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This will be easy if he knows exactly what else we’re going to need.
Working with the rural ambulance service gives Brookes an edge in this training. He’s going to know more about what’s missing than I do.
Patrick grins as he looks around at us. “You have fifteen minutes on the clock to pack the bag, get your situation from the operator, pack the additional supplies, and then get on the road.”
One of the other people in the room raises her hand. “What do you mean by on the road? Are we going to get to drive the vehicles today?”
Patrick claps his hands together with a grin. “No. But I like your enthusiasm. Just head to the parking lot when your bag is packed. I’ll be out there, ready to check over the bags and see if you got it right.”
He starts the timer and walks out of the room. People leap into action. When I stand, Brookes grabs my hand and shakes his head.
“Wait a minute, Jessie. I want you to go get the bag. I’ll push through the others and start to grab some of the supplies.” Brookes looks over at the tables of supplies, watching people scramble to get what they need. “Figuring out what’s missing is going to be the hard part.”
I pull out my phone and take a picture of the whiteboard before sending it to him. “There’s the list. We can cross things off as we go along. Once we get the situation, we can see what we already have and try to put together what’s missing.”
“Good thinking.”
We get up and I head straight for the bags. I wiggle my way through the people still standing there trying to gather the bag and the first few supplies. As soon as I have the bag, I go back to our table.
Brookes joins me a few seconds later with everything on the list. He lays out the supplies, counting the water pouches and light sticks to make sure we have enough. I fold the safety vest and shove it into one corner of the bag before crossing it off the list.
We keep track of the items on the list as we pack. As soon as the bag is packed, I go over to Dani who is acting as the switchboard operator.
“Your victim is trapped in their car on the side of the highway nearly twenty miles from here. It’s getting dark and cold. They have a baby with them.”
I race back over to Brookes and relay the situation to him. He studies the list of supplies on the board before glancing back at what’s still remaining on the table.
“We need the emergency highway blanket,” Brookes says, nodding to the table of supplies. His eyes narrow and he runs a hand through his hair. “And we need the bottle jack. The jack won’t be used with the situation we have, but it’s supposed to be in the kit.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, watching as people grab thick baby blankets and stuff them into their search and rescue kits. “You’re sure that’s what we’re missing?”
“The bottle jack isn’t obvious, but it’s part of the kit. If you have to lift anything heavy off a victim, you need something powerful enough to lift it. Most people aren’t going to think about that.”
I nod and watch him stride across the room. He grabs the emergency blankets and the jack. Brookes slips them into our search and rescue kit before zipping up the orange bag. He slings it over his shoulder and nods to the door.
We take off at a run, through the Barn and out into the parking lot. We’re the first ones out the door, but there’s another team close behind us. My feet pound against the pavement as I hurry to keep up with Brookes.
Patrick leans against a stack of crates at the far side of the parking lot. He taps his foot, his arms crossed as he smiles. Brookes weaves between the cars, looking back over his shoulder at me as we get closer to Patrick.
My breathing is ragged in the cold air as we come to a stop in front of Patrick. He takes the bag from Brookes and sets it on a folding table to his right. My breath comes out in puffy white clouds as I put my hands on my hips and open my chest wide. I take deep breaths, trying to slow my racing heart.
Patrick pulls supplies out of the bag, stacking them in neat little piles along the length of the table. He hums to himself as he looks down at a laminated checklist. Once all our supplies are laid out in front of him, he goes through the checklist with a marker.
“I’m impressed,” Patrick says with a smile a few moments later. He puts the list to the side and begins repacking the supplies. “Not only are the two of you the first to get to the table, but you also have everything you need in the bag. Congratulations on passing this test. Great teamwork, you two.”
Brookes grins and pulls me into a tight hug, laughing before letting me go and picking up the bag. We head back into the Barn to warm up, watching as other people go running. Some come back and repack their bags before heading out again.
“Got any plans for the rest of the night?” I ask Brookes as we sit on a worn couch in the corner of the room.
He shrugs. “Not really. I was thinking of grabbing a pizza and maybe a beer after this. Although, sitting in front of a fire and warming up sounds nice right about now too.”
I smile and brush my foot against his calf. “Well, my apartment may not have a fireplace, but it is warm and cozy. There might even be pizza and beer there if you’re lucky.”
Brookes leans closer to me, his hand brushing against my knee. “I happen to think that I’m exceptionally lucky.”
“Well then, I guess there will be beer and pizza waiting for you.”
My heart skips a beat as he gives me that charming smile. Brookes takes my hand in his, linking our fingers together. He keeps our joined hands out of sight from the others, brushing his thumb over the back of my hand.
