Sarah jerked up from her sitting position as another alarm went off, squinting at the wall across from her, the entire span of her attention was focused on the truck call. Several others were already running towards the firepole while others were just getting out of the small, college style single bunk rooms lining either side of the hallway leading to the bathrooms and showers. Sarah finally heard her truck number and response number called, and sat up immediately, her partner was much slower to and wolfed down the rest of his sandwhich in a hurry.<br/><br/>Sarah quickly rushed towards the pole, latching her arms on and then throwing her feet onto the pole, sliding down the 20 feet in under 2 seconds and hitting the ground with a thud. By now, some trucks were already started up and one was leaving. Sarah sprinted to her locker, grabbing her jacket, mask and helmet and running quickly back to her assigned truck, hoping in the back as Kevin jumped in the other side. As she was putting on her jacket, the truck lurched to a quick start and peeled out of the fire station doors, out into the large parking area and onto the street. Traffic passing by stopped as the sirens were turned on. The loud, wailing sirens were mixed up with a high pitched, rapid squeal. Sarah put on her helmet, grabbing one of the rear seated oxygen tanks tucked in behind her seat and yanking it over the seatback, throwing it on like a backpack, then her PASS device and attaching the oxygen hose to her mask breathing system. She put her helmet on, leaving the mask draped over her shoulder as the truck hit a bump.<br/><br/>From her seat, she could see the high school and temporarily worried about her sisters, as the truck turned onto Ennerdale, her mind shifted to the task at hand. She leaned down a little, and could see some smoke in the distance. The emergency radio was clogged with constant reports from the police and other units around the city, things were going to hell in a hand basket, Sarah was thinking about taking her sisters out of town for a few days, possibly leaving tonight. Or at least, getting them out of the city, she probably wouldn't take a day off now anyways, she was needed here.<br/><br/>The drive to the actual apartment was quick, the sirens clearing the way for blocks as the truck blasted through red lights and intersections, motorists getting out of the way of the speeding truck, no doubt they could see the fire as well. Upon arriving, Sarah noticed they were the first ones there, besides a ladder truck. They were in a rescue vehicle, however, stocked to the brim with tools and equipment for doing everything job short of hauling water or with a tall ladder. She noticed the building quickly, smoke pouring from some windows and a few of the middle level windows were shooting out small bursts of flame. A squad car from the RPD was there too, and both officers were armed with shotguns. Sarah was surprised, that was the first time she'd ever seen that.<br/><br/>The truck skidded to a hault a good hundred feet from the building and on the opposite side of the street. They were not a priority vehicle, the ambulance that had just arrived was, and it was a fire department ambulance as well. Sarah grabbed a large axe from the back of her truck, Kevin grabbing a halligan tool. She nodded to him, leading him towards a group of three firefighters standing around a parked SUV, one of them wearing a red helmet, the guy in charge. He turned around, and Sarah didn't immediately recognize him, though he only looked at her for a second. He would have recognized her from the yellow helmet and black shield on her helmet, indicating her as rescue. Before she even reached him, he turned around and waved for them to follow him, walking away from the SUV and past a fence blocking the view of the apartment.<br/><br/>"<em>21 people live in that building, 12 are accounted for and outside. According to the owner-</em>" the Lieutenant pointed to a man leaning against a blue Honda Accord parked across the street. "<em>he knows of only 3 people for certain in the building. A 62 year old woman on the 3rd floor, and a single mother and her 4 year old son on the 5th. The fire is on the 4th floor, no one lives there, its a maintenance level with a few storage rooms, already got one team moving up to the second floor. Good luck, FAST 1 is 2 minutes out.</em>"<br/><br/>Sarah looked at Kevin who was already putting on his mask. "<strong>You wanna go in without FAST?</strong>" She asked, not even waiting for his predictable answer. FAST, Firefighter Assist and Search Team, were the people who came to find she and Kevin if they got in trouble. Putting on her mask, then putting her helmet back on over it, she did a quick check of her oxygen tank and then her PASS device, pressing the red button in its center until the satisfying, ear pinching wailing alarm it sounded out. She nodded and pointed towards the house. "<strong>Lets go straight up to the 6th and work our way down.</strong>" She yelled to Kevin, who gave her a thumbs up.