Going to Extreme Measures

Chapter 6

When Station 51 arrived at the restaurant it was fully involved. They were the second crew on the scene. Getting their assignments the group of men moved to enter the burning building: Johnny and Roy went inside to look for victims, Chet and Marco with Captain Stanley backing them up were assigned to enter from the rear, and Mike stood at his usual spot manning the engine. Inside the building Johnny and Roy moved toward the kitchen which was where the fire started. The cook was listed as missing. They hoped to find him alive.

The smoke was so thick they couldn't see. They hunkered low and almost crawled through the charred room. "Roy I think I see something." Johnny moved over by the grill. He stumbled on something and quickly realized it was the cook's foot. "He's here. I've got him Roy. Let's get out of here." Johnny put his air mask over the cook's face and hoisted him over his shoulder. The man was huge. He was so heavy Johnny almost couldn't lift him, but he had to get the man out. Stumbling towards the direction he had entered from Johnny soon met up with Roy. The weight of the man was causing Johnny to breath deeper than he wanted to with no air mask. Roy saw how Johnny was coughing and shared his air with him as they slowly made their way out of the building.

As soon as they reached the fresh air Johnny dropped to his knees buckling under the weight of the obese man. Mike quickly ran over and helped Roy move the cook over to the squad. Johnny put his air mask over his own face and sucked in the oxygen. After a few minutes Mike was back at Johnny's side helping him up.

"Come on Johnny let's get you over to the squad." Johnny didn't try to speak he just nodded his head in agreement as he coughed again.

"Hey Roy I think Johnny here took in too much smoke. I'll get the oxygen from the engine. Do you need anything else?" Mike asked as he walked toward the engine.

"No. We're okay here." Roy said as he called the cook's vitals in to Rampart. He had regained consciousness. "Rampart victim appears to have hit his head when he collapsed. Possible concussion."

"51 start IV D5W, continue oxygen, and transport," instructed Dr. Joe Early from Rampart's base station.

"Rampart we have another victim."

"No Roy I'm okay now." Johnny protested.

"Go ahead 51."

"Rampart we have a code I age 25 victim of smoke inhalation. Stand by for vitals."

"Standing by 51." Roy took Johnny's blood pressure, pulse, and respirations and relayed the information to Rampart. "51 continue oxygen and transport," Joe instructed.

"Well Junior looks like you get to avoid an IV, but Dr. Early wants to see you." Roy told Johnny as he packed up the equipment to transport. Johnny grabbed the bio-phone and drug box and stood up to put them on the ambulance. "What do you think you're doing Johnny? Take it easy. I'll get that." Roy reached for the equipment.

"Roy I'm okay, really. Why don't you let me ride in with the patient? You can bring in the squad."

"I don't think so Johnny. Now let's go." Johnny and Roy both climbed into the ambulance. "Cap will get Chet or Marco to bring the squad." Johnny rolled his eyes at Roy and settled on the bench holding the oxygen over his face.

A short while later the fire was out and Chet had taken the squad to Rampart to pick up the paramedics. Johnny had undergone a breathing treatment. They were ready to head back to the Station.

Arriving back at the station they were met by Captain Stanley coming out of the office. "John are you okay to finish the shift?"

"Yes sir. I've been released for duty, just a simple case of smoke inhalation. I'm good to go." Johnny smiled at Cap as he went into the dayroom. Roy headed to the locker room to shower. Chet went to the kitchen for something cold to drink.

"Hey Johnny you okay?" Marco asked him as he entered the room.

"Yep." Johnny opened the refrigerator and pulled out the milk. Turning to the cabinet he grabbed a glass and poured it full. Drinking half of the glass in one big gulp he refilled the glass and put the milk back. He sat at the table and continued to drink coughing between gulps.

"You sound a little rough there Johnny," Mike looked at his friend with concern.

"I'm good guys really. I'll be even better once I get my turn in a hot shower."

Marco and Chet decided to shoot some hoops while they waited for a turn in the shower which left Mike and Johnny in the kitchen alone.

"Johnny, how did you learn to have so much control of your board? I mean how is it that you can stay up on it even when you are not on a wave?" Mike asked.

"Well Mike it's really a lot like the trick riding I did on the reservation. You just get used to it. You learn where to place your feet, when to bend your knees and how much to bend them. You learn to sway into the movement of the board."

"Trick riding? Riding on what?" Mike smiled at Johnny.

"Horses."

"What kind of tricks did you do?" Mike was very interested in this new aspect to his friend.

"Well I have this friend who has a stable that rents out horses. Why don't we go over there tomorrow after shift and I'll show you some things. Maybe you can try some of them too. They might help you with your balance on the surf board. Have you ever ridden a horse?"

"Yeah I can ride. That sounds like a plan. Unless we get toned out and don't get any sleep." Mike was excited about going riding. He hadn't ridden in a long time.

"Well if we do then we'll nap first and ride later," Johnny suggested.

"Are you sure you'll be up to it after all that smoke?" Mike was clearly worried about Johnny.

"Yes I'll be up to it." Johnny smiled as he coughed out his answer.