Chapter 1

This story is told from the view point of the captain. Blue Wolf Fire Department Station 9 Personell: Truck/Quint 9 Captain Theodore Burfoot Firefighter Engineer Scott Evans Firefighter Kenneth Logan Firefighter Dave Matzer

Medic Squad 9 Firefighter Paramedic Tonka Madio Firefighter Paramedic Henry Hraker

Day 1, 0800hrs.

I pull into the parking slot in the back of the station with the sign marked for captain only. After getting out and locking my car. I turn my head and see my friend and fellow Firefighter Engineer Scott Evans "Hey Scott what's up?" I ask. "Not much the wife and I are having some problems but they should always work themselves out." He says. We walk into the station as C shift leaves and the rest of A shift arrives.

"Ok Tonka, Henry, Check out the Squad, Scott you are on ladder control today, Dave you are on Bucket Duty, and Ken you are Force entry. The local Fireman's picnic is in 2 weeks and there will be a team hose pull competition. So that is it guys." I say and walk to my office to do my paperwork.

"DEDOBO YARHHHHH!" The alarm goes off "Station 9, Engine 5, Traffic Accident with injuries I-78N exit 547, Frequency 3, Division 2, time out 0810." The dispatcher says over the radio speakers as I and my crew race for our trucks. I step into my turnout gear and get into the captain's seat turning on all the lights on the huge Seagrave Quint Truck. The crew gets into their gear and both the truck and the squad roll out of the Bay with lights and sirens, and horn's blaring. Cars get out of our way as we make our way onto the Interstate I-78 Northbound I look at the wreck and see 3 cars 2 of which looked crushed. "Ok guys check the crushed cars first, find out if anyone is still alive, If they are alive begin extricating them. I am calling for 2 more squads clear?" I say to my crew "Yes Cap!" they say. I pick up the mic "Dispatch Quint 9, requesting 2 more squads to this location." I say after a break of 5-10 seconds I hear "10-4 Quint 9" over the radio followed by "Medic 34, Medic 2, respond with Station 9, Traffic Accident with injuries, I-78N exit 547, Frequency 3, Division 2, time out 0814." The truck stops next to the wreaked cars and I exit the Cab. I walk run over to the nearest car I knock on the window "Sir are you all right?" I ask the man in the driver seat. "Yeah, just a little sore, Please see about my daughter." He tells me. I look in the back seat and see a girl about 16 years of age sprawled out all over the back seat. "Tonka, Henry you want to take a look at this!" I say as the 2 Paramedics rush over and start examining the girl. "Cap, she needs the Medic Air ASAP we can stabilize her here, but we might lose her in the rig." "Ok, Dispatch Quint 9, Request Medic Air to this location." I say "10-4 Quint 9 Medic Air is in-route ETA 5 minutes." The dispatcher says I turn to the State Police "Back this traffic up we have Medic Air inbound in 3." I say to the troopers. The troopers clear a zone for the approaching MED Explorer Helicopter, the 2 reinforcing medic squads arrive and start assisting the rest of my crew as well as the crew of Engine 5. The Helicopter sets down and the 16 year old is put aboard and the Helicopter takes off heading to Blue Wolf University Hospital. The Rescue Squads finish extricating the people from the cars and taking them to the hospital. The Tow-trucks showed up and I gather up my men and we do our cleanup. We get back into the rig I put on the headset "ok guys what should he have for lunch?" I say as Scott drives us back to the station.

"Subs" Dave says, "Chili" Scott says and we all give him a look. Scott's Fireman Chili was enough to make you want to spend 5 days on the can doing nothing else. "How about I make Meat Loaf" Kenneth says. "Ok Kenneth you make lunch and Dave makes dinner. Scott we can give the chili to C shift to eat they seem to love the stuff." I say as we reach the station we pull into the bay and I get down from the rig. And take off my turnout gear placing the boots with pants at my door and place my jacket back in its place by my seat.