I grab a SCBA mask for Schmiddy. When Sandy parks the truck and leaves her idling, I climb down and run the mask to Schmiddy. He snatches it from my hand and pulls it over his face.
“Where’s our masks?” one man asks.
“You can go back inside your homes. Close the windows tight, stuff any material you can find under the doors. Get downwind and as far away as possible.”
The crowd disperses without hesitation. Front doors slam as windows snap shut and curtains whip closed.
At least that part went easily.
I set up the hazmat zones while we wait for NYPD to arrive on scene. Rolling out hoses, we start protecting the surrounding homes and dousing the outside flames.
“Restrict your water to only sources we know are not water reactive.”
God help us if water hits lithium right now.
By the time we have the surrounding areas soaked and adjacent roofs wet down, the blue and red flashing lights of our fellow first responders roll in.
“What we got, Captain?” An older officer comes to a stop by my side, his sergeant stripes on his uniform letting me know the rundown belongs to him.
“Meth lab at the back of the house. It exploded”—I check my watch—“nineteen minutes ago. Civilians have been rerouted home; the area has been doused.”
“Any people seen fleeing the scene?”
“No, sir. It seemed to be abandoned, but we didn’t have the chance to do an internal sweep of the house before the explosion.”
“Okay, thanks. Let me know when you’re ready to enter the scene. I’ll get the lot cordoned off.”
He’s handing out orders as he walks back to his shop.
Time to gear up.
“Sandy!” I move to the sidestep of 53. “Get everyone fixed with their breathing apparatus. We go in in three.”
I hand the self-contained breathing apparatus masks attached to their oxygen tanks down from the back of the seats where they hang and pass them to the crew.
I take all out except for Schmiddy’s and Sandy’s.
“Cap?” Sandy says, looking up at me.
“Sub in for me, will you?”
His gaze searches my face. “Sure, but?—”
“That’s an order, Sandy. Man the engine, update PD, keep Schmiddy out of my damn way.”
I knew this would happen.
I knew if I crossed that line with London it would complicate things. Like hell am I letting my crew walk into disaster without me.
London is helping Davies with his mask and tank when I start donning my own. I shoulder the tank first, tightening the shoulder straps and securing the waist belt before pulling it tight. Next I slide the neck strap over my head and organize the rubber straps of the harness that will hug my head and keep the mask sealed over my face.
That is the most important part.
Turning on the tank, I release the valve on the mask to ensure the supply is in fact coming through. The tank at my back whistles as I spin the knob all the way on before setting it back a quarter turn.
Double-checking the pressure gauge, I push the mask onto my face, slide the straps over, and tug them tight to seal therubber edge. Pulling the flash-hood over, I shove my helmet on my head and click the chin strap in place.
I briefly turn the tank off and wait for the mask to suck to my face, reinforcing the seal. Like hell are those fumes getting anywhere near me.
