Lightning Strike

[R. Martin]

SQUAD 1, AVAILABLE EMS UNIT. MAN STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. NORTH FOURTH STREET AT BROAD STREET IN THE SHILOH CIRCLE PARK, FORT SHANNON.

Time: 1330 Weather: Thunder and lightning, light rain with heavy rain imminent.

"911, What's the location of the emergency"

"Shiloh Circle Park! A man just got hit by lightning! He's unconscious!"

"Okay sir, is he breathing?"

"I'm not sure! I can't really tell! Just send the ambulance!"

I immediately code it 15-E-1 and hit the SEND button, flashing the call over to the dispatchers. I start trying to give the caller CPR instructions as I hear someone else dispatch the units.

[J. Noel]

Sitting down in the officer's offices, I scroll through reddit, looking for something interesting when I hear the yelp of the tones go off. Lightning has been sparking the sky up and I've heard a few really close strikes, I wonder is this it?

SQUAD 1, MEDIC 1, Respond medical call 15 Echo 1 Lima. Shiloh Circle Park. I repeat, medical call, shiloh circle park, 15 Echo 1 Lima. Squad 1, Medic 1. Shiloh Circle Park, medical 15 echo 1 lima, squad 1, medic 1. 

By the time the alarms finish, I'm already in the apparatus floor, in my boots, grabbing my bunker coat from the back seat as the bay doors open. I really don't want to get drowned in this rain. I look over and see Valentine not far from me. 

'Ready for some real fun? I think this'll be our shortest response yet.'

As I make my way back to the squad, I see the medic crew isn't far from us. At least with this rain, there shouldn't be many people in the park.

[A. Tai]

As I see Rebekah go red, I can hear her giving CPR instructions. The call lights up on my screen, sending it over to me, as she takes over dispatch duties. 15 Echo 1. In the park. I key up to tone out the trucks and confirm lightning, not electrical before sending the station alerting out. I prepare myself for the information requests I'm expecting over the radio, as Rebekah gives CPR instructions, and wonder just how you manage to catch lightning in weather like this.

[D. Valentine]

* just doing general housekeeping after going through the squad i hear the tones for my first run on the rig im quickly in my pants and boots,the coat can wait till were on scene as i relocated it to the back of the drivers seat as i climb in and crank the truck over i reply to jens comment as i flip the emergency master on and with a blast of the airhorn exit the bay  putting the sirens on as i hit the street* ‘ oh you know it, lieutenant’

[J. Noel]

"ERT Squad 1, we're going to be responding." I pause as I flick the siren. "Do we have the nature of the call?"

While I wait for an answer, I leave the radio handset in my palm and look at Valentine.

'You're going to regret not putting a jacket on. There's an entrance on the south side of the park, swing that way and see if we can get in. If this is a lightning strike, we're going to want to get as close as possible. The rain won't be helping.'

[A. Tai]

As I look over, I see Rebekah still talking the caller through everything. This isn't going to be a happy ending call at this rate.

"ERT, Squad 1, we're going to be responding. Do we have the nature of the call?"

No, lieutenant, we just figured we'd send trucks and hope for the best. It's either a dead guy or a raccoon orgy. We're still up in the air on that one. Christ, fire fighters.

"That's affirmative Squad 1, Male unknown age, lightning strike, CPR in progress."

I check the call notes, nothing else new to report yet, so I guess they're going to have to work from that.

[D. Valentine]

‘ jackets on the seat  i can throw it on as i park the truck and step out,i sit on it when i drive the engine sometimes so its close at hand’ * i say as lay on the airhorn clearing an intersection,when i hear the radio and sigh* ‘ of course we got squat lets just where our guy is ill get as close as we can,even if i gotta cut the grass a bit’* while i make my way there with jens advice i try to mentally map the park even though ive only been through it maybe a handful of times*

[J. Noel]

'There should be a service road, try not to tear up the lawn, or worse, get this thing stuck. I'm not calling mechanical asking for a tow truck because you bogged my squad. Drive carefully lest I make you walk back to station. I've got a license to' I say with a wink. 

As he turns in, before ERT gives me any location information, I see a man waving his arms frantically. Well, I guess our patient must be nearby. As if it wasn't obvious, I point towards him. 

'Get as close to that guy as you can on the service road. The ground is a little moist for my liking, so I'd rather not offroad the squad if we can avoid it.'

I toggle the siren off to signal we made visual contact with the guy and he seems to acknowledge back by waving to us to come over to him now, instead of just his location. And here I thought he was just excited to see a fire truck. 

"ERT this is Squad 1, you can show us on scene here, we've got eyes on a civilian waving us down. I think we have our patient. Once we make contact, I'll provide an update."

I zip my jacket a little higher up and debate my helmet, not for safety, for rain. 

[D. Valentine]

* spotting the guy waving i start my turn in as jen makes the comment  about not getting bogged down shes said to use the service road but ive already eyeballed it i also spot her wink about making me walk back to the house* ‘ the rain cant be worse then the flooded compartment simulator in damage controlmen school, at least the rain would be warm comparably to water from the great lakes in november’ * i ease up the service road getting as close as i can while trying not to stop in ponding water while i pull my coat off my seat parking the truck with my free hand as my other ones halfway in my jacket* ‘ id still rather not walk home though,if it can be helped’

Edited September 7, 2021 by Vanguard

[J. Noel]

'As long as the truck gets back out here when I'm done, I'm happy.'

I wonder where that ambulance is by now?

I undo my seatbelt, confirm I hit on scene on the tablet, and pull a pair of green medical gloves out of the box on the dash. Sliding my hands into them I get ready to get out.

[D. Valentine]

‘ oh it will even if i gotta push the thing, i daily an F350 duelly this aint much diffrent,bigger but not engine big’ * i say as i also grab a set of gloves,pull one on crack my door and finish getting my jacket on before the other glove* ‘ helmets or nah..thats a lotta rain’ * i ask as i turn to look at jen*

Edited September 7, 2021 by Vanguard

[J. Noel]

Reciting the policy in paraphrased. 'SCFD requires all suppression personnel to don full PPE, including helmets at all Structure fires, industrial scenes or other areas where it can be reasonably believed that a head injury could occur... I guess it depends on what you consider as rain's ability to mess you up.'

I grab my helmet, put it on, and step out into the rain. I can hear the siren approaching, hell, I can see the station, so the ambulance must be close behind by now. I raise my voice slightly to talk over the rain. 

'Where's the man who was struck?'

[D. Valentine]

* i chuckle at jens remark as she recites policy it must be hiw chicago does things as i exit and pull my helmet on i reply* ‘ i can work with that’ * as i exit the truck i hear a crack only fitting for a tree struck by lightning everythings so damn wet theres no fire to be had from the tree across the grass by where i entered the service road while i scan for the man down hearing jen ask where hes down as i move to our medical compartment thinking of what id need* ‘TAKE US TO HIM SIR’ * i opt for both jump bags for now, jen can grab whatever narcs or other ALS stuff we might need*

[A. Breslin]

*Erika and I get into the ambulance and follow the squad closely. We lose them at the entrance of the park.*

"M1 On scene. Be advised were canvassing the area for the paitent"

 

[J. Noel]

"Medic, this is squad, come over to us, we've got patient contact." I say into my portable, glad I opted for the helmet.

Reaching into the cab I flick on all the floods, if they can't find us now, it must be a New Yorker driving. I close the cab door, grab the med kit and defib and make my way over to the patient, already seeing Valentine loaded down ready to treat.

'Alright, my name is Lieutenant Noel. I'm a paramedic. How long has he been down for?' I say to the bystander, hoping he has something useful to tell us.

[A. Tai]

Updating notes, I'm about to key the mic and advise medic to make contact when it dawns on me that they came with the squad. Shouldn't they be a team? Anyways, before I can speak, medic radios direct.

"ERT copies all traffic. Confirming patient contact. Advise if additional resources needed."

[E. Sjostrom]

Hearing the radio transmissions.

'Oh, sure Squad 1, we'll come to you just one problem...'

Taking a bit of a sigh as I drive around looking for them.

'Where the hell did they go?'

[A. Breslin]

*I see the squad flip its floodlights on.*

'Right there pull up behind them. grab the ALS bag Jen looks like she has the monitor out. '

[E. Sjostrom]

Breslin spots the squad and instructs me where to park.  So obviously I park right where I was told to.  As I hop out I grab the ALS bag as instructed and follow Breslin to the victim.

[A. Breslin]

'Jen what do we got?'

*I say as I get out of the truck.*

[J. Noel]

'I don't know, he was just here and then bang. Next thing I know, he's not taking any more photos, he's just... on the ground.'

'Did you see if he was struck directly?'

'Yes? No. I don't know. Maybe?'

'Okay, I'm going to check him out now.'

Not super useful. Who would've guessed I think to myself. I check his pulse and feel a weaky and thready pulse, but it's something. That means he's on the way to the world of the living. 

'Valentine, get the backboard, I want to see if we can get him out of the rain as soon as the ambulance arrives..'

If he was a direct strike, god he's lucky. Just as I'm getting ready to do a full work up, I hear Breslin's voice.

'Jen, what do we got?'

'Male, possible direct strike. Unconscious but breathing, weaky thready pulse. Valentine is checking for an exit point. Looks like he's still alive though, which means upward recovery. You ready to take him in the ambulance out of the rain for assessment?'

I look over towards the squad to see if Valentine has grabbed the board yet so we can move out of the rain and try to figure out what's happening. 

[D. Valentine]

* as we walk up im glad i have my helmet on it’s pouring while jen trys to get info from bystanders I look our guy over, hes clearly knocked out  but anything else i cant really tell as i set both bags down ,having brought  the BLS as well as our ALS bag simply incase jen needs something from it  im about to start assessing when jen beats me to it so i start looking for burns when she tells me to grab our backboard* ‘ on it,exit wound through the right foot, his timberlands also got a steel toe i have the same pair at home only black, not cheap damn sure not rated for a million volts’

* i then jog back to the squad and pull the backboard we carry and jog back setting it down near our guy* ‘ got our board,ready when you are to move em lieutenant*

Edited September 9, 2021 by Vanguard

[J. Noel]

'On my count, we're going to roll, let's get him inside the ambulance asap.'

I secure his head, and count 1, 2, 3 and then lead the roll as they slide the backboard into place. I focus securing his head while the rest get the straps secured enough to do a carry and move. I wouldn't even want to try to drag a stretcher through this. Drop em on the stretcher in the nice and warm, and hopefully dry ambulance and we can get to work on the important stuff, like securing airways, and trying to keep him alive long enough to get to an ER. That said, he's not dead, so he'll probably be okay.

'Ready to move him?'

[A. Breslin]

*I grab the backboard and get ready to move him onto the board.*

'Erika Pull the stretcher and have it down waiting for us.'

*I turn back to Jen.*

'This is like a one in a million thing to happen'

[E. Sjostrom]

'Erika Pull the stretcher and have it down waiting for us.'

With a nod I head back to M1 and pull the stretcher out of the back.