October Seventh, 1995
Firehouse Sixteen.
"And the mayor has ordered that every fire and medical and technical vehicle," said a TV Newsanchor, "Will have a squad of armed and armored police squad to protect them from the Miners that are on strike,"
"This is just straight up bullshit," said Dave, "They're protesting and being harmless not starting fights!"
Captain Daniella replied, "Yeah but it's for our protection just incase though. In every group of protesters are agitators and they're the ones who start troubles and why the police are going to protect us and all that. Hopefully we won't be able to need police protection but yet again if we get attacked it'll be great if we had it,"
"It'll blow over soon enough," said another firefighter
***
The fire bell went off where Engine Company Sixteen, Truck Company Sixteen, Super Pumper Twelve and both ambulances were dispatched for a manhole fire and carbon dioxide in some buildings.
Two 1960 Hornet Universe police car followed the fire apparatus with four officers per car in them.
The police just blocked off the intersection but they had to wait for the power company to disable the power that's underneath the streets before they could spray water down into the flaming manhole.
"Hey is a flaming manhole common in the city?" asked Dave
Captain Daniella replied, "In areas that draw high power so those areas. But it's especially from old wiring that mixes with rain, snow from the mountains, and corrosive salt. But those cast iron manhole covers are very heavy from eighty five pounds to three hundred and they're killers. But the electrical wires heat up the insulation and the insulation smolders and catches fire releasing gases and the pressure builds up inside and the electrical wire arcs like a bolt of lightning and ignite the gases causing a powerful explosion. They're not pretty. Anyway let's back it up and head back to the fire house. Truck Sixteen should be finishing up their carbon dioxide or carbon dioxide in the nearby buildings,"
"Ya yes Carbon Monoxide," said Dave, "The silent killer. A tasteless, odorless, non-irritating gas and it's also colorless. Carbon Dioxide can be deadly but it mostly causes asphyxiate but can be fought and replaced with oxygen."
"When we get back to the firehouse I'm bringing out my flashcards that I used to practice with when I was in training," said Captain Daniella
Dave replied, "That what my father told me. Before you were even born Captain my father was running into burning buildings with a ax or a pike pole and carried people out. He taught me and prepped me just incase if I wanted to be a firefighter. Let's say when I was four my dad had me carry a one and half high rise attack line up a seven story brick tower. I didn't know how heavy a hose can be. When I was twelve my father placed me and him in a room and he lit it on fire and said 'Get to know your fear and don't be afraid of it'. Not even thirty seconds not even ten seconds I bolted out of the door while he did nothing but walked out like nothing. Let's say I didn't even check the water pressure or what was the PSI of the two and a half inch and it knocked me down. But he did tell me to keep the hose focused at the fire. He taught me a lot about firefighting since when I was four years old. Why did you become a firefighter?"
"When I twelve and when me, and my mother emigrated here back in eighty four," said Captain Daniella, "My father was apart of the IDF and was killed in First Lebanon War and was killed by the PLO,"
Dave replied, "IDF? As in Israeli Defense Force and PLO as Palestine Liberation Organization?"
Captain Daniella nodded in agreement and said, "Yup. But my 'Father' was really my stepfather. He's a asshole. But when I came here in '84 and when I saw a fire engine and truck fly by heading to a emergency I knew I wanted to be a firefighter. But you probably became a firefighter to please your father."
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"Yeah I became a firefighter because my father is one and my uncle." said Dave, "But I already mentioned that,"
***
Back at the firehouse.
Dave was glued to the TV and just watched the miner strike still going on against automation in the mines. One of the miners interviewed said that one reason they're protesting is disenfranchisement by the higher ups where the higher ups do whatever they want but don't even give them a heads up or a vote.
Dave shook his head in disbelief that these mining companies who put profit over people and just watching them protesting in a parks in Uptown and Midtown of the city of Empire.
Dave just continued watching.
The fire bell went off for EMS assist at the park in Uptown and only Engine Sixteen, Ambulance five and Ambulance ten were dispatched and went.
***
At the park.
Dave sat a park bench Dave used a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, gauze and bandages on the injured striking miners who were attacked by the police well the officers who were bribed by the mining corporations who employed the miners on strike.
He also seen some peaceful striking miners be arrested and placed into 1960s Americana-styled police wagons or onto armored police buses to be hauled away. Dave even shook his head in disapointment and he knows that the Empire Police Department after the strike ends they'll go back to their Preventive, Quick Response, Problem oriented, and Community policing.
***
At the firehouse after the medical run.
"Hey Captain we need another few bottles of hydrogen peroxide and a few boxes of bandages and gauze and a few rolls of medical tape," said Dave
Captain Daniella replied, "Okay then. I'll put it in my report and have a form sent to HQ,"
***
Hours later it's 9:30 PM.
The fire bell went off for a fire in the mining town of Bellenau which is also under the city of Empire's jurisdiction.
***
Mining town of Bellenau it's only four streets with houses and commercial buildings that are owned by the mining company but a building that's used by the mining company for young adults to sign up and work in the mines is completely on fire.
To the north three 1960's Americana styled police cars came and a few 1960's Americana police vans came where the officers are wearing their dark blue and consists of a shirt, tie, trousers and either or police cap or riot helmet and also body armor.
Dave like normal just got the two and a half inch attack line and stretched it off the back of Engine Company Sixteen and waited for the Engineer to flow the water to the hoses which did happen after the other nozzleman hooked up the four inch supply hose and got the one and three quarter hose.
The Empire Police Department tried to get the rebelling ex-miners to disperse and to go home even though the miners been illegally evicted out of their homes but they're not going to leave without a fight.
Dave and the other nozzleman just focused on just fighting the fire even though the building was a complete loss until the other nozzleman got nervous and turned his attention to the rebelling striking ex-miners and started to spray them with the firehose.
Dave shook his head in disappointment and after that the men and one woman of both Engine and Ladder Company Sixteen were now under attacked by the rebelling ex-miners. Dave ignored them and continued his job to fight the fire but the other firefighters had to defend themselves from being attacked.
Radio reports of it reached the Governor's office in the town of Crystal and he activated the city of Empire's militia to the mining town not to assist the police but to defend the firefighters.
It took awhile but the city militia did arrive as soon as they could and they pushed the ex-miners back so the firefighters could do their job.
***
Tomorrow morning.
Both Engine and Ladder Company Sixteen were taken to fleet services for repairs but they were given replacements which date back to the 1940s and that have been sitting at the Fleet Services yard since 1954. But all fourteen of them were injured in some way or some form.
***
At his apartment
Dave filled a plastic bag with ice and placed it on his right eye and now wished he had a steak to put over his black eye.
There was a knock on his apartment door so he answered it and it was his cousin once removed Christopher Waterson and his wife Vivian Waterson of course she's in a black casual suit while Christopher is just wearing jeans, loafer shoes, white socks, white t-shirt, and a flannel shirt like Dave.
They politely asked if they could come in and Dave allowed it and asked what they wanted in a polite way. Vivian told him that they're just going across Little Bird doing sightseeing which Dave pointed out that they're on their honeymoon which they didn't confirm or deny it.
Vivian told Dave that his black eye would heal soon but raising three sons who love to fight she has more time nursing injuries than running a mining company but having more money than she can spend she usually have a doctor to look at them. She then asked Dave if she could borrow a pen so he went over to a drawer and got her a black ink ballpoint pen and she signed a check and gave it to Dave.
"What's this check for?" asked Dave
Vivian replied, "Open it and find out,"
Dave did and it was a check for forty five thousand dollars and she wanted to give a donation to the fire department charity and wanted to give back and all that and Dave told her that he'll make sure it'll go to where it needs to go.
Christopher asked if he could get something to drink only for Dave to say to them he was going to go to the store to get some stuff but Christopher opened the fridge and saw it was nearly empty.
Vivian and Christopher took Dave to a supermarket to go shopping but they saw some more striking miners and while both Dave and Christopher went into the store Vivian offered the miners a job with her mining company. They asked her a few questions like pay and time off and all that. She told them she'll pay them thirteen dollars a hour over the previous companies they worked for who paid them a dollar thirty a hour. When asked about Paid time off she told them they'll have unlimited paid time off and have a family-work life balance. That was good enough for them to stop striking and to quit their current jobs for the mining companies and work for Vivian instead.
Vivian then went to go join Dave and her husband and she paid for Dave's shopping but she does have more money than she can think to deal with and her company is a multimillion dollar company.
After that day the strike ended and even though being injured Dave did go back to work the following day.