Free Web NovelChapter 166: Chapter 122 Temporary Drill
Wonderful Mall is not a tall building.
It’s an eight-story building that lines the street with shops on the first floor and residential units above.
Moreover, there’s a platform on the third floor that blocks the view of the fourth floor from below, making it appear like a building within a building.
In other words, stairs to floors above the fourth floor must be accessed from the platform on top of the third floor, with the staircase located on the side.
The entrance is narrow, the design outdated, and the stairs winding back and forth. The businesses on the first three floors also have high electricity usage.
From a firefighter’s perspective, such a design means that if a major fire breaks out on the lower levels, it would be much harder for those upstairs to escape.
The only good thing is that the building fronts onto a street; if a special fire truck is utilized for rescue, the three lanes outside provide sufficient space for the fire truck to extend its ladder.
However, the distance is such that while the telescoping arm of an elevating platform might manage, a turntable ladder truck likely couldn’t.
When Fang Huai arrived near the scene, he made these judgments immediately.
Moreover, many of the nearby streets were filled with similarly tall mixed-use buildings, and the emergency plans tailored for this complex building scenario were highly adaptable.
In other words, having conducted exercises here, should they encounter similar high-rise fires in the future, their response would likely be more relaxed than this time.
The instructor chose this location with some level of competence.
While these thoughts crossed Fang Huai’s mind, most of the soldiers from the squadron were busy massaging their shoulders and legs, gauging the building’s height, and wondering how many floors they would need to climb.
The Special Duty Team, in reality, did not have as much police dispatch experience as the City Brigade.
Special Duty is about equipment readiness, personnel physical fitness, operational ability, and first-rate support capabilities.
But leading a police dispatch and controlling the whole scene requires experience and brains.
This kind of on-site practical exercise mainly tests the command ability of the commanders and the teamwork of each combat position.
All things considered, are idealized.
As the vehicles lined up upon arrival, Fang Huai noticed a small issue.
The squadron’s IVECO should not have been in the middle of the main combat vehicles—it had no role in firefighting or rescue exercises and was only meant to be an observation vehicle. Yet, because of its fast speed, it had ended up between Car 1 and Number 2 vehicle.
Because the elevating platform was slow, it arrived last and had to park at the end, which meant it would need to be moved if the platform needed to be extended.
Fang Huai saw Cao Yi ahead, still seemingly daydreaming as he stared at the building, probably guessing the question set by the instructor. Fang Huai reminded him,
"Instructor, shall we move the IVECO first? If we move up in order, we can make room for the turntable ladder truck to get into position."
That comment made both Cao Yi and Hao Chengbin aware of the problem.
Cao Yi found it very reasonable and immediately gave Fang Huai a surprised look, then prepared to pick up the two-way radio.
Hao Chengbin, however, looked at the building, held him back, and after some thought, added,
"Have the smoke exhaust vehicle also pull out, there’s no underground garage here, it’s not needed...
And the turntable ladder truck, it can’t be extended! Have the IVECO go around again to see if there’s a suitable place for ladder deployment!
If there’s a supply transport task, then let the turntable ladder truck enter the scene!"
Cao Yi saw that the instructor had already gotten out of his car to make a call and didn’t hesitate to grab the two-way radio and say, freewebnoveℓ.com
"IVECO, IVECO, what are you stopping there for?
All personnel, dismount! Line up in the order of Car 1, Car 3, Number 2 vehicle, and the elevating platform.
Other vehicles clear out to the nearby area and await instructions!
IVECO, go check the street behind for a suitable elevating platform placement, and look for the closest outdoor fire hydrant along the way!"
"IVECO received."
"Smoke exhaust vehicle received."
"Turntable ladder truck received."
Like this, with one adding this, another adding that, the rational deployment was completed upon entry.
Only when the fire trucks began their maneuvers, did Cao Yi look at Hao Chengbin with a smile,
"Not bad at all, Captain Hao. A strong master produces a capable disciple!"
Hao Chengbin laughed, but his smile was a bit strained.
I taught them everything, and they’re all my teachings.
Someday, I ought to dismantle Fang Huai’s head and see how the brain matter is mixed.
When Car 1 reached the front, the instructor signaled Cao Yi from the rearview mirror.
The moment of testing had arrived.
Cao Yi felt unsure, but called for Hao Chengbin to get off the car with him.
Together, they ran to meet the instructor, and Ye Jiahong from the following vehicles joined them too.
The others waited in the vehicles for the squadron leader to devise a plan based on the instructor’s scenario, and once the command was complete, they started "extinguishing" the fire.
At the entrance of Wonderful Mall, a slightly chubby man in a suit quickly came out to shake hands with a few cadres.
"This is the floor manager, Manager Zhang!"
The instructor introduced him briefly and then got straight to the point, telling the story,
"Today, the fifth unit from the left on the fourth floor caught fire due to water mist sprayed while watering plants on the windowsill, causing the TV to short-circuit and ignite after 15 minutes. The owner, cooking in the kitchen, didn’t notice the fire, which quickly spread to the nearby curtains!
When discovered, the fire was already out of control!
Upstairs, there is an office space leased out with lots of paper and flammable materials, which caught fire quickly!
At 4:30 PM, our Brigade Command Center received an alert that thick smoke was billowing from the entire fourth floor. Shortly after, we got a call from a resident that there is a little girl still sleeping in apartment 502 on the fifth floor!
At 4:50, when our team arrived at the scene, the fire had spread to the middle of the fifth floor and into apartment 605 on the sixth floor! Thick smoke enveloped the internal levels 4 to 6. The scene was chaotic and the situation inside the building was unclear!
After arriving at the scene, your squadron requested support from the big team, and the instructor ordered you to first control the flames, evacuate, and rescue the trapped individuals!"
Having said that, he switched to a more relaxed tone and continued, "That is the question! I’ve already discussed it with Manager Zhang, on the fourth floor we left three rooms available for water discharge, a small amount of water can be discharged on the fifth floor, and door 502 can be forced open, street lanes can occupy two lanes.
During the process, as the brigade command center, I might receive new police dispatches, ready to add more tasks at any time!"
Cao Yi looked up, noticing that outside room 502 was a security net.
At this moment, Ye Jiahong leaned in and said, "Instructor... about the little girl who’s trapped... we didn’t bring a dummy."
With that one question, he spoke out of turn.
The instructor turned around to look at Car 1 just arriving, pointing at Han Yong, who sat properly by the window, and said:
"That chubby one, go up there and play the trapped person! With thirty people in Special Service Squadron 2, we won’t be short of someone to do it!
Manager Zhang, take him upstairs to open the door and let him in!"
As soon as he said this, not only was Han Yong stupefied, but everyone had two "Mother’s Smelly Pussies" they wanted to voice.
"Isn’t he... too heavy?" While Cao Yi resented Ye Jiahong with his gaze, he swallowed.
The plan was simply to have one assault team member carry something down, pretending to be the trapped little girl.
Han Yong?
Dressed in full combat uniform, the assault team wouldn’t be able to carry him with their empty calls on their backs; to get him down without a stretcher, someone would have to carry him and risk breaking their back.
The afternoon training was flipping tires! Everyone’s back was already sore!
The instructor glared at Cao Yi and retorted, "What? Can’t a little girl eat well and get a bit plump? Do it quickly!"
Cao Yi had no choice but to call Han Yong to follow Manager Zhang upstairs.
This put the non-commissioned officers of the squadron, who often played the assault team for rescues, in a difficult position.
Today’s biggest pressure landed on the assault team.
Han Yong, dressed in combat uniform, weighed at least 200 pounds.
"Take off the helmet and belt! And take off the uniform too!" Zhao Jinchen from Car 1 reminded Han Yong.
Damn it, might as well reduce the weight as much as possible.
If it weren’t for Han Yong not wearing shoes, they practically would have wanted him to take off his combat trousers too.
"Oh..."
Han Yong got out of the truck and took off his hat and belt to put on the vehicle, but when he took off his combat uniform jacket, revealing the thin long-sleeved undershirt beneath, a gust of wind blew by, making him shiver and wrap his arms around himself as he turned and said:
"Squad leader... it’s kind of cold without the jacket."
"Didn’t you hear the instructor? There’s a raging fire upstairs! What’s there to be cold about? It’ll be warm once you get up there! So hot you’ll be sweating!" Zhao Jinchen pointed at the non-existent fire upstairs somewhat heartlessly and yelled.
"Oh..."
Han Yong, with no other choice, reluctantly had two "Mother’s Smelly Pussies" in his mind as well, following Manager Zhang upstairs to "get warm."
Everyone, watching Han Yong’s shivering figure, felt a bit sorry for him, but looking at his robust back, they started to contemplate if it would be possible to have him take off his pants too.
Song Lin and Xiao Haishan were both nervous; they wanted to go up, but they were afraid of making mistakes.
The two commanding officers consulted with Hao Chengbin, and while waiting for Manager Zhang to come down, they inquired about the situation and started to assign tasks using the two-way radios.
Overall, the order was to evacuate, then rescue, and finally extinguish the fire.
"Rescue team, evacuate the floor occupants from top to bottom and establish an assault team, bring breaking tools to force open doors, and rescue the trapped little girl.
Car 1, lay out one main hose, three branches, and a water distributor to build a water gun position on the third-floor platform, as much to the outside as possible! Be alert for any falling security bars from the windows above to prevent falling objects from height!
The firefighting squad, advance towards the fourth floor to lead the main attack!
The special duty squad, take one number 4 branch from the water supply vehicle to the fifth floor to control fire spread! The remaining personnel, proceed to the fifth and sixth floors to find the indoor fire hydrants and help the branches!
Water supply vehicle, prepare another main hose for water supply!
The ladder truck, use the platform water cannon to cool down the burning area in room 605 on the sixth floor from above! Prevent the fire from spreading externally!
Xiao Haishan... Qi Xiaohui, handle perimeter alert and assist with laying the ladder truck’s support pads!
All vehicles turn on the alarms! The exercise begins!"
As soon as the commands were issued, the alarms of all four vehicles sounded simultaneously, and the combatants disembarked as the squad leaders began to assign tasks.
Song Lin had not been designated to work with Xiao Haishan as a sentinel, probably because they feared that without an old soldier outside, two new recruits might lack the necessary experience.
The special duty squad leader Hu Hongzhi started to organize:
"I’ll go with Huang Yong to room 502 on the fifth floor to await breaking in. We will lower the water hose from room 502’s window down to the third floor to connect to the water distributor!
Little Black, assist the firefighting squad in laying the number 80 main hose to the third floor! Help catch the hose and connect to the water distributor!
Fang Huai, help us carry two coils of number 65 branch hoses to the fourth floor, then proceed to the sixth floor to help with evacuation and locate the indoor fire hydrant for water supply!
Zhang Yang, also help carry two coils of hose to the fifth floor, then move to the fifth floor to help with evacuation and find the fire hydrant there for water supply!
Captain Hao, you are on the observation team!
During the ascent, try not to interfere with the residents’ lives!
Move!"
There was no pep talk before battle, nor any preliminary preparations.
The arrangements for the special duty squad were made to help the other two squads relieve some pressure whilst completing their own tasks.
The guiding principle was clear: every second counts.
The large gear set the smaller gears in motion, and the entire Special Service Squadron 2 began to move.
