Part 4 - Pride Goeth Before Fall

“Seriously, Sid and Marty Krofft were complete acid heads! C’mon, H.R. Puffnstuff!? Fuckin’ Lidsville? Far Out Space Nuts? They recycled the same old blundering, stuffy puppet madness. It was for fucking dudes and chicks higher than a giraffe’s ass!” said a voice in the headset speakers, which belonged to Tom. Hector is dozing off in the seat of the cab of Engine Six. They are returning from the hospital after another early morning run. Engine Six has had four since midnight, and went on five before that. Hector has never been so tired in his firefighting career. It’s nearing four in the morning, and the only thing he can think of is sleep. He’s really nodding off, while Chad is fast asleep in the seat next to him, drooling a bit. The radio chatter is silent, and the only thing droning through his mind is the conversation between Tom and the captain. The gentle purr of the diesel engine and the blur of dark orange and yellowish lights passing by his window are luring him into a small nap. “Oh you’re jumping to conclusions as usual. Damn Tom, ya should have been a cop. Everyone is a no-good-nick and a scumbag to you! It was just a kooky time, it was innocent! It was catchy and for latch key kids. I watched that stuff and I turned out fine! I didn’t cook my shit on grass!” replies Captain Presley. Tom guides the massive machine into a gentle right turn and says, “Thanks a lot! You’re so wrong! My sister would get higher that the fuckin’ space shuttle and just stare at Sigmond and the Sea Monsters for hours. C’mon, it was written by druggies, for druggies. End of story old man!” Captain Presley just shakes his head and stretches. “You’re full of shit Ogre as usual. I think I would rather wake up naked next to Liza Minelli, after a shotgun wedding than continue on with this dopey conversation. Damn, this has been a hell of a day” he retorts. The beeps of an incoming call come over the headset of the men. Chad continues to snooze, and Hector tries still to catch a small snooze, but is interrupted by the different pitched beep coming from the computer terminal next to the captain, indicating the call is theirs. “Fuck, not another one!” Hector thought. The speakers come alive again:

“North Beach Engine Four, Engine Six showing available on radio, Engine Twenty One, North Beach Truck Six, North Beach Battalion Two … Structure fire, possible person trapped … 810 Nutwood Lane … District 1710 Whiskey, Cross of Rosewood Terrace … North Beach Engines Four, Six, Twenty One, North Beach Truck Six, North Beach Battalion Two … Two India”



Hector sits straight up and starts to put on his turnout gear. Tom hits the lights and flips on the siren. He accelerates the engine, knowing the urgency of the situation. “Cap, we can beat those engine four fuckers in! I know a shortcut two blocks from here!” Captain Presley nods as he puts on his turnout coat. He turns to see Chad still sleeping away. He chucks a box of exam gloves at Chad, smacking on his head. “Dude, what the fuck?” he says stirring awake. “Wake up junior! We got a structure!” yells Captain Presley as he throws on his helmet. “Hold your ass guys, it’s gonna get bumpy!” says Tom. He turns the truck into a sharp right and down a narrow, neglected road. “This isn’t a fuckin road ogre. What the fuck? You’re going shake the fillings out of my teeth!” says the captain. Chad and Hector are now all suited up, ready to go to work. Their blood is flowing, minds sharp, ready to go into battle. The battle inside of the mouth of the dragon is a dangerous one, this battle including the rescue of someone trapped within the jaws of the beast. The cab is silent, partially listening for updates on the radio, also partially to mentally prepare for what lies ahead. Tom steers the apparatus through the narrow street which is in turn an alleyway. The sweeping pattern of reds, whites and yellows from the warning lights exchange flirtatious caresses from dark shadows and lonely corners of buildings. The echoing sirens pierce and shatter the still quiet of the early morning soundscape. Tom turns the truck onto a main street with a smooth turn. “See, told ya there was a shortc-“ Tom says, being cut off by the dispatcher. “All units responding to 810 Nutwood Lane, P.D. confirms one resident unaccounted for. North Beach Battalion Two, did you copy?” Hector can now feel the hair on his neck stand on end.

The stillness of the dormitory inside Station Six is shattered like a rock meeting a glass window at full speed as the call is received. It is an assault on your senses, to go from a deep sleep to full speed in a matter of seconds. The crew of Truck Six move from their beds to their awaiting truck with a graceful speed. A fury of changing into turnout gear is followed by the crew falling into their assigned places. Jeremiah starts the engine, Captain Lawson confirms they are en route to the dispatchers. “Ok cap, I’m good to go! Time to go play!” says Michele. “Yea! We haven’t gotten a decent structure in a month!” quips Tony. “Let’s go play!” says Captain Lawson. Jeremiah guides the vehicle out of the station and on the way to the fire. The update from the dispatcher is heard regarding the confirmation of a person trapped. “Oh lord! We got ourselves a party now! Big Country’s comin’ baby!” says Jeremiah. Michele laughs, but is really pumped now. She can feel a little more acceleration. She can feel the urgency in the pit of her stomach, her skin tingling. The mechanical wail and the bright red, white and amber dance of lights on a lonely stretch of boulevard really gets her pumped. Tony is chomping away at some gum, his foot tapping on the floor of the truck. Like a dog, poised in the shadows to pounce an intruder, he is ready to spring into action and pull another victim from the burning clutches of the beast. “We’re about seven minutes out, we’re gonna probably be cutting the roof. As usual, Engine Four will get the save and wave it under our noses like they always do,” sighs Captain Lawson. “Just once, I really hope those dirt merchants get a taste of their own medicine!” retorts Michele in a sleepy, huffy voice.

Tom turns the massive truck into a neighborhood. “Two minutes out, commin’ in hot gentlemen!” he calls over the headset. Hector can now smell the aroma of a house fire. The mixture of burning wood, plastic and drywall pound his nose like hammers. The fast acceleration is felt in the pit of his stomach, the whining of the diesel engine a swan song to his ears. The early morning misty fog is rolling in, bringing the smoke lower to the ground. The crew of Engine Six is primed and ready to go. Hector is tapping away on the floor with his foot. The blurry red and blue lights of the police vehicles come into view, and Tom notices that Engine Six is first on scene, in Engine Four’s area. This is an epic conquest, one which the crew will definitely not let them live down. “Ha ha! Told you fuckers!” he says, slowing down the engine and bringing it to a halt in front of the one story house. The front door is open, with heavy, billowing black smoke rolling out. With the engine stopped, Tom engages the parking brake, and puts the transmission into pump gear. This allows the engine to power the water pump, thus supplying the ammo for the battle within the dragon’s mouth. All members jump off the truck. Captain Presley reaches for the shoulder mic for his radio to call in a report. A hysterical, screaming woman runs up to him, followed by a police officer. “HELP HER! She can’t get out! You got to help her! She’s gonna die!” the lady screams, tugging on his arm, almost knocking him over. “Ma’am, we’re going get her out. Please trust me, but you have to stay out of the way!” he says, then turns his attention back to the shoulder mic. He calls in his report:

“Metrocomm, North Beach Engine Six on scene … One story residential structure, heavy smoke showing … confirmed one person trapped, will be in offensive mode … Engine Six establishing Nutwood Command!”

Chad grabs an attack line (hose) from the side of the truck, while Hector grabs an axe and a halligan tool. Tom opens the water tank to let water cycle through the pump, at the ready to charge Chad’s hose line. Chad and Hector stop in the front yard to don their SCBA masks. They put their hand over the connection piece, both check for a good seal. They connect the air regulator. They charge their bottles, a loud chirp is heard. These come from the PASS (Personal Alert Safety System) device, they are built in and integrated into their SCBA. This device emits a very loud sound if a firefighter stops moving for a certain amount of time. This would help to locate an injured or lost firefighter. Chad and Hector both check each other’s SCBA to make sure everything is on and correct. They both switch on their lights and move toward the front door. The smoke is really rolling, and feels very warm. Chad signals for water. Tom throttles up the engine, opens the hose line valve and makes sure he is flowing exactly 100 pounds per square inch to the tip of the fog nozzle. Captain Presley stands behind them, and they plunge into the inky darkness. The swirling darkness engulfs them, the flashlights provide a limited guiding light. Chad feels the wall with his hand, moving forward. Hector is directly behind him, smacking his boot every once in a while, to let him know he is still there. He takes the handle of the axe, searching more of the floor to his side. The darkness is intimidating, the gear heavy, the mask and gloves restricting, the heat starting to become more noticeable. He feels so at home, in his own element. He is a man on a quest to find the missing person, guiding them out of this solitary confinement of fumes, smoke and intense heat. He can see a dull, orange glow to his immediate left. In a split second, he can see flicker of flames rolling and dancing on the ceiling. The heat is becoming more heavy and overbearing. It starts to get more intense. This spells out one thing for him, flashover. Chad points the nozzle at the ceiling, hitting it with short, direct blasts to cool down the super heated gases. The men have no idea if they have a dedicated water supply yet so they have to be very careful. Hector feels the handle of his axe hit something soft. “I think I got her!” screams Hector through his mask.

“Where the hell are those scum fucks at?” Tom wonders to himself. He’s noticing his water tank is getting low. He needs to find a dedicated water supply. The duty on the second engine to arrive on scene is to establish a water supply. With that thought, he hears Engine Four coming up the street, the loud thumping of the supply hose unloading off the truck as it heads to Engine Six. Another firefighter is at the hydrant to make sure the hose doesn’t drag down the street, flush the hydrant (make sure no debris gets into the pump), and open the hydrant valve when the hose is in place. Engine four comes to a stop next to them. He is greeted first by Captain Lewis, who looks rather upset. “How the fuck did you beat us into OUR first due? That’s bullshit and you know it!” he yells at Tom before storming off. Tom just shrugs his shoulders and chuckles. The engineer of Engine Four walks up with the supply hose from his pump. “What’s crackin’ son? When in the hell did you transfer to Four? You break my heart with this!” says Tom to Gary Comstock, the acting Engineer of Engine Four. “Relax and go fuck some fatties! I’m picking up a shift for sugar pants! Holy shit pickles! Captain Lewis pissed! He’s been stewing in his own juices on the way here! So good!” says Gary. “Yea yea, just go back over there. We’ll kick the bobo in a hot minute once we get this done!” he says back. Tom transfers to the supply line, shutting down his water tank. “We’re golden now, it’s tea sipping time!” he says, knowing in the back of his mind he would love an iced tea at that moment.

“Chad, gonna drag her out, cover me!” Hector screams, his voice choked from the mask. Chad nods his head, keeping the cooling jets of water trained on the dancing orange flames. “Interior to command, found the trapped person, bringing her out!” yells Hector into his shoulder mic. Hector grabs her under her arms, drags her to the doorstep, gives the lifeless body to the crew of engine four, and then joins back with Chad for the push to the seat of the fire. Chad and Hector push down a hallway. It’s like a tunnel of superheated gases, the smoke getting real thick. They see the source of the flames, coming from a bedroom door to the right. This is the last room they have searched, and now it is time to go to battle. Captain Presley screams into the mic of his radio, “Interior to command. Primary search complete. Victim has been extricated. We’ve found the fire, working on it now. PAR (Personnel Accountability Report) three” A voice Hector doesn’t recognize answers, “Interior this is command, received. Truck Six, you have roof. Start ventilating.” Hector feel a bit relieved. Once the truck company gets in top of the roof, the crew will cut a hole open to vent the smoke and gases out, making things a bit easier on the soldiers within the battle of the dragon’s mouth.

“Girls on film, doo doo da doo doo, Girls on film!” sings Michele to herself over the noise of the chainsaw. Tony and Captain Lawson are on the roof with her, watching her make precision cuts. Not to deep to cut through support beams, but deep enough to cut through the cover. Satisfied she has cut a hole to her liking, Tony grabs a trash hook, and pushes down to one side. It acts like a louver and pushes the smoke away at an angle. He pokes it down further to pop a hole in the ceiling below, creating a clear channel for the smoke and heated gases to clear from the structure. Captain Lawson Calls into the mic of his radio, “Roof to command, ventilation complete!” Michele turns off the chainsaw, and the crew makes their way to the ladder to depart the roof. “Not too shabby if I don’t say so myself, Nice!” says Michele taking one last look at her handy work. “It fockin’ sucks, your 8 inches off, and ya cut too deep into that beam. That shit is amateur at best!” calls Tony to her walking toward the ladder. “Go spike you hair and bathe yourself in Drakkar Noir dirty jersey, the shore is that way!” Michele screams back, pointing her finger east. “Go eat bean sprouts and hug a tree cali!” he says to Michele making his way down the ladder. The crew makes their way down the ladder, and hits the ground. Tony give Michele a knuckle tap and says, “Kick ass job bro!” Michele returns the favor and says, “Thanks fuck face! I have a sinking feeling we’re gonna be pulling walls, as usual!” They make their way to the battalion chief to await their next assignment.



In a split second, the smoke starts to clear, but the fire becomes more intense, roaring and hissing at the crew of Engine Six. Chad works the nozzle in a pattern, sweeping across the wall of flame. Hector can feel someone coming up behind him, and feels a cool rush of a second hose line opening up next to him. As fast as the fire erupts from the dragon’s throat, the burning thirst has been parched. Captain Presley is right behind them and calls in the report: “Interior to command. Fire is out, will be conducting a secondary search. PAR five.” Chad and Hector stand up to survey the scene of structural carnage. The men realize that the fire started in this room. Hector spots what looks like a wide, sooty, dark looking V on the wall, right above a sofa. “Hey cap, call me stupid, but I think there’s our answer” say Hector, looking down on the couch. He spots a glass jar, extremely darkened in the skeleton of the couch. Captain Presley bends over to look, and lets out a sigh. “People just don’t learn. I bet ten to one that’s a candle. Just makes no sense.” says Captain Presley. Captain Lewis walks into the blackened room, but stumbles over the hose line. Chad feels something hit his boot. He looks down, sees an object, and very slyly places the object in his jacket. “Its bullshit you beat us in! You cheated, there’s no way!” Captain Lewis says in a very paternal tone, while the other two firefighters on Engine Four chuckle and snicker. “Read it and weep Todd! Fair is fair! Now if you’ll excuse me, we have a secondary search to do.” He retorts back with an evil smirk. Captain Lewis turns and storms out of the room, and trips over the same hose line again. Chad pokes Captain Presley, opens his turnout coat slightly and points toward the departing Captain.



“Double gin and tonic, cheese fries and a bowl of lobster bisque”, says Tony as he looks into a Thermal imaging camera. The camera is used to look for hot spots in walls, ceilings and spaces inside structures. The camera saves time and causes less damage during the overhaul/salvage process. After the fire is out, there is a process to check for any unnoticed extension of fire and to make sure the fire is completely out. Tony has the camera pointed toward the ceiling, and says to Captain Lawson, “All clear cap. No extension.” He takes the camera out of Tony’s hands and takes a quick once over. “Ok good. Well lets go rip up some walls why don’t we. Oh, put me down for three bottles of Cabernet, a 16 ounce prime rib, and some garlic mashed potatoes!” he says. Truck Six has a quirky little past time of naming off what the crew would like to eat while performing any strenuous activity. It really rings true, it’s after five in the morning, and it’s been a long while since anyone at Station Six has eaten. Michele picks up a pike pole and while walking back to the room where the fire started says, “I want a handle of vodka, a gallon of fresh squeezed orange juice, two pounds of mozzarella, basil leaves and all the loaves of sourdough bread I can handle! “ she says walking down the charred corridor that once was a hallway. “Y’all, forget that mess. Right now, Big Country needs himself a crawdad boil, some cornbread, and a couple of kegs of that sweet, sweet lady on the moon. Mmm hmm! Lord you treat me so right but leave me hanging in pain in the morning. Miller high life, I love you dearly!” he says, with a trash hook over his massive shoulder. “Eh yo, that’s a good call bro! I say we do it up, like A shift style!” retorts Tony behind him. They pass the crew of Engine Six, on their way out to report to incident command. Hector bumps into Michele and hip checks her. “Oh my bad, I’m sorry dude, I mean ma’am!” he says, then makes a quick exit out of the door. “You’re a dork, you know that! Your dead senior!” she screams back. The crew of Truck Six makes their way into the room, greeted by the crew of Engine Twenty One in the process of the same job. “Alright ladies, let’s make short work of this and get our sweet cans home!” says Captain Lawson with a smile. He’s only been a captain for six months, he feels comfortable in his new position, and loves every minute of him.



“Chief, we’ve been to rehab and we are all good. Anything else you need from us?” say Captain Lawson to Battalion Chief Kircher. Chief Kircher is looking at the Command Board from the back of his vehicle. “No, you guys can take up and go. Good job on beating in Lewis. God is he hopping mad. I’ve already had to hear about it.” He says to them. Chad elbows Captain Presley and shows him the object in his coat. “Oh Chief, we have more fuel for the fire. Take a look at this!” says Captain Presley. Chad opens his turnout coat, and shows Chief Kircher. He goes wide eyed, and launches into a deep, menacing sounding chuckle. “Oh wow! Lewis is going to have kittens and a litter of puppies! I want a cup of coffee out of this!” he says still laughing. “I’m on it Chief. Oh, Chief this is Hector Gonzales, the transfer from One we got this morning. Gonzo, this is our esteemed leader, Chief Bob Kircher.” replies Captain Presley, presenting him to the chief. The Chief and Hector shake hands, and he says, “Great to meet you. Chief Semonell speaks highly of you, and you graduated at the top of your paramedic class it's is an added bonus. The only thing I harp on is your appearance, keep it by the book. We have an image to protect, and let’s maintain that. Welcome to the bastard child, I mean the Second Battalion!” Hector smiles, and replies to the Chief, “Thank you chief. So far it’s been a wild ride and glad to be here!” Captain Presley interrupts him and states, “Let’s go Gonzo, this is magic in the making right here!” Engine Six’s Crew run into Engine Four’s crew on their way out of the house. “Excuse me Captain Lewis, I think we might have something of yours.” says Captain Presley. “Ok, yes I know, you beat us in. Come off of it already, our tails our between our legs. Shit what more do you want from us? Blood?” says Captain Lewis in an angry tone. Tom walks over from the pump panel and stands next to Hector to listen in. “It seems you dropped something near and dear to you. My Probationary Firefighter here has picked up something you will need back!” responds Captain Presley. Chad opens his turnout coat, and pulls out a portable radio. The equipment tag on the radio proclaims it belongs on Engine Four. Captain Lewis’s face falls, and turns a shade of red. The rest of the crew of Engine Four makes its way back to their apparatus, starting the re-packing of hose. “Alright, you win. What’s it going to cost me?” he replies, in a dejected tone. “For starters, we get our bragging rights back, and it’s about time I might add. Second, Chief wants some coffee so you are gonna bring him a cup, you do remember how he likes it right? Third, you owe us two gallons of mint chocolate chip ice cream, like now. We’re gonna re-pack our hose, and I expect in on the driver’s seat in fifteen minutes. Be gone!” says Captain Presley, with a huge smile. Captain Lewis just walks off, and has a word with his crew. Tom grabs Captain Presley in a huge bear hug, and they both laugh like two teenage boys who lit their first firecracker.

Engine Six has just re-packed and put away their equipment to their apparatus under the early dim, progressively bright rising sunlight. Captain Presley satisfied with the replacement, deems it suitable to place the unit back in service. Tom opens the driver’s side door and sees the package that requested in the driver’s seat. “We got it Cap!” he calls to Captain Presley. He walks over to Captain Lewis, and gives him the captive radio. He takes off his turnout gear except for the pants, and jumps into the cab with the rest of the crew. Tom starts the engine, and states over the headset, “Ok gentlemen, that was one hell of a way to end a shift. Let’s ride out the next hour and a half quietly, shall we?” He guides the sleek, two toned apparatus down the street. The hum of the accelerating engine down the street against the backdrop of a new day is exciting to Hector. Even though he is dead tired, sweaty, and starving, seeing this new day before him after completing so much in a shift is most rewarding. This is a high that no drug could ever bring and no drink could ever give. This is what strikes pride into the hearts of firefighters, a job well done. It may seem small and minuscule to others, means the world to some. Hector belongs in a small group, a proud group. He realizes this now more than other moments. Engine Six get three minutes away from the battlegrounds of the dragon and they hear a tone from their onboard computer, then a series of beeps in the speakers of the headphones. Tom, of course, is the first to express the disgust of the crew by saying, “Fuck! Are you serious? We’ve ran three times the calls of everyone else! Fuck that fickle finger of fate!” Chad and Hector look and each other and laugh, it’s all they can do at this situation. Captain Presley flips a middle finger at the radio speaker in the cab. The dispatcher’s voice comes over the headset speakers, louder than ever Hector feels:

‘North Beach Engine Six available on radio … Injury from a fall, behind 616 Crossways Boulevard, Six One Six Crossways Boulevard, District 1123 Zulu Cross of Drift Circle, North Beach Engine Six Bravo response, two foxtrot …”

Tom pulls the apparatus in front of a small house in Crossways Boulevard. Like a repeat of their first call, several North Beach Police cars are in the front, except this time, no warning lights are on. The low droning of a police helicopter can be heard, a spotlight on to the rear of the house they pulled up in front of. An ambulance is waiting two houses down, something Tom notes in his head, for this is a rare occasion that a private ambulance has beat them in. A female police sergeant greats Captain Presley and says, “Hi Clyde! He’s in the back. He took a nasty tumble over the fence, and he’s complaining of right side pain!” Captain Presley shakes his head and is lead on by the police sergeant, with the rest of the crew of Engine Six in tow, carrying medical equipment. The crew enters the backyard, and Tom is the first one to say, “Captain, this is an obvious DOA. I see brain matter about.” Captain takes a look and says, ‘Sir, I concur!” In front of the crew lies a North Beach Police officer, clutching his right side, wincing in pain. Hector takes notice of his name plate, and it reads C. PRESLEY JR. The officer looks up and says, “Dad, shut the fuck up! Do something this horseshit hurts!” Captain Presley gives him a good look and says, “Son, what the hell happened?” The police officer laying on the ground states, “Well dad, while your chasing house fires like a wuss, I was booking it after a carjacking suspect, my foot caught the fence while going over, and my ribcage bounced off this propane grill. Fucking A, this hurts like hell!” he states, wincing in pain. Chad and Hector check him out, running his vital signs and give him a quick trauma assessment. ‘Cap, probably bruised or cracked ribs. No DECAP-BTLS … Want me to start one(IV)?” says Hector. “Naw. We’ll send him off to West Med. Son, I’ll call Samantha and tell her to meet you there, and I will stop by in a bit since we are so close to shift change. Have fun!” says Captain Presley. The EMT’s on the ambulance crew place him on the stretcher and cart him off. Captain Presley hands his son’s gun belt off to the police sergeant. Hector has now noticed that the early morning sun has become into full view, showing the beauty that an early southern California foggy morning can produce. The weary crew of Engine Six replaces the equipment to their apparatus, and drives back to their homestead.

It is now seven thirty in the morning as Engine Six rolls back into Station Six. The Captain from C shift awaits Captain Presley. Both men head into the front office. Chad looks at Hector and says, “Bro! I know a bar close to here in Mission City. Its firefighter friendly dude, let’s go have a couple and shoot the shit. We’ve got a couple of days off, let’s make the best of the worst shift ever know to man!” Hector replies with, “Cool, I’m down! I live in Glenbank anyway, so it’s on the way. We’re talking about Finnegan’s on Limerick street right?” Chad envelops Hector in a hug and says, “Hells yes dude! Even though he hates us orange curtain type dudes, he loves to shoot the breeze with us fire folk. Let’s do it up!” Soon as Chad and Hector release from their hug, Tom says, “You guys don’t know shit. Let’s walk in there with firefighter pride, no matter the city or territory, we got our job done, let’s live it up. We should not live our lives like mortal men, but as giants!” Captain Presley walks out of the office and says, “Ok, I heard your plans fuckers. I live Fullerton Hills, but I’ll take the Metro Line from there! Let’s do it now!” The crew looks at each other, and then runs for the transit bus in front of the station.