03x06 - Snakebite

[bunniefuu]

All right,
so we didn't catch many fish.

Any fish, remember? Any fish.

Well, it was still good
to get away

from the hustle and bustle
of the city for four days.

Boring.

"Boring"?
What do you mean, "boring"?

I guess what he means is that we all
know we had a lousy time and we got tired

of sitting across a campfire
choking on the smoke.

Now, wait a minute.
Don't blame the smoke on me.

Look, you don't have to get
so defensive

just because this ridiculous
trip was your idea.

You know,
with your brain capacity...

Wait a minute, hold it, hold it.

Don't change the subject,
come on. Up ahead.

JOHNNY: First-aid kit.

What you got? He's dead.

I'll put out some flares. Right.

Okay, okay, you take
it easy now.

We're gonna
take good care of you.

[BOY GROANING]

He's got a bad gash
here on the neck.

I'm applying pressure to it.

It's bleeding real heavy.

I think it's a perforated
jugular vein.

He's going into shock.
I wish I could start an IV.

She's got a compound fracture.

Also, she's got a bad hematoma
on her head.

Thanks a lot, you jerk!

Looks like we're gonna
be alone for a while.

Yeah, well, this boy and mother
need medical care right away.

[GRUNTING]

Here, we're gonna have
to use this for a splint, Chet.

Why don't you grab
the tape from Roy?

Chet,
can you help me get her out? Yeah.

Just keep her legs straight,
that's all.

[GRUNTING]

Okay.

Got it? Okay. Yeah.

Just come on straight back here.

You're okay.

Just straight back.

Okay, this is good.
What about here?

Okay.

Why don't you go
get the blanket? Okay.

[BOY GROANING]

Why don't we put it
right behind her here?

Okay? Okay_.

Now, easy does it.
There we go. Okay.

There we go.

All right.

This guy's gonna stop or you're
gonna run out of bandages.

Whoa.

Stop.

Looks like you got yourself
a problem.

Yeah. We have some badly
injured people here.

Do you think you could run into the next
town and have them send out an ambulance?

I don't know if there is an
ambulance in the next town.

What I hear, there ain't much of
nothing down there, but I will take a look.

Well, if there isn't,
would you...

We got help coming, I hope.

[GROANING]

Where am I? Who are you?

Now, you've been
in an automobile accident.

My name is Johnny Gage,

I'm a fireman paramedic with the
Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Please, don't let my baby die!

They won't, believe me, ma'am.
These men are the best.

Now, you've got to
stay calm and quiet.

Now, we need your help and
your son needs your help, okay?

That's too bad we don't have
anything for her pain.

We couldn't use it anyway.

She's got a real bad bump
on her head.

[sums]

What can I do to help?

Well, nothing here. Why
don't you go check with Roy.

Okay.

Chet, elevate his legs.

How's it going?

Not good.

He's in shock.
He's bleeding very badly.

I need to have medical help.
I'm doing all I can here.

[GROANING]

Hi. You're doing okay.
You're doing all right.

What's your name?

Joyce. Joyce Varner.

My leg!

Joyce, I know. I know your
leg hurts. I know it does.

But we're gonna get you and your son to
the hospital just as fast as we can, okay?

I'm afraid.

I know you are. I know you are.

JOHNNY:
Everything's gonna be okay.

Hang on.

[SIREN WAILING]

Hey, we got something coming.

An ambulance?

I think so.

I hope so.

I don't know how long I can
keep things going together here.

Right over here.

Funeral home?

We're gonna have to
get the kid out first.

Okay.

Hey, let's go. Come on.

Chet, you want to give me
a hand from up...

Yeah.

[BOY GROANS]

ROY: Okay. Try to keep him flat.

Come on, you wanna
give me a hand here.

I'm gonna keep my hand
on his vein.

All right. Keep him flat.

Now get around the other side.

Yeah. Thanks.

Keep him straight.

Okay.

Okay, come on, man.

Okay.

When I lift her up,
I'm gonna wanna keep this.

All right. Yeah. All right.

Okay, go.

Okay, here, lose this pillow.

All right. Okay, let's go.

Ready? Go.

I'll wait here till the
police... All right.

All right. I got it. Okay.

You got it? Yeah.

JOHNNY: All right.

Let's roll it.

All right, take the feet end up.

Got her?

Got her.

Going in.

Hello. Hello.

The doctor isn't in today.

Now, where's your
emergency room?

We don't have one.

Now, hold it just a minute.
I said the doctor's out.

All right, then you call him

and you tell him he's got
some badly injured people

that need him right in here.

But I don't... Ma'am, ma'am,
you have an empty room?

At the end of the hall,
but no one's allowed to use it

without the doctor's permission. Come on,
come on.

Get her in here fast.
Watch the door. Okay.

I just made this room up.

Good, thank you very much.
Now go get the doctor.

I don't know where he is.
Get this gurney out of here.

Are there any other doctors
in the area?

No, Dr. Frick's all we got. We
only get him two days a week.

Can you get him on the phone?
We'll explain the situation to him.

I don't know where he is.

What's wrong with this phone?
Is there a switchboard?

I operate the switchboard. Good,
go operate the switchboard

and get me an outside line.

We don't normally allow
outside calls.

Now, you weren't going to make
a long distance call, were you?

Ma'am, these people are going to
die if we don't get some help in here.

Now, I want an outside line
right now. Please!

Yes. Yes, yes. Of course.


another strip?

Squad 14, this is Rampart.
Start a lidocaine drip.

[STATIC ON RADIO] MAN ON RADIO: Rampart,
Squad 14.

That's affirmative.


Did you copy?

Start a lidocaine drip.

[CLEARLY] Rampart,
this is Squad 14. That's affirmative.

Start a lidocaine drip.

Squad 24, this is Rampart.
Are you ready to transmit?

Rampart, Squad 24.

This is Emergency. Dr. Morton.

Rampart, this is Squad 45.

You wanna go through that again?

Request permission to
irrigate eyes with normal saline.

Stand by, 45.

ROY: Did you locate him?

Now, look, young man.

You come busting in here like you
own the place and start giving orders.

I know these people need help,
but I can't find him.

Yes, ma'am, I'm sorry.

Look, let me explain. My partner
on the phone there is John Gage.

I'm Roy DeSoto.
We're firemen paramedics

for the Los Angeles
County Fire Department.

Do you know what a paramedic is?

Not exactly.

Doc, if we don't start a couple of IVs,
we're gonna lose this boy.

We can't do that.
You're not even in this state.

Isn't there a physician
somewhere in that town?


Levophed. Add one more.

Squad 24, Rampart.
That came through clear.

Is he talking to Dr. Frick?
How did you find him?

No, ma'am, he's talking to Rampart
General Hospital in Los Angeles.

No, we'll pay for the call.
What's your name?

Well, I'm Mrs. Peterson,
Ozella Peterson.

Do you boys know
what you're doing?

Yes, Mrs. Peterson. We do.

We do this same thing
all the time at home.

We're not doctors,
we don't pretend to be.

We only do what the doctors tell us to do,
but these people need definitive care,

and they need it right now.

The doctor's not here
and we are.

I know that,
but these people need help.

And the only physician
they've got is out of town.

I can't authorize
an out-of-state IV.

Squad 24, add another amp
of Levophed in the IV.

What do you got, Mike?

Gage and DeSoto,
they're returning from a fishing trip.

You're not gonna
believe this one.

See, we're not certified
outside of L.A. County.

We need your help.

The male child has numerous cuts and
abrasions with a severe lacerated neck,

which has perforated
his jugular.

Now, Roy's been
holding it with pressure

for over an hour now.

And before we even got to the scene,
he had lost a lot of blood.

If we can get some IVs set up here,
we might be able to reverse the shock.

I don't know, I don't know.

The doctor's supposed to be
back here sometime this afternoon.

One liter, Ringer's solution.

I don't know. Here,
wait a minute, wait a minute.

Hang on, let me find out.

FRICK:
What's going on around here?

Dr. Frick. Well,
thank heavens you're here.

Mike, the doctor's here and
everything's under control.

Good luck, Gage.

Transport as soon
as possible, 99.

MAN: 10-4, Rampart.

How did it go, Mike?

Gage and DeSoto got
themselves a doctor.

Good.

Kel, I need you in 3.

Let's go.

Dr. Frick, that was a very fine job of
vascular surgery you performed in there.

Hey, thank you, Roy.
It sure was.

But you know what blows my mind?

No, what's that?

Well, you, actually.

You see, you have to remember,
I expect to see "Ol' Doc Frick."

You know, the kindly, white-haired,
lovable, old country doctor, but...

Yeah, well, whatever prompted you to set
up practice in a place like this, anyway?

Well, it's just that there isn't
another doctor in the whole area.

People need me here.

That's what I really want, a practice
where I'm really needed, you know.

Can you imagine their reaction
to all this back at the station?

Big deal.

What do you mean, "Big deal"?
It was a big deal.

There we were, out in the middle
of nowhere with no paramedic gear,

no doctor, no nothing.

Don't make such a big thing of it,
Gage.

I mean,
why don't you tell them about the fishing?

Hey, whose side
are you on anyway?

Chefs.

Oh, yeah?

Well, you remember what
you said to that woman

when I was trying
to keep her calmed down?

You remember that?

Probably something about you guys being
the best in the business, I guess. I...

Really? Oh,
I must have missed that. Thanks, Chet.

Yeah, but I just told it to her to
keep her mind off her injuries.

You know, she was
seriously injured, that's all.

Get her distracted.

Sounds to me like
you guys did a terrific job.

You do agree, Chet?

Yeah, I guess...

I don't believe it.

Well, you know, that nurse
really did a terrific job.

Once she figured out that we weren't
creatures from outer space or anything,

she calmed down, did a great job
assisting that doctor in that surgery.

Wow, that woman and that kid
are lucky.

Did they ever figure out
what caused the accident?

Yeah, the State Troopers said that the
guy in the pickup had crossed the line

and hit that woman
and her kid head-on.

Boy.

[ALARM SOUNDING]

DISPATCHER ON RADIO: Engine 85,
Station 51, Copter 14.

Car over a cliff on
the Bear Mountain fire road.

Bear Mountain fire road. Tractor


STANLEY: Station 51, 10-4.
KMG 365.

[HORN BLARING]

Hi, Hector, what you got?

I've been working this fire road

and this car full of kids
was racing back and forth.

I was just gonna
call a policeman

when they lost control
and went over the edge.

Well, where did they go over at?

I don't know,
it was right about here.

Well, I don't see anything.

Well, this brush is tall,
and I mean tall.

I worked this hill
in the fire of '48.

There's a lot of holes
and crannies down there,

but you can't see them
since the brush grew back.

Looks like it's ready
to go up again, too.

It's bad, Cap, real bad.

Cap.

Copter 14, Engine 51.
Have you got us in sight?

PILOT: That's affirmative, 51.

Copter 14, we have a car over
the side just below our location.

Tractor 2 reports people
in the car. Can you spot it?

Stand by, 51, we'll check.

51, we've got a fix on the car.

Approximately 200 yards
below your location.

There's no place to set down
near the car.

What do you want us to do?

Stand by, 14. Hector,
can you cut us a trail down to that car?

I'd hate to try it, Cap.

That brush makes everything
look smooth.

There could be a hole between
here and the car

that would turn my machine
right on its nose.

Cap, you know I'd try anything.

Forty tons of tractor cart-wheeling down
a hill is not gonna do anybody any good.

Especially if it plows into
those people in the car.

What do you have?

Car down there in the brush.

Copter can't get to it,
and neither can Hector here.

Looks like we better
rustle up a camp crew.

That will take some time
and those people...

51, you've got smoke coming
out of the brush below you.

Looks like the car is burning.

I'll try a water drop.
Can you t*nk us?

That's affirmative, 14.

You can go to that
clearing right above here

about 50 yards
to the west of us.

Copter 14, 10-4.

I'll have to give it a chance.
Your boys can follow me down.

Good, Hector.
Roy, John, get your gear.

Mark it off, Chet.
Give them a hand.

Engine 51,
back our rig up on that knoll.

Set up a t*nk to the helicopter.

Bill, your boys can help
my boys with the copter, okay?

All right.

L.A., Engine 51,
send me a full brush response.

Come on, sweetheart.

You stay right side up and
everything is gonna be okay.

Engine 51, Copter 14.
Looks like the fire is out.

Tractor 2 is now
approaching the car.

STANLEY: 10-4, Copter 14. L.A.,
Engine 51, return the brush assignment.

Fire under control.

[RADIO BEEPING]

DISPATCHER ON RADIO: All units
with Station 51 except Engine 85, cancel.

[WOMAN GROANING]

Oh,
my... You're gonna have to force this door.

Easy now. Stay down.

Oh'.

Come on. Stay down, stay down.

[WOMAN SCREAMING] You're
not gonna burn. The fire's out.

You're not gonna burn.
The fire's out.

You stay calm now, okay?

WOMAN: Oh, please...
That's good.

I'll take good care of you.
You stay calm.

He's got an apparent concussion.

He's also got
a fractured humerus.

He's got his ankle pinned up
underneath the pedal.

I really don't know what
kind of shape he's in right now.

Okay, just a second.
I'm gonna get on the phone.

You stay right here.
Okay. Don't move now.

WOMAN: What's wrong?

Rampart Base, this is Rescue 51.



Rampart, we have a vehicle
over the cliff at Bear Mountain.

We have three victims,
one male, two female.

All teenage. Trauma is apparent.

Further information to follow.



Would you page Dr. Brackett?

Have him report to Emergency
immediately.

Watch that first foot,
there, Kelly. Don't press it.

[WOMAN SOBBING]

I can't see.
Am I gonna be blind?

All right. Now, you just have
a concussion, that's all.

It's just affecting your vision. Now,
you're gonna be okay.

Are you sure? I'm sure.

My head really hurts bad.

You're gonna be all right.

Now, we're talking to a
hospital right now on the phone.

And they're gonna help us take care of you,
okay? I'm scared.

I'm really scared.
I know you are,

but my partner's helping
everybody,

and we're gonna be talking
to a hospital right now.

Is that Joy? How is Joy?

Where's Jeff?

All right, now.
You've got to stay calm.

Now, my partner's taking care
of them right now.

But you've got to stay calm.
Do you understand me?

All right, now. You just stay
calm and I'm gonna be right back.

Now, don't move, all right?

Rampart, Rescue 51.

Squad 99, stand by.
Dix, get Joe.


ahead with your transmission.

Rampart, we have, again,
three victims.

One male, 16, apparent concussion,
conscious but drowsy,

fractured left humerus,
possible fracture of the right ankle.

Pupils are unequal,
right pupil is dilated.

The second victim is a female.

Approximately


Possible broken pelvis
or spinal injuries

based on complaints
of the patient.

We haven't had time
to really examine her yet.

Now, the third victim
is a female about 16.

Her injuries appear limited
to facial lacerations.

A concussion's affecting
her vision.

She also may have some
glass fragments in her eyes.

Request permission to
irrigate with normal saline.

51, 10-4 on the normal saline.


Vitals on Number 1 and 2?

Well, stand by, Rampart,
we're working on it.




an accident in the mountains.

Dr. Brackett is handling this one,
along with the seizure for Squad 99.

Now, Dr. Early is taking a heart
case with Squad 45 at Base 2,

so you start a chart
on the heart case.

WOMAN ON PA:
Dr. Philbin, Treatment Room 4.

Squad 45, this is Rampart.

We're still reading PVCs.

Increase the flow
on the lidocaine drip,

watch your scope, and send us
another strip in about two minutes.


Report on conditions.

Rampart, Squad 99.

The anticonvulsant has
controlled the seizure activity.

Patient appears to be stable.

Police advise the ambulance was involved
in a collision en route to this location.

We have ordered
another ambulance.



That's affirmative, Rampart.

Patient has severe oral lacerations
and a contusion on his head.

We are handling.

10-4, 99.
Transport as soon as possible.

Jeff? Is Jeff all right?

Hey, now, he's gonna be fine.
You just relax, all right?

We're gonna have you all
to the hospital real soon.

You're gonna be okay.

Rampart Base, this is Rescue




Okay, Cap, we're ready to go.

Okay, we've gotta get all these
Stokes topside to the helicopter.

Now, it's gonna be a long haul and we
can't shake these people up very much.

Engine 85, man those lines.



DISPATCHER ON RADIO: Engine 35.

Squad 36, transport
to Rampart Hospital.

[RADIO CHATTER]

JOHNNY: Let's get them into the
copter as quick as we can, boys.

[RADIO CHATTER]

DISPATCHER ON RADIO: Return 2,
Engine 163 is requesting tow truck.

Avalon and 71st Street.

L.A., Engine 51 available.

Hey, Cap, I left the handie-talkie
down below. I'm gonna go get it, okay?

Hector, have you seen
a handie-talkie around here?

No.

Oh, here it is.

[RATTLING]

God!

Oh, man, I've been bit
by a rattler.

Listen, get me
a tourniquet, a branch,

something limber enough
to use as a tourniquet.

Engine 51, this is John.

I've been bit by a rattlesnake.

Chet, Marco, move.

L.A., Engine 51. We have a
paramedic bitten by a rattlesnake.

Engine 51 is no longer available. Time out,
one hour. Repeat.

Paramedic bitten
by a rattlesnake.



Get me the county
fire dispatcher.

John, now hang on, pal.
Help's on its way.

Damn it.

Johnny! HECTOR: Over here.

Squad 51, we have Rampart
on the landline.

They're requesting vital signs.

All right, Rampart.
As soon as we get out of here.

All right. It's gonna be
a fast trip, boys.

HECTOR: Engine 51.
Tractor 2. Coming up.



Any word on the seriousness
of the bite?

I don't like it. If it's a Grade 4,
Johnny could be dead within minutes.

I know.

Okay. Okay. That's enough.

Let's get him out of here.
Let's get him out.

[JOHNNY PANTING]

JOHNNY: Okay. Okay.

All right.

Give me the drug box.

L.A., this is Squad 51.

Can you notify Rampart and please
set up for a relay for vital signs?

MAN.' 10-4, 51.

Yeah? Yeah.

Can you get this on me? Sure.

It's all right? Yeah.

Yeah.

Okay.

Marco, set up an IV.

L.A., Squad 51. Vital signs are

pulse 95, respiration's 18,

BP is 120 over 65.

L.A., advise patient commence
IV with Ringer's lactate.

51, Rampart advises
IV with Ringer's lactate.



Okay.

Swab me down.

No. Here.

Okay.

I got it.

Get the ball.

Swab it again.

Well...

Here goes.

[EXCLAIMING]

Get the canula.

Okay.

Got the IV?

Okay.

Now, let me adjust
the drip, Marco.

Just give me a drip.

Okay, Cap.
Let's get me out of here.

Now, Lopez, you bring in
the squad. Let's get going.

Let's go.

L.A., Engine 51. We're transporting
snakebite victim to Rampart Emergency.

ETA is 30 minutes.

10-4, 51. Rampart requests
an update on patients condition.

L.A., this is Engine 51.

Patient is experiencing
numbness around the mouth

and he's somewhat drowsy.

Engine 51, you're breaking up.

Engine 51, you're breaking up
and unreadable. Repeat.

L.A., Engine 51. Repeating.

Patient is experiencing numbness
around the mouth, also drowsiness.

10-4, 51.

The venom's taking effect
awfully fast.

Some of it must have
gotten in a vein.

Time is the key factor now.

Well, 3 is all set up.

Good.

L.A., Engine 51. Notify Rampart.
Our ETA is now 15 minutes.

10-4, 51.

Get the orderlies and a gurney
out to Receiving. I'll be in 3.

Carol, I'm ready
for the skin test.

What's that for?

We've got to be sure he's not sensitive
to the antivenin or it could k*ll him.

If he's going to react,
it'll be within the next 20 minutes.

Twenty minutes.

Let's go outside for a minute.

How's he doing?

We'll know soon.

Why don't you guys go get
a cup of coffee or something?

WOMAN ON PA: Dr. Marcus,
Admission Desk. Dr. Marcus, Admission Desk.

[sum-nus]

Oh, Roy. Now, he's got
everything going for him.

Yeah, I know that.
It's just that...

Oh, you couldn't have done
anything more than he did for himself.

I know, but still, I...

Now, come on.

Let's us go and get
a cup of coffee, too, huh?

WOMAN ON PA: Dr. Mendez,
Receiving Room. Dr. Mendez, Receiving Room.

No reaction.

Carol, start the antivenin,
IV, 10 vials to start with.

That mean
he's gonna be all right?

I'd say he has an
excellent chance right now.

I'm gonna go tell
the other guys.

I didn't realize
how fond he is of Johnny.

I don't think Chet did either.

WOMAN ON PA: Dr. Reid,
Outpatient Area. Dr. Reid, Outpatient Area.

Hi, Dix.

Hi. You guys here
to see our star patient?

Yeah. How's he doing?

Well, he's getting
his strength back.

We'll either have to release
him pretty soon or tie him down.

You know, I had a lousy feeling
yesterday he wasn't going to make it.

You were really concerned.

Well, you better not tell John that,
it's gonna ruin their relationship.

What relationship? I just didn't
wanna have to break in a new pigeon.

Now, see what I mean?



WOMAN ON PA: Dr. Davis,
Treatment Room 5.

Dr. Davis, Treatment Room 5.

Now, look, you be sure and come back now,
so I can finish the rest of my story,

because it was after the snake
bite that it really did get dangerous.

Now, be sure and hurry back.

Hi, Johnny.
Hey, how you guys doing?

We were just about to ask you
the same question.

Oh, listen,
I'm doing all right. Doing all right.

I just hope they let me
out of here pretty quick.

Oh, no hurry, John. We could use
the peace and quiet around the station.

Chet, the only way you're gonna get
any peace and quiet around that station

is if you get
terminal laryngitis.

Say, if you guys keep
talking like this,

you're not gonna have anything to
discuss once you get back to the station.

We don't have anything
to discuss now.

[SNORES]

Hey, how does it feel to
treat yourself in the field?

Hey, I thought you guys
would never ask that question.

Well, outside of the fact that my
bedside manner was a little lacking,

I started a perfect IV even though
the patient was a little squeamish.

A little squeamish?

Johnny. Yes.

You have another visitor.
Oh, yeah?

A very avid admirer.

Hello, boys. Oh, hi.

Well, hello, Mrs. Peterson.
How are you?

You're probably wondering
what I'm doing in L.A.

Well... My sister lives here

and I thought while I was in the area,
I'd bring you some of my famous cookies.

They're a great favorite
at the church bazaars.

Of course, I didn't know about your
misfortune until I called the fire station.

Oh, listen, I'm much better now.

And I'm sure one of these cookies
is gonna make me feel even better.

Oh, great. Thank you. Thank you.

[CLEARING THROAT]

Oh, you remember Chet Kelly,
don't you?

No, not really.

Oh, he arrived at the hospital
a little later on.

After all the work was done.

Oh, yeah.

I seem to remember
there was someone else.

Well, I better be running along.

Goodbye,
boys. Thank you very much for the cookies.

Bye-bye, Mrs. Peterson. Bye.

Bye-bye. She's a wonderful lady.

Hey, you want a cookie, Chet?
No, thanks.

Oh, come on, they're great.

You know,
she didn't even remember me.

Well, I do, and that's what's
important. Now, come on, have a cookie.

What's wrong with it?

Nothing's wrong with it.

It's fair.

He's all heart.