Duty Room

[E. Sjostrom]

Arriving at the station I park my Nissan feeling tired and not really ready to work because Eliska just refused to sleep in her own bed last night.  Numerous times I woke up to her kicking and nudging me in her sleep.  Upon entering the duty room I hear the words 'Sup everybody i'm ready to out do everyone here' from a new hire on the EMS side.  Oh, so it's going to be that type of shift today.  Ignoring the pending commotion that might cause I take a sip of my coffee and find a seat to sit in.  Today can already fuck off.

[J. Noel]

Looking over the day's projections I pull up a wheelie chair towards the desk. 

[D. Valentine]

* i ease into the lot fighting the lack of sleep from being  running primarily on caffine i hustle into the house, find a free bed and get lucky finding a spare of one of my uniforms in laundry upon changeing i head into the duty room* ‘morning guys,whoever has the jetta in the lot your lights are on’

Edited September 28, 2021 by Vanguard

[C. Moore]

"Morning guys, Whoever has the jetta in the lot your lights are on'

'shit thanks'

*i walk back out to my jetta and start it turning off the headlights and turn it off and walk back inside sitting down*

'i clearly see how my day is gunna go'

[W. Anderson]

‘Here’

[T. Murdoch]

I pull into the parking lot, maybe even a little early for me. Wild. But whatever, man. Even the biggest turds have their shiny days.

I'm heading for a parking space and hit my brakes as I spot it. It couldn't be real.

Right?

It couldn't be real. There was no way. No actual way some fucking EMT drove this car here. This VW Jetta with that sticker on the back.

That sticker.

It had to be a joke.

The biggest joke he'd ever seen.

There was no way some EMT actually drove a VW Jetta with a sticker that said "EMT's Are The True Hero's"

Spelling errors and all. Jesus H. Christ. Someone was gonna get a reaming for this one.

I park my car and get out, lighting a cigarette. It's gone and forgotten by the time I hit the door. I open it and head straight for the duty room. I step in and scan the room, taking a long drag from my vape. There wasn't enough nicotine in the world for this shit. This kid needed to be bullied.

"Which one of you fuckin EMTs is driving the Jetta with that godawful sticker?"

[C. Moore]

'Which one of you fuckin EMT's is driving the jetta with that godawful sticker'

*my heart drops and i turn to see a old grungy look dude standing at the door of the duty room*

'It's mine you... you got an issue with it'

[T. Murdoch]

I take another hit from my vape as I stare down the kid. He was what, 21? Barely old enough to drink. A child, Jesus.

"Do I have an issue with it?"

I chuckle and shake my head, taking another drag. This guy had to be joking.

"You're joking, right? It's a good joke. Great joke, even."

[D. Valentine]

‘ hes not the only one...’ * i utter under my breath but my rage pales compared to murdicks heres hoping i dont witness a murder* ‘ so i wasent seeing things afterall....gotcha’ * i say a bit louder watching murdick about to probabky tear the guy apart*

[C. Moore]

'You're joking, right? it's a good joke. Great joke, even'

'Well its not a fucking joke its true.... i mean atleast i look like have a job and don't look like i died three days ago and the Morgue just got done with my body'

*i stand up as this dude starts to take another rip off his vape*

'Also you smoking on the job didn't know that was legal asshole. What do you have for a car a rusted out dodge 1500 you got from the 80's' 

[B.R. Jackson]

‘ i shoulda brought ny chevelle today...’ * i say  somewhat quietly as i walk into thr room setting my 3500’s keys in a pocket on my EMT pants* ‘ here’

[A. Breslin]

*I walk in sucking my vape and see Murdoch introducing himself to the new guy. I push past the two and keep my head in my phone as to not get involved. I take a drag from my vape while I make my way to my office to get the duty roster*

[T. Murdoch]

I blink as he says it's not a joke. It had to be a joke. Jesus Christ, it had to be a joke. But he was serious. Offended, even.

I step closer to him, taking a rip off my vape. I make sure to blow it in his face.

"Here's the first thing, shitbag," I say, poking my finger into his chest.

"No one in this fucking room is a hero. No one. If you're here to be a hero then you're in the wrong fucking place and you should've left yesterday."

I take another rip and blow it in his face. No fruity flavors here, always just straight nicotine. Hope it smells good.

"And here's the second thing," I say, shoving another finger into his chest. "I don't give a flying fuck what you think about me. I'm a good goddamned medic and that's what matters. Fuck anyone who's got a problem with me."

"And the third goddamned thing," I say, seething with anger. "You don't ever disrespect me again, I swear to Christ. I'll chew you up and spit you out. I'll make your life a living fucking hell. You better hope and fucking pray they don't assign you to a truck with me. You're gonna learn what EMT-B really stands for - Empty My Trash, Bitch. Your life will be a living fucking hell on my box. Now you go and sit your ass down in that chair before I put it there for you."

[C. Moore]

'You don't ever disrespect me again, I swear to Christ. I'll chew you up and spit you out. I'll make your life a living fucking hell. You better hope and fucking pray they don't assign you to a truck with me. You're gonna learn what EMT-B really stands for - Empty My Trash, Bitch. Your life will be a living fucking hell on my box. Now you go and sit your ass down in that chair before I put it there for you.'

*i turn around and as i do i put my hand down to the side and flip him off and mumble* 

'your on my box bitch my box' 

[A. Breslin]

"And the third goddamned thing," I say, seething with anger. "You don't ever disrespect me again, I swear to Christ. I'll chew you up and spit you out. I'll make your life a living fucking hell. You better hope and fucking pray they don't assign you to a truck with me. You're gonna learn what EMT-B really stands for - Empty My Trash, Bitch. Your life will be a living fucking hell on my box. Now you go and sit your ass down in that chair before I put it there for you."

 

*Hearing commotion in the duty room.*

'Play nice out there.'

[T. Murdoch]

I turn my attention to the supervisor's office first.

"I'm busy, fuck off Miss Sparks."

Jesus, the last thing I needed was that cokehead snake wrangler jutting into this conversation talking about feelings and how to talk to people.

I turn my attention back to this pathetic excuse of a probationary EMT.

"The fuck did you say?"

I snatch the photo ID off his uniform and look over it before holding it up to him.

"Fucking read it out loud. PROBATIONARY. Can you read that? You know what it means? That means it's my fucking bus. My fucking bus. It's the medics bus, not yours. This ain't even your fucking workplace yet, you unglazed donut. They can dismiss you because they don't like your fucking shoes. You need to get this through your skull right the fuck now. EMTs aren't shit. You can do first aid and drive the fucking ambulance. If you want to do medicine, you become a paramedic. You need to learn your fucking place, ambulance driver." I spit the last part, like an insult. I knew the whacker would take it as one. Maybe he'd cry. That'd be perfect, honestly.

[J. Noel]

I turn around and wonder why the fuck we let those stretcher monkeys in here in the first place. They all should've got their Fire II and joined up like I did. I push back my chair and stand up towards the medics. 

'New guy, you best shut the fuck up, right now. I'm not the paramedic lieutenant, but I'm the lieutenant at this station, and honestly, you really don't want to start your first day off like this. Say sorry. And Christ, who fucked your big toe this morning Tom? Sit down and simmer the fuck down before things get out of hand. There's some hose hanging in the tower, why don't you go pull that down and get some anger out if you can't calm down. What do you think, Lieutenant? If these boys can't play nice in the firehouse, I say they need to learn how to. Tom, you best hand the new EMT his ID back, go over to the other side of the room and sit down. I'm not playing bullshit games today.'

 

[A. Breslin]

"I'm busy, fuck off Miss Sparks."

*I get up from my chair and slam the office door. Its too early to deal with his shit.*

'Try being sober for 20 minutes and maybe you can pass the Lieutenants test'

*I say under my breath as I hear more screaming coming from the duty room*

[C. Moore]

'You need to learn your fucking place, ambulance driver'

*he spins me around grabbing my id so i  read his name tag "Murdoch" More Like Murdick*

'So Mr. Murdick how many do you have shoved up your ass right now. It's my fucking car not yours if you don't fucking like it don't look at it you dick'

*i grab my id back and sit back down*

'Also if you grab my shit again big boy i'm going to HR thats Harassment' 

[J. Noel]

Seeing no one else with a bugle seems to even have ears or a pulse, I guess it's all me.

'New Guy, what is your name?'

'Moore.'

I debate berating him more, there was definitely attitude in that, but I decide against it.

'Moore, your best bet right now is to stay quiet and make friends. Probationary employees can be let go at will, and there is no guarantee they'll even be offered a permanent position. And it's not just EMS officers that can write an influencing report on a probationary member's file. This isn't a really good first impression.' I look away, towards Tom and start in on him. 'Listen, I've got better things to do than try to sort out angry medics. It's not my fault you didn't take the fire exam when you had the chance. Take a deep breath, don't strangle the rookie and go outside for a smoke. Jesus Christ, it's too early for this shit.'

I almost say it, but I don't. Not yet. Things are too tense, but I really want to say that we all know Firefighters are the REAL heroes. 

[T. Murdoch]

I stare down the butch lesbian lieutenant. Calm down? This was calm. This wasn't angry. I hadn't thrown anything, hit anyone, or threatened to shit in anyone's pillowcase.

'Did you get moved to EMS? I don't think so. A problem with me can to my lieutenant. Stay in your lane, hose jockey.'

I turn back to the probie.

'I've been in HR's office so many times I have my own chair. You want me to show you the way so you can cry to them? Jesus, all you fucking millenials.'

I take his ID and unceremoniously drop it in the closest cup of coffee. I'd have to pay for that, but it was payroll deductible and worth it.

I turn back to Butch as she mentions the fire exam.

'And again, no one gives two shits that you took the fire exam. Congratulations, you couldn't be a real paramedic so you had to hide in suppression. Now, I think we're all done here.'

I take a rip from my vape, blow it in the new guy's face, and head to a seat.

[E. Sjostrom]

Just trying to mind my own business in regards to the arguing from Murdoch and the new kid.  Just trying to mind my business when Tom dumps the kid's ID in my coffee.  Fuck.

'Jävligt allvarligt.  Herregud, vad är det med dig?  Väx upp och sluta skita om meningslös skit.'

Saying with a sigh as I get up from my chair and walk to the trash can.  Dumping my ruined coffee in it I go fetch myself another coffee.  Don't even care that the kid's ID was still in my cup.  Murdoch is an ass but the kid does need to be brought back down to earth.

[B. Beard]

*looking around the room I blink a few times. This WOULD have to be on my first day this new house. I stand up and walk across the room grabbing two styrofoam cups, I fill one with hot black coffee and I take 2 paper towels, wad them up and stuff them in the other cup. Walking back over to my seat I set the cups on the table, reach into my pocket and pull out my can of Grizzly Wintergreen. I smack the side of the can in my left palm twice to pack the tobacco tight. Holding the can in my left hand I pop the top and gather a pinch between my right thumb and index finger. I place the wad between my lip and gum, closing the can back up I toss it on the table. I look across to the new kid*

 

’Look, kid. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve been detailed to this firehouse. In that time, I have more time on the shitter than you do employed here. I got it, you’re eager to work here. Do us all a favor though, keep your eyes and ears open and your mouth fucking shut.’

 

*I reach down and grab my spitter, spitting a glob of tobacco juice into the cup. I drag my coffee over and take a slow drag off of it. I turn my attention to the dick bag medic that decided to make a scene.*
 

’Are you always an asshole? Or do I get the pleasure my first day assigned here?’

[J. Noel]

'Alright, let's make this clear. Sit down, shut up. Everyone. Unless you have a question about your assignment, or you'd love to spend the day in a training session with HR, your best bet is to take whatever you have to say next and don't. I don't care if you're fire, or EMS, or Jesus's fucking paper boy. You're all SCFD members, you're all at the headquarters to report for work and you're really, really on thin ice. And if there's a single person' I say, looking around the room, lingering on Tom for a second 'who has a question about my authority to tell you all to shut up and follow the god damn policy manual, I'd be more than happy to call into ERT, delay Station 1 units for a little bit while I go get the platoon chiefs for fire AND EMS and have them politely explain how to behave. 

'We have shit to do today. So All of you need to ask yourself, do you want to report for duty, or get sent the fuck back to training, hell, or your mom's fucking basement. No, I'm going to get the projections up in a minute, but let's try to keep this place standing, shall we?'

Question my fucking authority. I'm not your direct supervisor, but god damn, you're a fucking child getting on like this. There's crusty and old school and there's just being a dick. Hopefully everyone gets the hint to shut up, because I'm positive the platoon chiefs don't want to wrangle kindergardeners this early in the morning.

I turn back to the desk, print the projections and while it's printing, I pick up the phone and dial the EMS office extension.

'Breslin'

'You're welcome to come join us again, whenever you'd like.'

I hang up without further comment. Mark should've been in here to straighten things out, but he was hid off in his office too. Not a fucking bugle to be had in this station it feels like.

[A. Breslin]

*As I am just about to print out the rundown for the shift, The desk phone rings.*

'Breslin'

'You're welcome to come join us again, whenever you'd like.'

*I groan as I get up. I walk back into the duty room and I am pissed.*

'What the fuck is going on out here?'