Item number 12, all the alleyways should be a minimum of 10 feet width.
Item 13, there are several piles of accumulated combustibles around your yard here.
Item 14, all the settling bottles should be stored in an upright position.
Now, uh...
What have you fellas got against a hard-working guy that's trying to turn an honest buck?
Now, you can't expect a wrecking yard to look like the Taj Mahal.
No one says your place has to be attractive.
But I don't need to remind you, you've had four fires here in the last three months.
You're endangering your neighbors.
All we're asking you to do is to comply with the fire code.
Well, now, uh...
I know that a fireman doesn't make much money,
and because, uh...
You know, you're about to make a big mistake.
Now, I don't know how much money you make,
but I know that you're about to make a big mistake.
I don't know how much money you make,
but I don't think you can afford an attempted bribery charge.
So who's bribing?
They're just, uh, talking appreciation of the fine job you guys are doing.
You know, a little, uh, gift for the wife.
I'm not married.
Okay, so, uh...
How long have I got to do all this?
Uh, since this is your second notice, you've got 14 days.
Okay, don't rub it in.
Hey, uh, fellas,
if you need any parts for your car, we'll give you a good discount.
No, thanks.
What was that all about?
Tried to buy us off.
Why do guys like that always try to do everything the hard way?
Boy, sure is starting off to be one nothing day.
I've been training to be a paramedic for, what, three months now?
I spend my first morning in the field working fire prevention.
Oh, relax, Ed. Think negative.
Now, the law of averages says we got to get a run sooner or later.
Yeah, well, for me, sooner is not soon enough.
Now, you get desperate, you can always fall out of the squad and break your leg.
Yeah, tell you what, we'll even let you treat it yourself.
Oh. You may think it's funny,
but remember, Johnny, your first day in the field as a paramedic?
You know, I think our trainee's got a point there.
Yeah, I think he does at that.
Pull over.
LA Squad 51, request sheriff at 7100 West Montana Street.
There's a robbery in progress.
10-4 Squad 51.
Now, why would you be carrying all your savings around in your purse?
Well, I'm moving into a retirement home,
and I just closed out my bank account.
It's so nice of you fellas to help me.
I think you policemen do a fine job.
Oh, thank you, ma'am. We appreciate that.
You report a robbery?
Right, a couple of young guys stole this lady's purse, had her life savings in it.
My partners went after them.
Which way did they go?
That way.
137, David. One unit of assistance at my location.
One unit of assistance at my location.
What'll I do? It's all I've got in the world.
Well, well, ma'am, I think if you look right over there,
you'll see my partner coming now.
And it looks like he's got your purse.
Goodness.
Here's your purse, ma'am.
My purse? Thank goodness you got it back.
Where's the other one?
He got away.
Got away? He's got the purse.
Hey, hey, relax, Ed.
Johnny got her purse back.
I mean, since it's had her life savings in it, that's what's really important.
Yeah, I guess so. Sorry.
It's OK.
Squad 51, what is your status?
LA, Squad 51, available on fire prevention.
Make that crime prevention.
10-4, 51, call this office your next stop.
10-4.
Why don't we make that call at the hospital?
I tangled with a nail as I went over a fence.
Yeah, I'm for that.
So far today, I feel more like a cop than a paramedic.
When he ran through the yard, he woke up the watchdog.
By the time I came through, old Bowser was on his feet and mad.
Have you ever tried to talk to a watchdog while he's working?
Uh-uh.
Oh.
How you doing, fellas?
Well, is he gonna make it, Dix?
Oh, yeah, I think so.
Hey, I saw your trainee out in the hallway.
Glued to a cardiology manual.
Isn't he the one who did so well in the midterm exam, Dix?
Yeah, Ed Marlowe.
Yeah, good man.
Brought back a lot of experience from Vietnam.
Surgical corpsman, wouldn't he?
Yeah, something like that. Green Rays, I think.
How is he in the field?
I don't know. It's his first day.
We haven't even had a rescue yet.
Considering his training with special forces overseas, he should do real good.
He's carrying the highest grade average of any man we've trained yet.
Real expert on starting tough IVs.
Well, he sounds like the hottest thing to come along since D5W.
He's doing real well.
I just hope he isn't overtrained.
What do you mean by that?
I'm not sure I know myself.
Come on, Johnny, let's go back to work.
All right, you guys, now, look, don't you worry about Ed Marlowe.
We're gonna take good care of him.
Or vice versa.
What'd you do over the weekend, Ed?
Oh, studied for final exams. That's about it, Kelly.
Remind me not to volunteer for paramedic training.
Well, listen, don't worry about a thing, Kelly.
Until they perfect head transplants, you don't stand a chance.
Morning, everybody.
I've got a very busy day planned here.
First of all, it's hose testing time.
I want all hands to pitch in.
Now, since the hose tower's empty for a change,
I want you to test and hang at least 800 feet before lunch.
In the afternoon, I want the squad out on fire prevention inspections.
And...
Engine 51, rubbish fire in the alley behind 512 Vineland.
512 Vineland, cross street Alameda, time out 829.
Engine 51, 10-4, KMG 365.
They ought to be out long enough for me to get an extra half hour study in.
I admire your devotion, Ed, but we got a lot of work to do.
See, there's always someone in charge.
Yeah, even when you're all alone.
Squad 51, respond to a report of a person over the cliff near the lighthouse.
You will be responding alone.
Time out, 833.
Squad 51, 10-4, KMG 365.
His lighthouses are bad.
Listen, the rock's at the bottom of the cliff over there.
You better hurry.
He looks like he's in pretty bad shape.
Do you have a radio hookup with the Coast Guard search and rescue team over at LAX?
Yes.
Well, call them.
Tell them we're gonna need that big chopper, the side mount winch, all right?
Right.
All right.
You all right?
Yeah, I'm all right.
What happened to the biofoil?
It went all the way to the bottom.
Oh, man, how am I gonna explain that?
Well, don't worry about it.
I'm sure it'll be okay.
Let's just hope it works.
Come on.
All right.
Let's go and be careful.
I'm gonna get the biofoil.
I'll get the BP.
Severe swelling left patella.
Man, I don't know whether the thing's gonna work or not.
It took quite a beating.
What's your name?
Jerry Gamble.
Where do you hurt, Jerry?
My knee, my elbow.
Rampart, this is rescue 5-1.
Do you read?
I can't feel my hand.
Trolling over him and look at that arm.
Take it easy, Jerry.
Okay, take it easy.
Take it easy.
Rampart, this is rescue 51.
How do you read?
Rampart, this is rescue 5-1.
Do you read?
Hey, Roy, look at this.
Fractured.
Yeah, lower end of the humerus just above the elbow joint,
but look here.
Rampart, this is rescue 51.
Come here, please.
Nothing.
It works, but I can't transmit from this location
because of these cliffs.
I'm gonna try to transmit on the HT,
try to set up a phone relay
with the dispatcher to the hospital.
That's an issue.
That's an ischemic contracture if I've ever seen one.
LA, squad 51.
I've never seen one before.
I'll have to take it away for you.
Calling LA, you're not readable.
I suggest you broadcast...
Well, you see what happens.
Where the elbow's been bent
at any significant time,
the displaced bone fragment compresses
and occludes the brachial artery
in the antecubital space.
Look, I can't get out on the HT either.
I'm gonna go topside.
Maybe I can set up a relay with the squad's radio.
What are the vital signs?
Uh, pulse rate is 90 and thready.
BP is 90 over 60.
That and the skin being cool indicates shock.
So you better make it snappy.
I need approval to start this IV.
Okay.
Remember when you fell?
Uh...
Was it dark or was the sun up?
Dark.
All right, now, Jerry,
you're going to feel a sharp pain
in your elbow for a few seconds,
and then everything will be all right.
What are you doing?
What do you mean?
We've got to make an effort to reduce that fracture.
Or it's going to lose the use of that hand.
Well, look at it.
You can see it's already starting to contract.
If we wait till we get to the hospital,
that hand will be permanently deformed.
You gotta be kidding.
We haven't even contacted the hospital yet.
They never approve a reduction
of the fracture in the field.
You have an x-ray to get.
You don't even know what you got in there.
Well, that's just swell, Roy.
Do you think he'd like to hear that
if he woke up tomorrow morning permanently crippled?
All right, now, Ed, now stop.
That's an order.
LA, Squad 51.
Squad 51, go ahead.
LA, we have a severely injured male at our location.
Our telemetry unit is out of order.
Request you contact Rampart Emergency
by telephone and set up to relay.
10-4-51, standby.
Emergency, Miss Williams?
Oh, just a moment.
Miss McCall, you better take this.
It's the county fire dispatcher
relaying for rescue 51.
Head back or bracket paged.
Miss McCall, may I help you?
LA, to all units on frequency one,
maintain radio silence or switch to frequency two.
Squad 51, we have Rampart Emergency on the phone.
Proceed with your message.
LA, we have an 18-year-old male
falling from a cliff.
He's suffering from numerous abrasions and cuts.
Swollen left patella, apparent fracture
of the lower right humerus.
His vital signs are skin cool, BP 90 over 60,
rate 90 and thready.
10-4-51, standby.
We got everything but the BP.
Was that 90 over 60?
90 over 60.
Please standby.
This is Dr. Brackett.
Advise 51 to start an IV,
ringer solution, and have him immobilize
the injured limbs and transport as soon as possible.
Right, thank you.
Squad 51, Rampart advises start IV,
ringer solution, immobilize the injured limbs
and transport as soon as possible.
We have dispatched an ambulance.
LA, cancel the ambulance.
We've requested a helicopter from the Coast Guard.
Verify their ETA.
10-4-51.
Would you care to tell me what is the correct
and approved method for immobilizing
a fractured humerus?
This is no time to play games, Ed.
Now, you put that vacuum splint on it
and it's present position.
Wrong, Roy, wrong.
By the time we get back to the hospital,
this hand is going to be in bad shape.
This would never happen in Vietnam.
My hand.
Bad shape?
Oh, no, you just relax.
We're gonna get you to the hospital before long
and everything will be okay.
Now, you listen to me.
You're not a numb and you're not a doctor.
And if you don't get your head squirreled away,
you're not gonna be a paramedic either.
Is that a threat?
You bet it is.
Squad 51, Coast Guard helicopters one minute out.
He has you on site.
Telfarelli.
Let's go.
Really, man, what you said there, didn't you?
About washing me out.
All I can do is make a recommendation.
I bet you're the best example of something like that.
I'll be glad to help.
I bet you're the best example of self-discipline.
There's not much doubt what my recommendation's gonna be.
I'll be glad to help.
Is that deformity resulting from an occlusion of the brachial artery?
It looks that way.
I'm afraid the boy may suffer what we call Volkman's contracture.
Will the disfigurement be permanent?
Probably so.
An ischemic contracture is nearly always permanent and severely crippling.
That's why it's important to reduce that type of fracture as soon as possible.
Here are the x-rays for Gerald Gamble, doctor.
That's what I was afraid of.
A real ragged fracture.
It's going to have to be reduced surgically.
Contact orthopedics and set up for a surgical reduction and make it quick.
Carol, that occlusion is not getting any better.
It was a tough decision you guys made out there, deciding not to straighten that arm
out.
As you can see there, that ragged fracture would have punctured the artery if you'd
have moved his arm.
With the shock and all his other problems, he might not have survived a punctured artery.
Well, let's go get some dry shoes.
Yeah.
So anyway, I started grabbing at anything available to stop my slide, which happened
to be an overgrown weed sticking out of the side of a cliff.
So, yeah, Roy?
It's about the time I start repenting for a lifetime of sin I stop sliding.
It's a little too close for me.
So are you still going to repent for a lifetime of sin?
Gentlemen, do you think we should go back to the station?
Johnny, you didn't answer my question.
See you later, Dicks.
Dr. Allen, an emergency.
Hey, where's Roy?
I think he's in the office, John.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
Hey, whatcha doing?
I'm making out that activity report the training center's been asking for.
Oh, yeah?
You know that in the last three weeks we've had 62 runs?
62?
That averages out to about nine a shift.
Huh.
Our trainee out there is getting himself quite a workout, isn't he?
Yeah.
He's doing pretty good.
When he first started out, I didn't think he had a chance of making it.
But he's shaping up real well.
You know, by the time he's fully certified, I wouldn't mind having him for a partner.
Oh, is that a fact?
Well, matter of fact, I wouldn't mind having him for a partner either.
Partner?
Hey, uh, Ed, I want to talk to you for a second, old buddy.
Squad 51, overdose.
12553 Seaview.
Cross Street, Charleston.
Timeout 1140.
Squad 51-10-4, KMG 365.
Challenger Three,
2-6-8,
I think she stopped breathing.
I got over here as soon as I could.
She called me to see... She took some pills.
I called my doctor, but, uh, his office said that...
that they'd come over as soon as he got out of surgery.
Uh, they...
They told me to call the fire department.
Did I do the right thing?
She's inside.
I'm sorry.
Barely breathing, but she's still alive.
Looks like it could be a prescription overdose.
Ed, what are you doing?
I'm inserting the esophageal airway.
You better give me a hand before she aspirates.
You're out of your mind.
You know the rules.
Now only the hospital can authorize us to use that airway.
You ready to transmit, Johnny? Yeah.
Enough rules, pal.
Now let's save this woman's life, huh?
I've seen enough O.D.'s to know she's gonna upchuck any minute.
She isn't dead, is she? Is she gonna be all right?
Mr. Robinson, would you come with me, please?
We'll guide the ambulance in.
Rampart, this is rescue 51.
You know what they're gonna say.
They're gonna say, go ahead and insert the airway.
So what are we waiting for?
Rampart, this is rescue 51.
Right. That's what we're waiting for,
for a doctor to go ahead and tell us to insert the airway.
Rampart, this is rescue 51.
Vital signs are, uh, BP 90 over 50.
Pulse is 50.
Respiration, uh, 6 and shallow.
51, this is Rampart base. Go ahead.
Rampart, we have an apparent prescription overdose.
Ed, don't you understand?
We are not doctors.
This is a very sick lady,
and she has a right to expect that any treatment we render her
be authorized and approved by a qualified physician.
Now what does this very sick lady have a right to expect?
Pneumonia, if we can even keep her alive.
51, is the patient aspirated yet?
She's aspirating now, Rampart.
51, insert a nasal gastric tube and aspirate the stomach.
Then insert an esophageal airway.
Start an IV, D5W with a metaraminol drip.
Watch the vitals closely for any further signs of depression
and transport as soon as you can.
10-4, Rampart.
I'll be in my office.
Okay.
In here.
We're set up for a bronchoscopy.
I'm sorry.
Lower her head, Carol.
I'm sorry.
It's a lot of debris in there.
I don't know about you, but I've had it with him.
Now something's got to be done about Edmar.
Let's wait until we talk to him, see how he reacts.
There's no mystery.
I know what his reaction's going to be.
Bracket's wrong, the whole program's wrong, they did it better in Vietnam.
Or maybe...
Look, I used to work with him over at 41's and there he was a steady, heads-up, mature
firefighter.
And I think you'll make a real good paramedic.
We scrapped him out of this program now, without being sure.
I...
All right, all right, all right, all right.
You're right.
I'd rather be a spectator than a referee.
But I couldn't hear you from a distance.
Femme, I'm sure you asked me, no?
Well, it's just Ed Marlowe, we seem to have a little problem with him.
Ed Marlowe is...
Oh, wait a minute, Johnny.
He hasn't been with us long enough to make that judgment.
Marlowe hasn't been with us long enough to make that kind of a judgment.
We really blew that one.
It's pulling all kinds of debris out of her bronchia and upper lungs.
Just like you told us in training, Miss McCall.
Prompt insertion of the esophageal airway is the best method to prevent complications
resulting from aspiration.
Not always, Ed.
Not this time.
Using an airway would have locked those drugs in.
You saw how depressed her vital signs were.
Can you imagine what would have happened if that junk had stayed inside of her for another
30 minutes?
I'd have killed her.
But still, we were taught...
You were taught to follow a doctor's instructions, not to try and match your months of training
with his years.
As a paramedic, you can do your job well.
But don't get confused as to exactly what that job is.
I suppose you think I followed up, too.
Huh?
Ed, what I think is, if anything ever happened to me, you'd be the last person in the world
I'd want responding.
Well that's a pretty heavy crack.
Considering.
Considering what?
Considering the fact that you almost killed a patient if Roy hadn't have stopped you?
Oh, come on, Gage.
Don't give me that.
You guys didn't have any idea that using that airway was dangerous.
So don't sound off like some Monday morning quarterback.
Look, I'm not talking about the airway.
The minute you started going into business for yourself is when you started fouling up
and you know it.
The book again, huh?
Can't you guys ever do anything but think about playing it safe?
Listen, I was saving lives in Vietnam when you were still in training for this place.
Man, spare me the speech.
I heard it.
And I'm not impressed with it, or you.
Man, you better talk to this jerk because I'm ready to give up on him.
Well, I guess that puts me right down the old sewer then.
I know I don't have to ask how you feel.
No, you don't have to ask.
But I'm going to tell you anyway because maybe, just maybe, I might be able to get through
to you for once.
That's twice in the last three weeks that you've blown it.
And that's why you guys are going to dump me for two lousy mistakes.
It's not the number.
It's the kind.
And it's why you make them.
What's that supposed to mean?
It means that I think you're on some sort of an ego trip, Ed.
And in my book, that makes you a very dangerous character.
Oh.
Ego trip, huh?
Well, I didn't realize that psychiatry was part of the paramedics training.
Oh, that's good, Ed.
You be funny.
But that isn't going to change anything.
You want to know what I figure?
Well, I figure when you were working in Vietnam, it was rough.
So rough, you started playing over your head.
And you were making it.
You were doing real good, considering it was a combat situation.
And pretty soon, you start getting all blown up about how Ed Marlowe is just as good as
the real doctors.
And you've been living on that ever since.
And the trouble is, Ed, you are good.
Except for two little problems.
You can't quit competing with real doctors.
And you can't face being wrong.
You see, those people we trade out there, I mean, the people we work for, the people
who pay for this whole operation, they're real people, Ed, with real problems.
And they have a right to expect more than just being used by you for some sort of trip.
I guess what I'm trying to say to you, Ed, is that in my book, you're just plain unprofessional.
Do you think it did any good?
Do you?
I don't know.
Thanks, Jim.
Hey, Ed.
They're just about to start the meeting in there.
Oh.
Well, I wasn't invited.
What do you mean?
I thought it was a paramedic meeting.
More like a star chamber, if you ask me.
And I'm on the agenda, along with a couple of other trainees.
Well, I wouldn't worry about it.
Gage and DeSoto are in there.
They'll take care of you.
Oh, they will, will they?
Listen, Kelly, I was saving lives in Vietnam before those guys ever even heard of the word
paramedic.
Like, uh, during the Tet Offensive.
I worked around the clock as a surgical assistant.
And let me tell you, after about 12 hours of that kind of action, you forget you're
an assistant.
And the surgeon does, too.
And you get rid of the can't do it rules.
And you get on with it, doing what you're there for, saving lives for...
Ed.
And your buddies, Gage and DeSoto out there.
You see, they've got an authority complex.
What they haven't got is backbone.
I've seen them out there, Kelly.
I've seen them.
When it comes right down to the real thing, they fall back on the rules that are gonna
save their hide and to hell with the patient.
Battalions one and seven.
Call the mechanical engineer at L.A. office.
What bothers me is I can't turn my back on him.
I can't depend on him.
And what's more important, the patients can't depend on him, either.
It should bother you, Roy.
Because as long as it bothers you, then your concern is where it belongs, with the patient.
Chief and I have talked about this problem many times.
That's right.
And we're most enthusiastic about the way that you men and the rest of our paramedics
handle themselves under pressure.
But if we're going to have a workable system, it's got to be manned by people with self-discipline.
Or does that leave us with Marlowe, Chief?
It seems to me, if we can't leave this meeting confident that Marlowe can function within
the rules that are necessary to the paramedic system, then Marlowe will not be recommended
for certifications of paramedic.
Squad 51, apparent overdose at the car wash, Farrington and Pacific.
Time, 10.32.
Squad 51, 10-4, KMG 365.
I wasn't too sure if I was supposed to come with you.
If I'm not, you can drop me off at the corner.
Apparent overdose.
We are awake for oh days.
Over there it is.
Hey, hey, we got a fighter.
LA Squad 51, request ETA of sheriff to our location.
ETA, one to two minutes.
10-4.
Got an acid freak, Roy?
Man, I saw dozens of these weirdos in Vietnam.
Why don't I just hang on until the sheriff gets here?
Why don't we just sit him down here?
Nothing you can do for him, just needs a pat of his tail for a couple days, that's all.
Did he say anything about taking acid?
He didn't have to, it's written all over him.
Well, look at him, he's on a trip.
You don't mind if I take a BP, do you?
Well, do it at your own risk, he can still just take a swing at you and I imagine he
can kick.
Well, I'll have to take a chance.
Pulse is 140.
Oh man, I don't know why you're bothering me.
There's nothing you can do for these guys except restrain them until it wears off.
We don't even know what he took, how are you going to counter it?
We'll let the hospital decide that, you remember them?
BP is 120 over 80.
Another OG?
Yes, maybe.
Rampart?
This is rescue 51.
Rampart, this is rescue 51.
Go ahead, 51.
Rampart, we have an apparent overdose, adult male, proximate 25.
He was combative on arrival at scene.
He was restrained and since lost consciousness.
One of my boys found this in the back of his car.
Do you have any vital signs, 51?
Vital signs?
He's diaphoretic, his pulse is 140 and his blood pressure is 120 over 80.
Ah, thanks.
Here's his ID.
Rampart, we just found some ID.
His name is Robert McDonald, that's M-A-C. He has a Hollywood address and his DOB is
620-49.
51, do you have an ambulance at your location?
Not at this time, Rampart, but we do have one rolling.
10-4-51.
We're checking with admissions for a record on the patient.
Have you sent an EKG at this time?
We're patching him up now.
Stand by for EKG.
First transmission will be lead two.
You know, there is one thing that I just cannot dig about this paramedic program.
What's that?
All this action for a guy that freaks out on acid.
I mean, the EKG, the whole bit.
This is obviously a classic case of hallucinogenic drug use.
51, transmit leads A-B-R, A-B-L, A-B-F.
10-4, Rampart.
This will be A-B-R.
A classic case, huh?
That's right.
After you've seen a couple dozen of these O.D.s, you begin to see the pattern.
And this is a classic case.
I hate to disappoint you, Ed, but I think we're gonna find that this man isn't drugged.
I think we're handling an insulin reaction.
You gotta be kidding.
Now who's playing doctor?
This is A-V-L.
This is A-V-F.
51, is the patient a resident of 4222 Bancroft?
Yeah, that's right.
According to his I.D., that's correct, Rampart.
51, we have a recent admission record for this patient.
He has a history of diabetes.
He's on 60 units of insulin a day.
Mr. 50cc's, up 50% dextrose, IV push.
10-4, Rampart.
Pump up that cuff.
I'll get it.
I could have killed him.
He's got a long, hard road ahead of him.
I'm hoping that none of you will make any statements or comments that'll make it any tougher on him.
Since he's been with the department, Ed Marlowe has earned himself a reputation as a good and aggressive firefighter.
He's being assigned to engine 41, so he'll get plenty of firefighting, but the important thing for us to remember is that not all of us are cut out to be paramedics.
Personally, I have a lot of respect for any man who will volunteer for paramedic training because he's a man who is willing to lay his reputation on the line.
Now, Ed Marlowe took that chance, and he didn't make it, but he is still a valuable member of this department and should receive our full support and understanding.
Station 51, Station 36, Truck 127, Wrecking Yard Fire, 6911 West Montana, 6911 West Montana, Cross Street Cedar, time 2112.
Montana? Isn't that guy with the wrecking yard?
Yep. How many does this make it?
Five fires in the last three months.
You ready for that?
I'm ready for anything.