December First, 1995
At Firehouse Sixteen.
"It's almost been two months since you been here," said Captain Daniella
Dave replied, "Yeah I know. Also been very quite here in this district besides in other districts."
"Yeah but to me it's a unhealty obsession with a phantom arsonist you were saying was there but wasn't." said Capt. Daniella, "Also you never had a history with arson."
Dave replied, "Fires don't start out of the blue. Also yes I do have a history with arson. Do you know what it's like to be five years old banging on your neighbors door at two in the morning to call for help? But only thing you can do is just watch your home burn down. Or again when you're ten you crawl out to call for help but only thing you can hear is your bitchy stepmom scream as she's burning and coughing due to the smoke but you try to run it only needing to save yourself! I'm the third child out of five. What happened to the other four brothers? They died by arson."
Captain Daniella was about to reply but the fire bell went off for a fire.
***
At the house.
"Probably a small fire maybe someone stupidly heated up a hairspray bottle," said Capt. Daniella, "Dave just grab a silver bullet."
Dave grabbed a silver bullet aka a silver water fire extinguisher off the engine and went with Capt. Daniella but she had the rest of Engine Company Sixteen to standby.
Capt. Daniella kicked the door in.
"Go get a hose it's bigger than I thought." said Capt. Daniella, "Doroughty! Charge both lines. Johnson! Get a attack line! Freddy! Back up Johnson but stretch a supply line first!"
Dave then heard creaking so he threw Capt. Daniella off and he jumped off and the roof above the front porch collapse.
"Thanks for getting us off that death trap," said Capt. Daniella
Dave replied, "I don't need any thanks. I'm just doing my job."
Dave then ran over to Engine Sixteen and got the two and a half inch attack line while Capt. Daniella went to go find another entrance which she found a back door. The house interior was a total loss on how fast the fire spread from the living room to every room.
"Wow that's new." said Dave, "White flames."
Capt. Daniella pulled Dave back due to white fire temperature is 2732 degrees Fahrenheit. But they heard more creaking sounds.
"This place is going to go real soon." said Dave, "No offense Captain. But I want to say we fight this one defensively."
Capt. Daniella, "Yeah. Also Dave you'll make a great officer maybe a Battalion or Division Chief one day."
"I'm not planning on going the past of the rank of Captain." said Dave, "Also. I know structural stuff. Got straight A's in shop class."
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The roof collaspe didn't smother the fire so they kept it cool but the fire burned through the roof.
"I think this house was made with green lumber." said Dave
Captain Daniella replied, "What now?"
"Green lumber it's wood that's been recently cut down." said Dave, "But it hasn't fully dried yet. But I say that green lumber is wood that ain't made for housing or building construction."
They just kept keeping putting water on the fire until it was out but it took three hours.
***
Back at the firehouse at 10:45 AM.
When Capt. Daniella got off of Engine Sixteen she was about to go to her office and do paperwork she was intercepted by a twenty-three year old female firefighter that's her new probationary firefighter.
Capt. Daniella scolded her for being late but asked when she got in which she told her that she got to the firehouse at 9:45.
Capt. Daniella then went into her office to start the paperwork.
"Hey don't worry about it." said Dave, "It's better to show up early. But Capt. Daniella she's nice. Also listen to her and if you don't follow her orders she'll give out punishments."
The female probationary firefighter replied, "Thanks for the advice. Who are you?"
"Probationary Firefighter David Waterson." said Dave, "I've been here since October Third of this year."
The female probationary firefighter replied, "My name is Daisy Bloom."
"Well you missed one heck of a call." said Dave, "We had a fire which at first was small enough where the truck company wasn't needed. But when Capt. Daniella opened the front door it went like a tinderbox but the house was structurally unsound where the roof above the front porch first collapse then the whole roof caved in after a few minutes."
Daisy replied, "I can say that's a close call."
"Yeah it was a close call." said Dave, "But firefighters in the past haven't been so lucky to avoid something that bad. Also who's she?"
Daisy replied, "That's Probationary Firefighter Ashley Crystal. I'd steer clear of her... She's a witch per se."
"Okay then thanks for the information." said Dave
Daisy replied, "Thanks for the advice."
Dave then got off of Engine Sixteen and went into the kitchen and like what Daisy said to him he didn't say a word to Probationary Firefighter Ashley.
***
Later it's 9:30 at night.
The fire bell went off but for the whole firehouse for a apartment complex on fire but over the PA system that also firehouses fourteen, fifteen, seventeen, nineteen and forty seven were called as well.
***
At the apartment complex.
"Wow that's really burning." said Dave
Captain Daniella ordered everyone on Engine Sixteen that they're not going to enter any of the apartments due to all of them are fully involved. So they'll have to fight it defensively.
It wasn't long until Capt. Daniella saw a human figure on the fifth floor but they couldn't use the aerial ladder due to the crew of Ladder Sixteen went to the roof for ventilation if the roof was stable to hold without caving in.
Capt. Daniella then ordered the new probationary firefighter, Ms. Ashley to assist the USAR Squad to get the people even though it was or would be suicide but she just got the one and three quarter attack line and went in to cover them. The crew assigned to Truck Company Sixteen also went in to assist.
"I don't like sending fourteen of them in at once." said Capt. Daniella, "Dave. Keep your two and a half inch attack line focused on the main entrance and keep it cool.
Dave did as he was told but he entirely didn't like the whole situation. Three members of Super Pumper Three also went inside to assist. Captain Daniella also had a bad feeling about it as well.
It wasn't long until they heard several loud banging sound but soon Probie Firefighter Ashley came out without the firefighter on the backup position behind her. It wasn't even thirty seconds later they heard multiple PASS Alarms going off.
Captain Daniella said into her walkie talkie, "Mayday mayday mayday. Engine 1-6 to dispatch. Transmit a mayday alarm to our location. I say again Engine 1-6 to dispatch. We're transmitting a mayday alarm at our location!"
Dispatch replied, "10-4 Engine 1-6. Mayday alarm transmitted to box 4523."
"A mayday alarm?" asked Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "Four Engine Companies, Four Rescue Companies, One Battalion Chief, One Division Chief, One Rescue Company, and multiple ambulances. Also a Deputy District Chief as well."
It wasn't long until the firehouses originally assigned to the call arrived and not too long after that the firehouses assigned to the mayday alarm arrived.
The crew from USAR Twelve, Truck Sixteen, the guy with Ashley and the three with Super Pumper Three didn't make it.
"Hey a little advice if you want it or not." said Dave, "But do your job! You were ordered to back up the search and rescue teams but you abandoned them! When you're told to help someone especially a teammate then help them. I've seen fire and know how scary it can be but you just ran out without thinking of what the others were thinking or doing!"
Probie Firefighter Ashley replied, "And you should go fuck yourself!"
"And if you keep fucking up sooner or later you're going to make more enemies on this job!" said Dave, "Soon enough keep acting like a bitch soon everyone on this job will hate you!"
***
In the morning back at the firehouse.
"Hey Captain?" Asked Dave, "Do you have a minute?"
Captain Daniella replied, "Yeah Dave? What is it?"
"It's Ashley." Said Dave, "I'm not a snitch or anything. But she's acting like nothing happened and she's being a witch. My gut feeling is that she's going to get the rest of us if not every firefighter in this city killed."
Capt. Daniella replied, "Are you speaking for yourself or for the rest of the firehouse?"
"Both." Said Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "I'll see what I can do. But it won't be easy."
"Why?" Asked Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "Her father... He's a alderman. He can make our lives a living hell."
"I don't care if her father is Jesus or Satan." Said Dave, "She has to go!"
Capt. Daniella replied, "I'll find something I can do. But it'll take time."