Erin, Aiden, Theo, and Carver carried portable ladders from Ladder across the uneven terrain. They could position the ladders below the lowest branches and then pull the halyard string for extension.
Williams called out, “Give me your names and phone number. We’ll contact your parents and tell them you’re safe.”
Charles, Ethan, Gage, and Tanner had made questionable decisions today.
Luna began to give orders. “One spotter and one holder. One tree at a time.” Erin and Aiden raised the ladder, and Kevin started to climb.
“What are you doing?” Williams asked.
Kevin paused. “Is this a quiz, sir?”
“Where are the safety tethers?” Williams pointed to the top of the ladder.
“I’m climbing a ladder without my gear on.” The team left their turnout jackets in the rigs and wore their pants with utility belts and suspenders instead. “The kid weighs less than my gear.”
“No. Use appropriate safety equipment. Your gear is unlikely to flail about and jump off.”
“It’s climbing a ladder,” Luna interrupted. “Safety gear is optional.”
“OSHA standards recommend—” Williams was interrupted by Luna.
“OSHA standards say you’re supposed to evacuate a building when it’s on fire, but that’s not what we do. Begin your ascent, Jones.”
“Belay that. We are waiting for the Rescue team and the Medic to arrive,” Williams ordered.
“It’s not these kids’ fault no one scheduled extra help this morning, and we can’t run Medic,” Luna retorted.
Their captain shot daggers at her with his eyes. “Lieutenant, there is a rhyme to my reason.”
“I’m sure there is, sir,” Vanessa said from the captain’s elbow. “She’s passionate sometimes.”
Luna glared at her best friend. “She, who is passionate, can speak for herself. You’re not building any consistency when our D-shift help shows up at random hours.”
“I’m making do with what we have. I analyzed all the calls from the last two years to determine when our call volume was the highest. Then I matched it with the amount of manpower available from other shifts. That’s how I determine when we get extra coverage. We’ll get help tonight,” Williams stated.
“It would work more smoothly if they had some permanent hours rather than bits and pieces of shifts.”
“There aren’t any permanent hours. Chief Baker said we’ll only get temp help until Academy graduation. What do you think I should do in between?” Williams retorted.
“We could solicit more transfers or go visit other firehouses.”
“I would not rob other firehouses of their functional teams. Till then, we do it my way, or we permanently ground a rig. You already smashed one. What’s the difference?”
Luna squared her shoulders. “Thank you for questioning a command decision I was punished for months ago. Anything else you’d like to say in front of the group?”
“Only about your ability to maintain discipline. Good thing you have a close working relationship with the Cleveland Police Department.”
Vanessa stepped in again. “Captain, her personal pursuits are not related to this.”
“Officer Elias Kormos signs in almost every A-shift after I’m gone. Official business, no doubt.”
“Would you say that if Carver’s wife brought him dinner? Would you make her sign in?” Aiden unexpectedly waded into the fray. Erin and Theo traded disbelieving looks at their officers’ decision to have it out mid-scene.
“Don’t go up?” Kevin asked, having stayed at the bottom rung.
Aiden wasn’t done asserting his authority. “We get these first two down with ladders and tethers. Tether the ladder to the tree and carry the kid attached with the safety belt.
“I think that is a great plan,” Vanessa seconded. “By then, Rescue will be here for the last two.” The department had specific rescue units with better rappelling gear and a specialized team.
