Upon noting that the shift's work assignments had been completed, LA County Fire Captain, Hank Stanley, called his five-man crew into their station's rec' room for a re-fresher course on exposures.

The officer waited until his men had dutifully assumed their seats, steaming coffee cups in hand, before turning his back on them. A large sheet of dark green slate covered most of the room's far wall. He picked up a white stick of chalk and printed Protecting Exposures across it in big, bold letters. Stanley then spun on his heels in plenty of time to catch Chet Kelly's eye roll. "So…What is an exposure? Anyone? Anyone?" His dark eyes narrowed and bored into his less than enthusiastic lineman's. "Kelly…"

"An exposure is any flammable surface in the immediate range of a fire that is not burning but could start burning if the fire is not contained," Chester B. reluctantly replied, sounding every bit as enthusiastic as he looked.

"Correct! Both internal and external exposures can be found at every fire scene. This afternoon, we will be covering external exposures. Now, what is a firefighter's highest priority?"

"Preserving life," his entire crew chorused.

The Captain appeared pleased. "And, what is a firefighter's next highest priority?"

"Protecting exposures," all five of his firefighters replied, again speaking in perfect unison.

"And what makes protecting exposures so important?"

Hank's Engineer's hand shot up and he nodded in his direction.

"Protecting exposures helps to both contain the fire and prevent the fire from spread—"

The remainder of Mike Stoker's comment was cut short by the loud blaring of their station's claxons…and the muted tones of several other fire stations' also being alerted.

Coffee cups were tabled and all six firemen started filing into the apparatus bay.

Forward progress ground to a halt as the Dispatcher read off the call address.

It was just one odd number away from being Station 51's address.

"That's...That's right next-door!" Marco Lopez realized aloud.

"I'm guessin' we're gonna be first in!" Chet Kelly wisecracked.

The men bypassed their rigs and went racing out the now open garage door and onto the street ramp.

Stoker stared up at the neighboring building in astonishment. It was, indeed, on fire. "Smoke and flames visible on the street side, Cap!" he reported back over his shoulder.

Stanley had stopped at the call station. He heard the report and snatched up the radio's mic'. "Station 51, KMG—365," he acknowledged. "LA, Station 51 is on scene. We have smoke and flames visible. We will be staging on our street ramp."

The crew heard their Captain's plan of action and promptly complied.

Stoker boarded Big Red and pulled her out of her bay and onto the street ramp.

Paramedic Roy DeSoto did the same with their rescue squad.

"Lopez, Kelly, hit the hydrant!" Hank ordered, once coats, helmets and air-pacs had been donned. He turned to his paramedics. "As soon as we get some lines charged, I want you two to run a quick sweep."

The pair nodded and folds of hose began unfolding, as a couple of inch-and-a-half lines were pulled from the back of Big Red.

"Wanna know what an exposure is?" Kelly queried of his companion, as the two worked on their engine's supply line. He pointed to their fire station. "THAT is an exposure!"

Marco glanced up and frowned.

Just a few more feet and the flames would be licking Station 51's roof.

Kelly cranked the hydrant wide open and then he and Lopez followed the supply line back over to their truck. From there, they followed the limp lines leading around the low brick wall that ran between the structure on fire and the…nearest exposure.

The paramedics passed the two linemen the nozzles. Then they went on air and cautiously slipped through the burning building's unlocked front entrance.

Kelly and Lopez opened their air tanks and got their facemasks situated. Chet then signaled for Stoker to charge the lines. The limp hoses in their hands stiffened and they followed the searchers into the burning structure.

Less than five minutes later, Gage and DeSoto had the occupants out, and Kelly and Lopez had the fire out.

The paramedics herded all fifteen of the business' employees, and their apoplectic employer, out of the building's back alley, along the sidewalk and right into their station's empty apparatus bay.

The two rescuers then went trotting up to Engine 51, to receive further orders.

"Everybody's accounted for, Cap," Roy relievedly reported.

Stanley was both pleased and amazed. "That sure was quick!"

"They were in a break room at the back of the building…" Gage tried, but failed, to keep a wry grin from creeping across his face, "listening to a lecture on…'Safety in the Workplace'. Didn't even know 'the workplace' was on fire."

"Yeah. Seems the 'safety' lecturer forgot to replace the batteries in the building's smoke alarms," his equally amused associate summed up.

Their Captain had to grit his teeth to keep from grinning, himself. "Okay, now, let's see if you two can be as quick with the clean up."

The pair grabbed a couple of smoke ejector fans and some pike poles and then hurried off to help Kelly and Lopez with the mop up.

Stanley raised his radio to his smiling lips and keyed its mic'. "L.A., Engine 51. Responding stations and ambulances can stand down. This fire has been extinguished, and there are no injuries. Station 51 out one hour…Make that 45 minutes," he re-directed, and finally released the grin he'd been suppressing.

"10-4, Engine 51…" L.A. acknowledged. "All units responding with Station 51…cancel."

Seconds later, the sound of not-so-distant sirens ceased.

Hank pulled a salvage cover from one of Engine 51's open side compartments and quickly departed the staging area.

Less than sixty minutes of salvaging and overhauling later, Station 51 was back in quarters.

All five firemen were back in their seats.

Steaming cups of freshly brewed coffee were back in their hands.

And their Captain was standing back behind his invisible lecture podium, holding onto a piece of white chalk.

"Hey, Cap," Kelly quipped, "before I forget…interesting use of visual aids."

His witty comment caused his fellow firefighters to snicker.

Why, even the Captain had to crack a smile. "I do what I can, pal…I do what I can," Hank immodestly, and insincerely, admitted. "And now, since we covered Exposures so well, I figured we'd move on to Ventila—"

The Station's tones drowned out the "—tion" portion of the Captain's comment.

"Squad 51…"

"We got it, Cap!" DeSoto called back over his shoulder, as he and his partner disappeared out the door.

"Lucky buggers," Chet mumbled beneath his breath.

"I heard that, Kelly," his Captain came back, trying—but failing—to sound stern. He was tired and the smell of that freshly brewed coffee was too enticing. "Looks like Ventilation will just have to wait until they can rejoin us."

No one in his remaining audience seemed disappointed to hear that.

Hank headed for their coffee-maker.

His crew began an animated discussion of their station's recent 'Protecting Exposures' call.

"That has to be the first time we have ever made it all the way to a fire with no lights or sirens," Mike announced.

Marco grinned. "What about the time Chet's skis caught on fire?"

"Yeah. But, that wasn't a real fire," the skis' owner insisted.

The Captain took a cautious sip of his steaming brew and then just stood there in the kitchen, listening to the exchange. 'Ahhh…' he mused, 'Life is good!'

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January Picture 2018            Stories by Ross