October Eleventh, 1995
Eight Thirty PM.
"Damn it's cold outside!" said Dave, "Hey Captain. I'm back from the dinner run you sent me on!"
Captain Daniella replied, "Where's my Roast beef and Philly cheesestake subs?"
Dave placed a cardboard box down and and he opened the bottom cardboard box and gave her two subs a roast beef sub and a Philly Cheesestake sub. He then took the sub sandwiches into the kitchen and called the rest of the firehouse for dinner a late on.
They had different subs but they ate them but Dave went to go ask Capt. Daniella for money because he had to pay out of pocket for it but she said she would repay him and she gave him fifty dollars even though he spent forty-five bucks.
They ate in peace but only Ambulance Five, Ambulance Ten, and Truck Company Sixteen were dispatched for a car that drove into a utility pole.
It was only twenty minutes later where the lights flickered and turned off and it ws pitch black.
Dave felt his way around and got his latern flashlight off of his rubber turnout jacket and went into the locker room, opened his locker, and got his toolbox. The backup generator didn't kick in so Dave took a look.
Dave tried to jumpstart the back up generator but nothing. He just worked on it after giving it a thorough lookover and he was able to fix it and it was up and running. The lights came back on when the generator came on.
Dave then placed his toolbox back into his locker and went to finish his spicy Italian sub.
After he finished his sub Dave then looked through his shift, A shift food pantry where they wouldn't have enough food to feed the people who are coming in to have a safe place but it wasn't even twenty minutes later where Engine Company Sixteen were dispatched for a medical run of unknown causes.
***
At the scene Dave had a fire ax with him for protection but they had to wait for a ambulance because it's a stab wound. A ambulance did come but they went back to the firehouse.
***
Back at the firehouse.
"Three boxes of mac and cheese, two boxes of spaghetti, two loafs of bread," said Dave, "We're not going to have enough."
Captain Daniella replied, "Go to the Maxwell Supermarket and load up on what you can! Here's seventy dollars,"
Captain Daniella got her wallet and gave him seventy dollars and Dave went to the supermarket in the district and he loaded up on ground beef, chicken, pasta, soups, packaged foods, canned goods, drinks, fruits and veggies also dairy as well. He spent more money and he spent a hundred dollars and got two shopping carts worth of stuff and went back to the firehouse but the men of firehouse sixteen got the stuff from his car so he wouldn't be looted.
***
Back at the firehouse.
Dave was lucky to be ordered to cook the food for all the people including all of his fellow firefighters. They also heard some gunshots down the street but they would just keep to stay inside to stay warm because the wind is blowing at fifty-eight miles per hour.
"Cold night in the city of Empire," said Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "Yeah that's true. At least it isn't snowing. Oooh steak. Fancy,"
"Well Steak is my comfort food," said Dave, "Angus beef steak broiled in the oven. That's how I eat my steaks,"
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Captain Daniella replied, "My comfort foods are Burritos, Cakes, Chicken fried steak, Chocolate chip cookies, cornbread, French fries, fried chicken, grilled cheese and tomato soup, ice cream, lasagna, mac and cheese, meatloaf, pepperoni rolls, pizza, pot roast, and chili mac. Oh just stay here if we get any calls. Honestly I trust you more than I trust anyone else here."
Dave had no problems with that and he stayed in the kitchen just cooking for the people and calling them if they want to eat. He also kept the drinks cold as well keeping the soda, diet soda, and juices cold and let people come and go take a cup of cold soda.
It was at nine thirty at night when the fire bell went off but Dave stayed in the firehouse but it was warm but started to get cold a little so another firefighter took over Dave's position at the stove while he went to the furnace where the pilot fire wasn't on so he used his lighter and relit it but he kept his finger on the reset button and positioned the lighter to the opening of the pilot light. It relighted so he took his finger off the reset button and placed the cover back on.
Dave then went back to the kitchen and he made sure everyone was fed with hot food and have something to drink.
Engine Company Sixteen came back with a few dents and a cracked windshield. But they had to fight a few fires on the way back to the firehouse.
"Hey Captain?" asked Dave, "When was this firehouse built?"
Capt. Daniella replied, "Engine Sixteen and Ladder Sixteen were formed on April 12th, 1819. The firehouse was built between August 5th 1818 and finished on March 29th, 1819. On July 21st, 1924 the firehouse was selected for historical status because in post World War One the Fire Department of Little Bird slowly to replace horse drawn apparatus to gasoline apparatus. But it was renovated on July 4th, 1921 to accommodate a gasoline fire engine and a gasoline powered fire truck with a 75' wooden ladder. It was renovated again between September 4th, 1966 to December 16th, 1966 to accommodate for the USAR squad, and field communications unit and renovated again on March 3rd, 1982- May 5th, 1982 to accommodate for the Swift Water Rescue and both ambulances,"
"But buildings on the historical list cannot be tore down, closed or altered in anyway," said Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "The city saw two options. The high road or the low road. The high road was to build a new fire station but turn this one into a museum to show and teach future generations how firefighting was fought with buckets. But that would've costed millions or the low road which they did and just altered the interior and exterior to be more modern. I actually saw the drawing for the firehouse of it being a single story building with a common room, a communications room, a physical fitness room, a bunk room, a officer's room, a kitchen, a dining room, a training room, and a roll call room. There was also suppose to be a storage room behind the apparatus bay and a extra space next to the apparatus bay in the apparatus bay to wash and maintain the apparatus. But it had a estimated price between five million and thirty million."
"Typical the Government wants to save a buck because there are a lot of corrupt politicans who would rather save a buck than spend a buck," said Dave, "Oh you want something to eat Capt?"
Capt. Daniella replied, "Yeah I'll take a steak with mashed potatoes,"
Dave made her a plate and gave her the plate.
"Hope it won't be a bust night for..." said Capt. Daniella
The fire bell went off for people down unknown causes and Dave was about to bolt but didn't but the crew of Engine Sixteen and both ambulances were dispatched but Dave kept Capt. Daneilla's food warm until she got back.
It wasn't long after until Ladder Company Sixteen was called to be apart of a Rapid Intervention Team at a third alarm fire in Uptown but to back up Squad 525. The USAR company was dispatched for a collapse under the street, the Field Communications unit was called to a forth alarm fire, and the Swift Water Unit was called for a boat in the water upside down. Dave just had the citizens there to keep him company.
When Engine Company Sixteen returned Capt. Daniella went back to eating but Dave asked what the call was so she told him that a family of five were out due to Carbon Monoxide.
"Yes twelve hundred ppm is usually death and four hundred is critical," said Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "What you a doctor now?"
"I got five cousins who are different medical specialists in the military," said Dave, "There's SSgt Nicole Waterson she's a basic CBRN soldier, Nuclear Medicine, and Cardiologist, there's Lt. Lucy Waterson she's a Infectious disease officer, family medicine, physiatrist, radiation oncologist, diagnostic radiologist and pathologist, there's Capt. Leslie Waterson she's a field surgeon, and psychiatrist but we call her 'bone saw' for a reason. There's Warrant Officer Five Phil Waterson he's a CBRN Specialist, and MSgt Sonya Waterson she's a Army Pharmacist, Opotermist, Pediatrician, Allergist, Dermatologist, and Anesthesiologist."
Captain Daniella replied, "Interesting fact. They're busy with their military medical jobs. I bet,"
"They are very busy because each day is different and they go where they're told," said Dave, "Oh what about your mothe..."
Capt. Daniella replied, "Before you finish that sentence. I abhor my mother and stepfather. I wouldn't care if the police shot them dead with incendiary bullets. I wouldn't care about her and my stepdad dying in the most painful ways imaginable!"
"Okay then sorry that I somewhat asked," said Dave, "Oh do you have a future or do something else in the fire department?"
Capt. Daniella replied , "Yeah in six months. I'm leaving and heading over to the Office of Fire Investigation. Hope I can still work out of this firehouse,"
"Bet after your first day at fire investigation you'll miss all this," said Dave, "Going into burning buildings, fighting fires, rescuing people. They'll just stick you behind a desk."
Capt. Daniella replied, "Yeah but I have a feeling I'll be out on the streets. Do you know how many fires were reported as suspicious between 1989-1995?"
"I'm going to guess between twenty five hundred and eighty six hundred," said Dave
Captain Daniella replied, "A total it's nine thousand. But 1995 hasn't ended yet. Alright I'm going to bed."
Captain Daniella finished eating and went to her officer's quarters and went to bed. But Dave just stayed up all night but a fight broke out which Dave threw out the attacker who then gave a death threat to Dave which he didn't care because he gotten death threats in the past.
***
Five in the morning
Dave was in the kitchen and he just cleaned up in the kitchen and wrapped up the cooked leftover food because he was going to take it home to eat. The lights were dim but the lights fully came on.
"Thank God the grid is back on," said Dave, "This was a interesting night to feed I think eighty people not adding the crew of Engine Sixteen. Well when the sun rises these people are going to leave. But at least they had warmth, safety and hot food."
Dave then made himself a few cups of coffee where unlike the rest of his family he drinks is coffee with three tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of cream even though the latter is optional for him.
When seven thirty came Dave went home and ate some of the leftover food and got some rest by taking a nap before meeting up with Capt. Daniella at firehouse forty seven to do some drills and running up the tower while either carrying a rolled up fire hose or to stretch the hose up to the roof. She also locked him in a trailer which he has to use his sense of touch to find his way out because there's no light and he doesn't have a flashlight on him.
It was hard training and drills she put him through but it was worth having some additional training but at four thirty Dave went home and ate the rest of the leftover food and Capt. Daniella just finished her paperwork.