SWEETCHEEKS AND BABYCAKES
My answer to the Tangee Challenge
The explosion was small by Hollywood standards. But to the men and women of the LA County Fire Department it was huge, because it involved some of their own. Not firefighters, but still members of the department.
The LA Co FD Vehicle Maintenance Garage had always had an exemplary safety record. But today, circumstances combined to mar that record...mar it badly.
First, a truck carrying several barrels of cleaning solvent...highly flammable cleaning solvent...had gotten a flat tire as it pulled up behind the building. The driver steered it to the side of the road, up against the building close to loading dock where he had planned to off-load the barrels. He jogged into the garage looking for the supervisor, so he could get help removing the barrels with a forklift.
While he was inside, a new mechanic, Toby Winslow, sped toward the back parking lot, late for work as usual. At first he didn't notice the broken down fire engine that was being pushed into the same oversized garage door that the truck driver had just run through. When he spotted the large red obstacle in his path, he jammed his foot down on the break pedal, which of course caused his little yellow sportscar to fishtail out of control. Winslow tried to correct the skid and was actually able to wrestle with the steering wheel and clear the back end of the engine.
But, he didn't see the truck loaded with cleaning solvent.
He didn't see it....until it was too late.
A split second away from disaster now, Toby had only enough time to throw his hands in front of his face and scream. His scream ended abruptly when his car slammed into the rear of the truck.
The collision tore jagged holes in the sides of the barrels, sparks igniting the solvent. The resulting explosion sent the barrels shooting into the sky, metal shrapnel spraying in all directions.
The coroner would later assure his family that Toby had died instantly. His death was only the first of several casualties that day.
As the explosion ripped through the walls of the building, workers inside we knocked off their feet by the concussion. Vehicles dropped when jacks weren't strong enough to withstand the blast and collapsed. Flaming debris ignited oily rags.
A worker ran past, his uniform shirt ablaze, only to be tackled by a colleague, who used his hands to suffocate the flames traveling up the man's arm. He and another co-worker then dragged the man from the building and away from danger.
Screams and yells mingled with smaller explosions and the crashing sounds of falling debris. Mini fires dotted the parking lot and roofs of outbuildings, testament of the flights of the burning barrels.
Within a few short minutes, sirens could be heard approaching the scene, a pillar of smoke marking the way. Not that directions were needed, since every firefighter in LA County knew where this building was. These were their people. Maybe not firefighters, but department employees all the same, and therefore part of their circle.
Marcus Landry, the shop foreman, grabbed the arm of a passing mechanic.
"Joey, I need you to start getting everyone together in a central spot, so we can get a head count. Use the field over behind the hose racks," he shouted over the noise, pointing to a large vacant field about a hundred yards away. "It'll have easy access for the ambulance too, so the paramedics can set up their triage over there, so be sure anyone who's injured gets over there, if they can be moved."
"Right, Mark," the man replied, than turned to others milling about, and started shouting directions and steering them toward the field. A few joined him in getting their fellow workers away from the building and away from the fire. Still others had begun grabbing fire hoses from the walls, and fire extinguishers from glass cases, and did what the could to keep the inferno under control until help arrived.
As the first engines pulled into the back drive, laying hose behind them, the brick wall that had already been weakened by the explosions suddenly collapsed. Debris covered Toby's now blackened vehicle, the smell of burning flesh a not-so-subtle reminder of his fate. Losing its supporting wall, the ceiling partially collapse, burying everything underneath.
Captain Hank Stanley jumped down from the cab of Engine 51, directing his men to pull hose and positioning them in the best place from which to begin their fight against the blaze. He was quickly joined by Captain Larry Williams if Station 82, and Marcus Landry, who indicated the field where the employees were beginning to cluster.
"Larry, have you squad set up triage and begin checking for injuries, call in however many ambulances they think they'll need. I'll have Gage and DeSoto start the search and Squad 34 can join them when they get here," Stanley directed.
"Okay, Hank. Where do you want my men?"
"Have them come in from the east side, at the other overhead door," he said, indicating another oversized garage door about 75 feet further along the side of the building. Nodding his head in acknowledgment, Williams ran back to his crew and gave them their instructions.
"Gage, DeSoto!" Stanley called. "When you get suited up, you'll start your search. Squad 34 will join you when they get here!"
Roy DeSoto and John Gage, already in the process of donning their air tanks, waved at Stanley to signal they'd heard his order. Pulling on their gloves, they walked over to their Captain for final instructions before entering the building.
"Marcus, any idea how many people are still inside?" Stanley asked, as they stopped next to him.
"Not yet, still getting a head count." He pointed toward the mangled wreckage of Toby's vehicle. "Initial impact was there. Vehicle struck the truck, which exploded, and took out the wall and part of the roof. I did have people working in that bay adjacent to the roof, not sure if they were able to get out or not." He stared at the pile of burning rubble, praying that no one was underneath. Chet Kelly and Marco Lopez were already spraying the area with their hose, maybe small headway against the flames.
Stanley turned to his paramedics. "Okay, guys, start your search there. See if anyone is buried. I'll have 34 come in from the other end when they get here," he said, indicating the other garage door.
"Any idea how many were in that area before the explosion," Gage asked Marcus, as he and Roy pulled their masks over their faces and adjusted their helmets back on their heads.
"At least two that I know of for sure, Tangee and Rob were working on the ladder truck that's parked in the first bay. Not sure if anyone else was with them." He interupted to direct more employees to the field, where squad 82 had set up their triage and were already treated the most serious injuries. Two ambulances had arrived, one already backed up into the field, the occupants opening the back doors and removing stretches.
DeSoto and Gage headed into the building while Stanley got on the radio to dispatch and requested another alarm. There were a great many flammable and explosive elements in this building and the outlying buildings on the grounds, and he wanted to be sure he had enough personnel to handle it all if it blew.
Johnny and Roy passed through the spray from the hoses of Kelly and Lopez, who were concentrating on knocking down the fire that still licked at the crumbling wall near the garage entrance.
The ladder truck that was parked in the first vehicle maintenance bay was almost completely covered with debris, and was partially obscured by the smoke which billowed around it before escaping out the nearby opening. Working their way through the mist created when the water from the hoses hit the flames, the paramedic partners carefully maneuvering through the rubble.
"Tangee, Rob can you hear me?" yelled Gage. "Answer up!"
As the pair stumbled across the uneven pile of debris now scattered around, they continued to call out. Finally Roy stopped, holding up a hand to signal Gage to stop.
"What is it, Roy?"
"Do you hear that?"
Both men listened, finally hearing a faint voice through the cacophony of noise around them. It was a weak utterance amidst the crackling of the fire, the hissing of water hitting hot surfaces, and the many voices yelling in other areas of the garage.
"Hello, can anyone hear me?"
"Tangee?" Roy called, recognizing the disembodied voice. "Tangee, it's Roy and Johnny. Where are you?"
"Roy, thank god. We're under the ladder truck."
"Tangee, keep talking so we can pinpoint your location. Are you hurt? Is Rob with you?"
"Rob is with me. I think he broke his leg. I've got an injured arm, can't tell how bad." She hesitated a moment before going on. "Roy, it's getting awfully hot under here," she said almost too quietly for him to hear.
"I know Tangee. Just hang on, we're coming to get you out. Is anybody else there with you?"
"Not under the truck, but Mike Hamstead was talking to us just before the explosion. He has to be around here somewhere. Damn, Roy, if he was out in the open when all this crap came down..."
"Calm down, Tangee, we'll look for him. He might have made it outside."
"Roy, I think I see him," Johnny interrupted. He pointed to an area about ten feet away, where they could see a hand sticking out from a pile of bricks and other debris.
"Tangee, are you and Rob in any immediate danger under there? We've spotted Mike and want to check on him."
"We're fine for a couple minutes, Roy, but please hurry."
"We'll be quick," he assured her, then followed his partner over to check on the downed man.
Johnny was already removing the rubble from the injured mechanic. Roy joined him, reaching a hand up to Mike's neck to check for a pulse, finding it weak but steady. He pulled his portable radio from his pocket and advised Stanley what they had. He replied that he would send a team of firefighters in with whatever equipment they needed, so Roy told him to bring in a stokes basket, backboard and cervical collar. They would stabilize him and have the firefighters bring him out for further assessment by the paramedics from Engine 82, allowing Roy and Johnny to stay inside and help the two trapped employees.
They had Mike almost completely uncovered by the time the two firefighters crawled over the rubble and dropped down next to them, carrying the stokes basket and the other equipment. After getting him on the backboard and strapped into the basket, the firemen left the scene with their burden, while Roy and Gage looked around to find a way under the truck.
After clearing away a pile of rubble, Roy knelt down and looked under the ladder truck, and came face-to-face with Tangee, the only female mechanic in the department. Her face was soot covered, her sweat-dampened hair plastered to her head, some stray hairs falling into her face. Still, she managed to smile at her favorite paramedic.
"Hey, handsome, what took you so long?" she asked DeSoto.
Roy returned her smile, but noticed her grimace in pain as she shifted to allow him room to join her under the truck.
"Geez, Roy, even in the middle of a fire, buried under a fire truck, she still manages to find time to flirt with you," Gage commented as he squeezed past the pair, crawling on his belly to check on their other patient.
"I've always said, 'when you've got it, you've got it', Junior,' Roy replied, moving carefully, not wanting to get his air tank entangled. Although the truck was large, there wasn't much room to maneuver underneath, so they were all laying flat. Both paramedics check their patients' vital signs, wanting to be sure they were breathing okay. Since the smoke was thankfully not too thick down that low due to the large garage doors being so close, Roy didn't think they'd need to bring in extra air masks, but each firefighter would share their air with the patients until they could get them outside.
After assessing injuries, it was decided that both patients would be moved on backboards, just in case of injuries that hadn't become apparent yet. Roy contacted Stanley, who told him to standby and he would send in the equipment and manpower needed to help move the injured mechanics.
As they waited for the assistance, they kept a close eye on their patients, keeping up a running commentary so that neither Tangee nor Rob would panic.
"So, Roy, does Joanne know you have a girlfriend?" Johnny teased, gesturing toward Tangee, a smile on his face, the white of his teeth contrasting sharply with the dark soot lining his face.
"Jealous, Gage?" asked Tangee, as she handed the air mask back to Roy for a quick hit of fresh oxygen. Turning to DeSoto, she shook her head. "Do me a favor good-looking. If I have to go to the hospital, please make sure the scarecrow over there doesn't ride with me," she waved her hand in Gage's direction. "If I stop breathing and need mouth-to-mouth, I'd much prefer you do it, than him."
DeSoto was glad his own face was sooty, since he could feel the blush creep up his neck to his cheeks. "Tangee, I hardly think you'll be needing CPR," he mumbled giving the air mask back to the female mechanic.
"Can't we just pretend?" she asked with a smile.
"Hey guys, where are you?" a voice called.
"Over here," Roy yelled out, grateful for the interruption.
"Ooooh, saved by the bell," needled Gage, aware of his partner's unease with the mechanic's attention.
"Roy, I think it'll be easier if you get Tangee out first, since you're in a better position to just slide right her over to the opening there," Gage said, getting back into paramedic mode.
"Yeah, I think you're right, Johnny. Tangee, we're gonna slide the backboard underneath you. Johnny and Jose there," he said, pointing to one of the other paramedics who had joined them, "will help. I want you to let us do all the work, okay?"
"Anytime, sweetcheeks. My body is yours to do with as you please."
Roy looked up at the chuckle from Jose Gonzales. Tangee's flirtation wasn't news to him..or any other paramedic who had ever met Tangee. She made no secret of her infatuation with the man. Even though she knew he was married, she had voiced her opinion about everything from his smile to his backside view.
As the paramedics readied her to move, she continued to flirt with DeSoto.
"So, Roy, when are you going to leave that wife of yours and let me tune your engine?"
Roy glared at his partner when he heard Johnny begin to laugh.
"Tangee, you've got to quit talking like that. I'm a very happily married man!"
"Roy, Roy, Roy. A girl can flirt, can't sh...OW! Shit!" she cried out as they settled her onto the backboard and fastened the straps.
"You okay?" he asked, concerned at her pain.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I should have listened to you and not tried to move on my own. I should just let you big strong men do all the work. Or at least, you two big strong men and Gage over there," she finished, clenching her teeth.
"Hey!' Johnny's response came a little slow, as it took him a moment to realize he'd been slighted. "It's a good think you're injured woman, or I might be tempted to hurt you."
"No thanks, Gage, you're not my type. Now your partner here....he can hurt me anytime. Say, Roy, is it true what they say about fireman always being in heat!"
Roy's mouth dropped open, but no words came out. Then Marty Fletcher, the fourth firefighter on the scene, poked his head next to his partner's shoulder. "On that note, Jose, what say we remove this woman, before DeSoto there gets into more trouble than he can get out off."
"Hey, Roy," Tangee called as she was moved. "I heard that fireman have longer hoses! Any truth to that rumor?"
The two firefighters slowly and carefully slid the backboard and patient out from under the truck, and carried her outside. Roy and Johnny turned their attentions back to Rob, who had been silently watching the by-play between his co-worker and the paramedic.
He started chuckling as they slid him on a backboard on his stomach, then hissed in pain as his leg was moved. He had worked with Tangee for the better part of a year and knew of her 'crush' on the hapless paramedic. In fact, when he first started working at the garage, he had been warned to steer clear of the subject of firefighters and paramedics if at all possible while talking to her. He didn't mind her chatter though, it always reminded him of his sister when she talked about the newest man in her life.
"How ya doing, Rob?" DeSoto questioned.
"Oh, just fine, sweetcheeks," he replied with a smile, using the same endearment Tangee had used earlier.
"Oh, brother, I will never live that one down, will I?" he moaned.
"Especially not if Chet hears about it," remarked Gage. "And he will hear about it."
"You wouldn't?!" Roy exclaimed, eyes wide, as they began to slide the backboard out from under the truck.
"I'll have to think about it."
Nothing more was said as they carried their patient from the building and over to the triage site. They set their burden down next to Tangee and turned to walk back to the building to find their Captain and see if they needed to return and continue searching or take up relief on the hoses.
"Roy, wait up," Tangee called.
"Tangee, I really need to get back to work."
"I know, I just wanted to say thanks. For getting us out of there. It looks like Mike is gonna be okay. He came to before they took him to the hospital."
"That's great! But I wasn't alone in there, Tangee. I have a partner who works with me and all these other firefighters and paramedics as well."
"Yeah, yeah. I hear ya! Just...thanks, handsome!"
Shaking his head, he turned to find his partner behind him, a smirk splashed across his face. Pushing on Johnny's shoulder, he guided him back toward the building.
"Not a word, Gage, not a word."
"Wouldn't think of it, handsome!"
Later that night, Roy and Johnny were in the emergency room after bringing in a heart attack victim. Roy was replenishing their supplies, while Gage flirted with a nurse nearby.
"Heads up, Roy!" Johnny called
Looking around, DeSoto say the reason for the warning. Tangee was making her way down the corridor toward him. She was cleaned up from the last time he'd seen her, and her right arm was in a sling, her shoulder having been dislocated when she jumped under the truck. She was really a pretty woman, late 20's, shoulder length auburn hair, slightly curly, medium height, nice build, and beautiful green eyes. If Roy wasn't married, he would find her very attractive. Well, actually, she was still attractive, but he just wasn't interested. He had Joanne, and she was all the woman he needed.
"Babycakes!" she called. "I was hoping I'd see you again before I had to leave!"
"Tangee, could you please lay off the nicknames," he muttered. "It's bad enough you call me those things in front of my co-workers. I don't need any rumors starting around here."
He glanced around, up and down the hall, looking to see who might have overheard her call.
"Rumors, Roy? What rumors? Who's starting rumors about us!? Tell me who they are and I'll whittle them down to size!" she declared, lifting a fist into the air.
"Tangee, please, just cool it, okay? If you keep calling me names like...well, like that, people will get the wrong idea. They might start to think something's going on between us."
"Well, Roy, we are friends, aren't we?" she asked, mystified. He always tolerated her nicknames before.
"Yes, Tangee, friends, that's all. So all these little endearing nicknames have got to stop."
"Don't you like the names, Roy?"
"I do, when my wife is calling me those names. It just doesn't seem right when it's someone else."
"I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I didn't mean for that to happen. I like you and just wanted to be friendly. No hard feeling?" she asked, hopefully.
"Don't worry about it, Tangee. Thanks for understanding. Ah, how's your arm?" He wanted to change to subject, and fast, since Gage was walking toward them now.
"Fine, just fine. I'll need to keep it in the sling for a week, than be careful with it for another week after that, 'til the pain goes away. Dr. Early gave me some painkillers. So... I have the next two weeks off, with pay! Too bad I can't do anything with my arm in a sling," she laughed.
"Hey, Tangee, you clean up real nice!" Gage remarked as he joined them.
"Thanks, Gage, sorry I can't say the same about you."
"Play nice, Tangee, or we won't let sweetcheeks come visit you anymore."
"Johnny..." Roy warned.
"No, Roy, that's okay," Tangee said, raising her uninjured arms, palm out to ward of his protest. "Johnny here is just jealous because you're getting the attention he so obviously craves."
"Ha! Attention! From you?" Gage sputtered. "No likely. You are definitely not my type. Way too bossy."
"What's the matter, Gage, can't handle a woman giving orders?"
"A woman, yes. You, no."
"Is that a slight on my femininity, Gage?" she asked, one eyebrow raised. "I wouldn't say that too loudly in here. All these female nurses and doctors have the authority to order you around...don't they?" With that, she waved her hand goodbye, spoke a quick "See ya, Roy," and headed out the door.
"She's gotcha there, Johnny," DeSoto agreed.
"Just whose side are you on, partner."
"My own, Johnny, my own."
"Just remember, I haven't decided whether I'm gonna tell Chet or not, sweetcakes."
"That sweetcheeks. And babycakes. At least get it right, junior."
Roy picked up the supplies, dropping the signed requisition form on the desk for Dixie McCall. He started down the hall toward the exit doors, his partner trailing behind, muttering.
"...sweetcheeks, babycakes, who cares, anyway. Geez, you'd think it was actually important."
"Sweetcheeks and Babycakes" ©1999 Pat Charleville. "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.
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