerous part of driving an emergency vehicle, crossing an intersection against the light. Satisfied all traffic has noticed the red and white behemoth and is stopped, he steers the apparatus into a smooth right hand turn. "Ok guys were almost there. Kingshott grab the 02 bag and Lifepack. Gonzo grab the drug box and suction. Tom snag a backboard and CID, I got a feeling this could be a most messy affair. Oh Gonzo, at night really watch your nuggets around here. Knives come out of nowhere." states the captain as he puts on a pair of latex gloves. "You got it cap!" says Hector. Tom slows down the truck and makes a left hand turn. Tom turns off the siren and warning lights. "No sense in becoming a target!" he states. The neighborhood is a bit run down, with a couple of empty lots, dingy looking apartment complexes, and menacing run down homes. The street feels just as neglected, giving the crew a bit of a bumpy ride in the cab. Up ahead there is a slew of North Beach Police vehicles in front of a decrepit looking apartment complex. "Well, no guess work where we are heading. This looks pretty shit ass!" remarks Captain Presley as he pushes a button on the computer terminal to let the dispatcher know they have arrived on scene. Tom pulls the massive engine to a quick stop behind a police vehicle in front of the apartments. "Can't wait to see this!", Tom states putting the truck in park and turning off the engine. The crew is out of the truck and gathering equipment in a urgent rush, to get to the patient as fast as they can. Time is of upmost concern and the precious seconds are already ticking away, never to regain again. A Sergeant runs up to them frantic, "Move it! This guy ain't gotta pulse!" he says to him. The crew follows him jogging. "This guy was putting up a terrible fight, and they sprayed him!" he said to them. "What?!" said Captain Presley. They finally make it to the courtyard, and are encountered with a disturbing, perverted tableau. Two police officers are engaged in CPR with a man lying on the ground, which is a heroic gesture. Something is amiss the men notice, for the person is still handcuffed. "The Fuck is this shit?" blurts out Tom in a rather puzzled tone. "Alright guys, what happened?" says the captain to the police officers. Hector, Tom and Chad rush to the man's side to check vitals. One of the police officers says to the captain in a wavery tone, "We tried to cuff him after a disturbance call. He started fighting with us, so we pepper sprayed him, and he dropped like a rock. We checked his pulse and nothing!" The police officer then kneels down, obviously shaken. "Cap! No pulse or respiration!" , Hector states. Kingshott is setting up a bag valve mask while Tom is grabbing the defibullator. "Can we get these cuffs of him so we can work?" Hector asks the officers. "He's under arrest!" states an officer. "Where in the fuck is he going to go? He's dying! We need to start an IV!" says Captain Presley, dumbfounded. Tom places the defibullator paddles on the man's lifeless body to get a quick EKG reading. "PEA (pulseless electrical activity) guys! Get those cuffs off now!" says Tom. The officers get the cuffs off him while Hector sets himself up to insert an ETT (endotracheal tube) to get him some oxygen. With the cuffs off, they roll the man onto a backboard while Tom places EKG leads on his chest. They hook him up to the EKG and Tom takes over chest compressions while Hector starts the intubation process. He cranks the man's jaw forward and inserts a laryngoscope blade in. "Thanks god, no puke", he thinks as he has a clear shot. He inserts it in, and pumps the cuff. Chad places the bag valve mask on the tube, and Hector checks breath sounds in the lung for placement. "Hit it Kingshott, ok one more time. We're in guys!" he says. Hector looks at the monitor, which still reads pulseless electrical activity. "Charge me Gonzo!" says Tom. Hector hits the charge button, "Everyone clear!" he screams. Hands go up, Tom places the paddles on the man's chest, and hits the button. The man makes a small movement, all the officers on scene watch in suspense to see if he regains a pulse. The dot on the monitor rises sharply, then descends sharply, and returns to PEA. "Shit! Gonzo get an IV. Let's get some epi and atropine going!" says Tom and adds, "Cap! Get on the horn to Western Med Center!" Captain Presley jumps onto his cellphone and starts to relay information to the hospital. Hector is starting to feel confident with the successful intubation, but now he concourse his weak spot, IV establishment. Ever since PM school, this has scared the shit out of him for some reason. Hector grabs a latex tourniquet from the drug box, ties it on and takes a look at the man's lifeless, limp arm. He sees some small puncture wounds, and a small scar, almost like an incision mark. Hector starts to slap his forearm, and finds nothing. "Shit!" he says with a dumbfound look. Tom looks up from putting together an IV bag, "Whats up?" he asks. "Nothing. I got nothing!", Hector states in a dumbfounded manner. Tom moves quickly to Hector's side and inspects the forearm. Tom gives it a good slap, and sees nothing. All Tom can say is, "Oh shit!"
The early morning sun beams off Truck Six as it moves its way through the morning traffic. Truck Six is returning from a water flow alarm right at shift change. A water flow alarm indicates water movement in a fire sprinkler system. This could be the result of a few things ranging from a simple alarm malfunction all the way to an actual fire and the sprinklers are activated. This however, is not the case with Truck Six's water flow alarm. A forklift sheered of a sprinkler head in a warehouse, which caused water to spray all over everything. Including the crew. "What a fockin' shitshow bro! Too fockin early, this shit never happens in Jersey!" states Tony Pizzachillo into the headset with a heavy New Jersey accent. Tony is a firefighter assigned to Truck Six. He stares out the window at the passing scenery that is moving at a snail’s pace due to the endless sea of cars heading to the freeway. "Oh would you grow a set already! Shit, your getting' paid and all you got was a little wet!" booms a female voice in the headphones. The voice belongs to Michelle Cox, the other firefighter assigned to Truck Six. Truck six is a tractor drawn ladder truck, meaning someone steers the back of the rig as well as the front. Michelle also performs the duty of tillerman, so she listens to this conversation via the headset. "Does New Jersey somehow lie in a abnormal paradox where all fire protection services are somehow exempted from broken sprinklers? Give me a break, your such a lame ass!" she adds. Tony sits up real quick to retort to Michelle's quip, only to be cut off by Scott Larson. Scott is the captain for Truck Six and he too is staring out the side window, resting his arm on the computer screen next to him. "Now, now kids! That's enough out of both of you! Keep it up and no dessert for the either of you!" he says with a chuckle. 'Y'all got burned!" says Jeremiah Southerland with a deep, warm chuckle. Jeremiah is the Engineer for Truck Six, he slowly glides the massive vehicle through the morning traffic. The station is approaching in the distance, and Tony sits up in anticipation and quips, "Hells yes! I can get some dry clothes!" Just then a single beep is heard over the headsets, and the dispatcher is heard:
"North Beach Engine Four, North Beach Truck Six ... Seizure ... 9540 Beach Boulevard ... District 1129 xray ... cross Hampton Acres Way ... Charlie Response ... North Beach Engine Four, North Beach Truck Six two foxtrot ..."
"Fockin Bullshit bro!" screams Tony as he throws a box of latex gloves into the empty seat next to him. "Ha ha! You just got smacked by karma, fuckface!" sings Michelle into the headset, and follows up with a mocking dance in her seat away from the rest of the crew. "Stifle it cupcake! This shit doesn’t happen to the brothers back home in black, no sir! Fuckin bullshit!" retorts Tony, who now takes a downtrodden look out of the window. The captain notifies the dispatcher that the unit is enroute while Jeremiah flips on the lights and sirens, parting the traffic like tall weeds in a neglected field. "I forgot, they don’t have medical emergencies in Jersey either, do they?" says Captain Lawson, turning around to face Tony with an evil smirk on his face, drawing laughter from everyone else. "Bullshit" is the only thing that Tony can say.
"Alright guys, almost there!" says Captain Presley as he is sliding a needle into a limp, lifeless arm. He feels a slight resistance, and sees the flash (Blood in the IV line) knowing he is there. The captain decided to jump in and take over IV establishment after seeing Tom and Hector struggling. "Its in, do it up!" say the captain, taping the IV catheter down to the forearm. Tom pops off the cap of a pre-loaded syringe of epinephrine, as Hector is popping the tops off a pre-loaded syringe of atropine. Tom gives a push on the syringe, to get all the air bubbles out, and pushes the fluid into the IV. Hector also follows suit. "Ok meds on board, lets zap him again!" Tom announces. He places the defibullator paddles on the limp body, and hands go up in unison. "Clear!" he announces, and a repeat of the officers holding their breaths, watching in anticipation for a change in the man's condition. The dot on the monitor raises again, then drops, and goes to a straight line. "Asystole! Shit! Lets try some Narcan!" says Tom as he wipes sweat from his brow. Hector can feel the early morning sun blazing bright on his back in this glum courtyard. It’s a mind scrambling scene of pacing police officers and dumbfounded spectators, he see the Captain approaching out to he corner of his eye as he prepares a syringe of Narcan (used in possible drug overdose cases). "Metrocomm, North Beach Engine Six, ambulance at scene," he states into his handheld radio. "Ambo's here, lets get rolling!" Clyde states as he helps to guide the stretcher to the lifeless man. Hector inserts the needle into the medicine port, and pushes the vital fluid into the man's system. "Narcan's on board!" He announces. He glances at the monitor in anticipation of a chance, and finds none. He has also taken notice that his forehead burns a bit, figures it’s the sun and the constant wiping of sweat. The stretcher wheels next to him, Tom straps the man to the backboard, and says "All clear, on three. One, two three." Hector and Chad lift the man onto the stretcher, the EMTs from the ambulance raise it up. Chad stands on the bottom rail doing CPR, while Hector works the bag mask. Tom and Captain Presley gather up the equipment and move double time to the waiting ambulance. Hector has been keeping a mental time of how long they have been working and thinks, "Four minutes. This ship is sinking fast!"
Truck Six has returned to the station after their medical run. Tony finally has his change of uniform on, and they are sitting around the table in the kitchen, having their first cup since they were called to service very early in their shift. "So, forgot to tell you guys, Saganaw is no longer with us. He got transferred." says Captain Lawson putting his cup on the kitchen table. Jeremiah is in the middle of planning the shifts meals, looks up from his list and chuckles. "I told ya'll stickman was scurred!", he said. Tony laughs and retorts, "What a fockin shitshow that guy was. All he did was bitch and moan! Cap', whose comin' in for him?" Michelle rests her head in her hands and gives a shy smile to the captain and says, "Out with it already! The anticipation is killing me!" Captain Lawson sits back down from pouring himself another cup and is stirring his cream into it. "Hector Gonzales, got bumped off from Engine One. Fresh out of PM school too! He got fucked second battalion style!" Michelle squeals and a huge grin comes across Tony's Face. "We're gettin Gonzo! Fuck me to tears! That so rocks!" Michelle screams in joy. "Wow! Gonzo, haven’t seen him since academy! Fuck ya bro!" adds Tony to her excitement. Jeremiah and Captain Lawson both exchange a puzzled look, Jeremiah just shakes his head. "I take it both of you guys know this kid?" he says, munching on a bagel. "The fuck I do! He's a real cool cat! That shit dick hasn't called me in months, that would explain why!", says Michelle. "Don't flood out the basement because your Latin lover is common' back! You’re a happily married woman!" says Tony while poking her in the side. Michelle slaps him across the face with a banana peel. "Enough children! Damn! Can we finish up our coffee so we can get on with the Hurst tool drill and have it done before noon?", blurts the Captain in his usual paternal tone. "Yes dad!" is all Michelle and Tony can say.
The ambulance doors swing open, and the crew of Engine Six slide in a man who clings to life like he is clinging to a thin root on a sandy hill. Captain Presley jumps in, sets up the drug box and defibullator on the bench seat while the EMTs lock the stretcher into place in a loud click. Hector is still working the bag valve mask, Chad is still doing CPR and keeps scratching his eyes with his shirt sleeve. Tom takes a seat in the chair at the head of the patient, while Captain Presley starts to duck out the side door. Tom Stops him with his foot and says, "Oh no you don’t! You haven’t work an arrest to the end in months! It’s your turn and I don’t give a shit about rank!" Captain Presley flashes him a smile and states, "My dear Ogre, 'tis not rank kind sir. Alas, I need to familiar myself with our latest toy the kind citizens procured for us!" He makes his way out the door, and Tom says, "I hate you!" The captain appears in the doorway and says, "At least I don’t fuck fat girls!" He slams the door shut, which makes both Hector and Chad giggle while they perform their functions. "Fuck! Hector get another round of epi and atropine ready, lets zap him once more before we roll." Hector turns over the control of the bag valve mask to the EMT. Tom readies the defibullator again, still showing a straight line. Hector gets the meds in and Tom zaps him again, both watch the single dot rise and fall back into the same, stagnant flat line. "Lets move it!" Tom states to the driver. The ambulance moves and the piercing scream of the electric siren drowns out the sound of the motor. It’s a bumpy ride in this part of town, Hector can almost feel the fillings in his teeth shake. Tom relays some more information to the emergency room doctors via cell phone, then gets a smirk on his face. "Request permission for one ampoule of Sodium Bicarbonate", he says into the phone. Hector takes over on CPR for Chad, who now looks a bit tired and haggard. "Thanks bro! Hey, is your face buring?" he says. Hector now all the sudden realizes it does, and his tongue feels a bit swollen. "Now that you mention it, yea. Fuckin burns!" he says puzzled. Tom looks very red in the face, and is sweating. "Thought I would throw them off with some bicarb, and of course they shot me down. Can't even do it up a la Emergency! anymore!" he says and adds, "Almost there, fuck my face burns!" The crew feels the ambulance pull to a stop, and then back up. Now all three men are feeling very uncomfortable, with faces feeling like the surface of the sun. The doors open, Captain Presley is there to greet them, along with a couple of nurses, and a very official man in a suit with a badge on his belt. Hector can see more police officers in the ER. "Treatment 4 guys!" says Tom, as they follow the gurney post haste to the room. Tom briefs the Doctor on what transpired while the man was in the care of Engine Six. Captain Presley, Chad and Hector stroll toward the report writing room, where there are more police officers about. Hector takes a seat, and catches a breather for a moment. He is trying to gather and make sense of the assault on his senses he just endured. Now his face is really burning, and he can see Chad is feeling the same thing. "Fuck! Why is my face buring?" Hector wanders out loud. "Probably because home slice was covered in pepper spray. Since you were sweating you rubbed it all over your face!" says Captain Presley as he starts to work on the PCR (prehospital care report). Hector looks at him, then pieces it together. Captain Presley pats him on the shoulder and says, "Welcome to the inner sanctum my son! Its happened to me a few times!" With that Hector and Chad find the nearest sink to rinse off. Tom walks into the room, gives the Captain a dirty look, and says in a bit of a loud tone, "Just for that shit, your writing the rest of the PCR's for the rest of the shift! Look at my face its swollen! It was a good laugh though, and for your information, I do love me some fat girls, mmmm!" Tom turns his attention to a nurse that has some extra weight. "Hey Monica! Wait up! Oh Cap, cross the T's and dot the I's. Those suits are Internal Affairs and Homicide. We're gonna get interviewed. Make it Nice!", he says, then hurries off. Captain Presley shakes his head. He'll make it good, alright.
[Authors note - The above incident actually took place while I was running a rescue shift in Virginia Beach July 4th, 1999. I still have the newspaper clippings. I would also like to thank Jen Goodman, RN as a technical advisor to this series!]
