S8x08: "Partly Cloudy, Chance Of Rain" – by Treelint

Original Air Date: November 15, 2001

Kerry and Gallant are waiting out in the bay for an ambulance bringing in a pregnant woman who's been stabbed. When another ambulance arrives they find out the one they're waiting for has been in an accident. Kerry tells Gallant to come with her and they catch a lift to the accident scene with the second ambulance. When they get there they try to talk to a paramedic who is injured and trapped in the wrecked ambulance. As Kerry pushes in toward the ambulance, a female firefighter (Sandy Lopez), steps in front of her and says, "Ma'am, I need you to stand back."

Kerry argues, "I'm an emergency physician from County". "Good for you." Sandy replies and pushes Kerry back. She goes on, "Stand back. We need to open up this can!" And grabbing a paramedic says, "You, help us!"

As they're trying to remove the door, Kerry moves back in to talk through the broken window to the injured paramedic. Suddenly, Sandy jerks back and says through a grimace, "AAhhh, son of a bitch!"

The firefighter working on the door looks at her and asks, "You okay?" Sandy responds, "I cut my hand!" Kerry turns to Gallant and says, "Help them". She goes on talking to the injured paramedic 'til they get the door off, and gets the information she needs to treat the patient.

When they've removed the door and got the paramedic out Kerry, still standing outside at the back of the ambulance, begins talking to and assessing the pregnant patient. Suddenly there is electrical crackling and humming, a crack and we see a utility pole falling toward the ambulance. Everybody ducks except Sandy who takes a flying leap to grab Kerry by the shoulders and fling them both to the ground. As they splash into a large puddle Sandy twists so that they land on her shoulder and her arm is around Kerry. The falling pole stops but live wires land on the ambulance. Kerry and Sandy sit up and see that a firefighter is being electrocuted with his hand on the door of the ambulance. Sandy screams, "Marty!"

Kerry and Sandy see Gallant start running toward Marty, and Kerry yells, "No, don't touch him…Gallant!" But Gallant keeps going and knocks Marty away with a flying tackle.

Moments later, Kerry starts to work on Marty as Sandy kneels alongside watching. Kerry says, "He's not breathing; no pulse" and looks up at Gallant and asks, "Do you know CPR?" He nods yes, and she says, "Start compressions". Sandy interrupts, "I'll do it", but Kerry insists, "No. I need you to check on that woman."

Sandy argues, "He's in my unit!” to which Kerry responds, "Check on her!"

While Kerry and Gallant are working on Marty she is reprimanding Gallant for his rescue and emphasized the fact that water conducts electricity as she uses the defibrillator on the firefighter in the rain!

Kerry continues working on Marty as Sandy comes back from the ambulance and reports, "She's okay. The tires are insulating the rig. I can't get in. That hot wire keeps lighting it up. Kerry asks, "Is she conscious?" and Sandy says, "Yes, she's in labor." Kerry tells Sandy, "Okay, you go back and tell her she's going to be okay".  Again Sandy argues, "He's one of my men!" and Kerry tells her "Do it!"

Kerry finishes working on Marty, stands up, retrieves her crutch, and heads for the ambulance with the pregnant woman as they prepare to transport Marty. As she arrives, Vicki is saying to Sandy, "Please call my husband." The wires on the rig are blowing and crackling, making Sandy and Kerry duck, as Sandy tries to reassure Vicki with… "Hang in there, honey. We're going to get you out of there."

Kerry, standing just behind and to the side of Sandy yells, "Vicki, it's Dr. Weaver again. Did you feel a shock?" She answers, "I don't think so."

Sandy asks about Marty, "Is he breathing?" and, with her hand on Sandy's forearm, Kerry says, "We got him back for now."

Kerry turns again to the patient and says, "Vicki, tell me if you're bleeding from your vagina.” but Vicki is panicking and says "The baby's not moving!" Kerry tells her, "I need you to feel down there and tell me if you're bleeding."

As both Kerry and Sandy look on Vicki does as she was asked and they see the blood on her hand as she screams! Kerry responds with "Hold on. I'm coming in!"

Sandy wheels around to face Kerry, grabs Kerry's arms to restrain her, shaking her head and says, "No, no, no! I can't let you do that!"

Kerry backs up and says, "Her baby's probably in distress!" and Sandy responds with "First rule of an accident site -- don't create more casualties."

As she finishes a cop runs up to Sandy and says, "Hey, they're not showing a fault in the power grid." She says, "It looks like a fault to me." The cop responds, "That's what they're telling me."

While Sandy's back is turned talking to the cop, Kerry sees her chance and leaps into the electrified ambulance. Sandy turns and sees her and yells angrily "Hey, I told you not to do that!" Kerry -- looking equally as angry -- yells, "Just turn the damn power off!"

After closing the door of the ambulance taking Marty and the injured paramedic to hospital, Gallant turns and runs toward the ambulance Kerry is in. Sandy, who's talking into a radio sees him as he runs by and yells, "Hey, stay clear of that rig!” and a couple of firefighters grab him. Standing well clear of the ambulance, Gallant asks Kerry, "Is she OK?" The woman's condition is deteriorating, and the wires are arcing even more. Kerry is looking really worried as Gallant shouts, "Maybe the transformer will blow out and kill the line!"

Gallant says, "Dr. Weaver!" and Kerry yells, "I need your help! Can you get in here safely?" Gallant says, "Yeah, I'd have to jump!" and Kerry says, "Okay, then jump!"

Gallant jumps into the ambulance, and Kerry begins telling him what she needs him to do. As they're working Sandy comes running up and yells, "Hey, I told you to stay away from this damn vehicle!" Kerry yells back at her "She's bleeding out! Why is the power still on?" and Sandy says, "There's a crew on the way!"

Kerry and Gallant continue to treat the patient, telling her they'll have to deliver the baby surgically. Frustrated, Kerry turns and yells to Sandy, "Shut it off from the plant!" Sandy explains, "It's supposed to burn through on its own! They need to override it at some panel!"

Kerry gets Vicki's permission to do a C-section, and tells Gallant what she needs him to do; Gallant has had no experience and is a little hesitant -- even questioning Kerry's ability to do the procedure in these circumstances. As she gets ready to make the incision, Kerry turns and yells, "Hey, you! Firefighter!" Sandy steps forward, "Lopez!” and Kerry yells, "Lopez, I need more light!" Sandy yells, "Scotty! Scotty, turn up the lights!

Kerry and Gallant are proceeding with the surgery as Sandy runs up again and yells, "The autorecloser's stuck open or something. He's trying to bypass it." Kerry is at the end of her patience and yells, "I don't care. Just shut it down!" Sandy yells back, "It ain't that simple, lady!"

.....

As they're working to remove the baby, Kerry hears a siren and yells to Sandy, "Is the other ambulance here?" She answers, "Pulling up."

Kerry instructs her, "Call County General. Tell them we need an O.R., an OB Attending and a neonatologist."

Kerry and Gallant deliver the baby boy, and Sandy comes back saying, "Okay, ten minutes. They're going to shut the entire grid off." Kerry asks, "Why can't they do it right now?" and Sandy replies, "They have to warn emergency facilities they're going off-line."

Kerry tells Gallant all of the treatment the baby needs and that it's urgent! She says "You need to get him to the hospital."

Sandy appears again and says "Nine minutes." And Kerry's attention is back on Vicki who is in extreme distress. Gallant decides to take action, and holding the baby yells at Sandy, "Okay, I'm going! Get out of the way!"

Sandy screams "No!!!" Gallant responds with… "It's this, or I throw him to you!" Sandy yells at Kerry, "NO, no! Tell him to stop!" Kerry just looks at him and says, "Go!"

As Gallant jumps out of the ambulance, Sandy dives out of the way and we see lots of lighting effects as the transformer blows. He lands in a huge puddle and crouches down protecting the baby.

When the fireworks are done Kerry yells "Is he okay?" Gallant says, "I got him." and Kerry says, "Okay, get him out of here, go!" Sandy puts a hand on Gallant's back guiding him and says, "Come on. Let's go, go, go!" and into her radio…"The transformer just blew. Does that mean
the circuit's dead?"

When the power is off and the patient is out of the ambulance, Sandy grabs Kerry's arm trying to help her out of the ambulance, but Kerry tries to shrug her off with "I got it. Sandy still holds on…Kerry pulls away and says, "Hey, I said I got it. How bad is that hand?" Sandy says, "It'll keep."

The paramedic with the patient yells, "She's not moving air!" so Sandy and Kerry rush toward them. Sandy says, "I thought you had to move her." Kerry responds with "I need to protect her airway. Cricoid pressure. There, cover!" as she starts intubating.

Sandy provides cover from the rain with her injured hand as Kerry intubates the patient. Kerry looks at it and says, "Exposed flexor tendon. You're going to need a hand surgeon." Sandy brushes that off with "I need to control the scene." Kerry tells her, "Get somebody else." to which Sandy pays no attention.

Kerry climbs into the ambulance as they load the patient, and calls back to Sandy, "Get in!" Refusing, Sandy says, "No, I'm good." Kerry argues, "No, you're not." Waving it off, Sandy says, "Go on, get out of here." And, "Come on" -- to the guys to get them to shut the ambulance doors.

As Sandy watches the ambulance pull away, Kerry looks through the window at Sandy…still feeling the sparks and her undeniable attraction to the feisty firefighter...

 

Episode Summaries

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