Plain and simple, Mike Stoker loved his job. Hell, where else but LA could a guy pick up two paychecks for doing what he loved to do best in the world? He was fairly well-paid as the Engineer for Station 69 out of Topanga Canyon. He also had a Screen Actor's Guild Card, from some minor movie work he had done a while back, so he had been cast in a TV series as—an Engineer for a fire station…at a real station in Carson, re-christened "Station 51" for the series called "Emergency!" This meant he drove the engine to all the location shots and leant his real life experience to the reality of the series. He also picked up a third paycheck for acting as the technical advisor on the show whenever they needed it. After just a couple of seasons, the series was a big hit. Yep, the extra money was definitely excellent…and life was good.

The hardest part for the actors always came at the end of the day, when the "continuity" folks had to take photos of every last person and prop in sight. Everyone would have to freeze into position, and wait until continuity cleared them to leave to go have their costumes and make-up removed.

Of course, all bets were off if his "69's" pager toned him out. It was understood he worked on the set around his work shifts, but there were times when he would be called out in a major emergency situation, just like all his brother firefighters. He chuckled remembering a few times he had shown up at the Topanga Station with makeup still on his face. At least he was able to wear his own uniform on the show. That did save him some time. He only had to remember to change out his helmet.

Of course, the fact that "Engine 51" actually was HIS baby, Engine 69, the few times he had been toned out, the filming schedule for the "engine crew" had been shot all to hell! They had to bring a "stand-in" for her and had to use just still shots of the engine, or resort to stock shots. Unfortunately, this tended to happen mostly in the fall, during brushfire season. He could be sent anywhere in the country if the need arose. And it had happened. He had helped fight wildfires in various states, and some of them had been long and bitter fights. In fact, the recent 1970 California wildfires were fresh on his mind. Much of Southern California had burned during that horrific fall, and many lives, homes, structures, and vast acreage had been lost.* Even though that was before the pilot was filmed, there were plenty of stock footage taken by various film and news outlets during those fires, and Stoker was sure some of it would end up on the show, if it hadn't already.

Deliberately turning his mind from that dark place, Mike idly thought over the many times the production crew had forgotten to change over the decals on the engine that first season. They only changed out the numbers that would show in a particular shot, placing a magnetic "51" over whichever "69" would be showing. And of course, he drove his baby, "Big Red," home to the barn twenty miles away in Topanga Canyon at the end of each shoot. Many times he would park her, only to discover his fellow station mates laughing heartily as the big engine pulled up wearing two different number designations. There were a few times he suspected The Phantom might have been inspiring a certain actor friend of his!

He had remembered to bring a clean uniform with him in addition to the one he wore, and his extra set of turnouts were already in Big Red, so he was good to go. Whenever he drove Big Red, he was officially on duty, even if he wasn't responding to a call. No one would ever see a firefighter driving a rig in civvies…not even in his sleep!

All these thoughts ran through Mike's mind as he made his way to the Universal lot in Big Red, and headed for another day of filming. He was due to head for another shift at 69's tomorrow, so he sincerely hoped today would go smoothly with no surprises. Silly of him, really…

After he had parked Big Red on the Universal backlot, on the marks required by the director, he climbed out, and stood back to watch the filming. He would not be needed for a while, so he used the time, as was his habit, to check all the equipment on Big Red, and then watch the action on the set.

He watched as the other actors got set up for the exterior scene they were currently filming. He much preferred filming on location and doing backlot exteriors. It had taken a while for him to get used to the interior filming process. Sometimes there would be as many as three cameras filming at the same time, and a lot of people on the set, watching every move. And, of course, the dreaded continuity process. He sincerely hoped, someday, some genius came up with a way around that mess!

Mike turned back to finalize prepping Big Red for filming. This meant grabbing a polishing cloth and giving her another once-over. He really was as obsessive about fingerprints on his baby as his 51's counterpart. Therefore, when the heavy overhead camera somehow came loose from its housing, Mike never saw it coming. One moment, he heard several voices shouted "Mike, look out!" He felt a heavy weight hit his back and shoulders. Someone shouted something about getting the camera off him, and then the world went black.

When he finally opened his eyes, Mike was flat on his back, blinking in confusion as several of the actors were surrounding him He was laying next to Big Red. He had the mother of all headaches, and his back and shoulders were sore from the camera hit. "Roy" was taking his vitals, as if this were a scene from the show! "Johnny" was pushing him back gently as he tried to sit up. "Now, Mike, just lay back. You took a pretty hard hit there."

He looked at "Johnny" balefully. "No kidding!" He growled, "You try getting knocked around by one o' those overhead cameras. Suckers are heavy!"

Now it was Johnny, Roy and Cap's turns to look baffled. Slowly, Cap looked at his concerned paramedics. He would take the lead on this one. He knelt down next to his injured engineer and best friend.

"Mike, how ya doin' pal?"

"'m fine." Mike arm now covered his face to cut the sun's glare and ease the headache. Hank Stanley could tell just by the tone of his voice that his friend was so far from fine, it wasn't even funny.

Hank tried again. "Mike, do you remember how this happened?"

"Pretty much. I was working on Big Red, and an overhead camera decided to use me for target practice."

Hank was completely mystified as to what an overhead camera was, but decided it must have something to do with the concussion Roy and John said Mike was suffering.

"Well, hate to tell you pal, but you're only partly right. Not sure where the camera thing came from, but it was a big-ass tree limb that hit you in the back. Winds whipped up all off a sudden, and broke the damned thing right off and blew it right into you. Damndest thing I ever saw."

At these words, Mike sat up, jerking away from "Johnny." His eyes grew as large as saucers as panic welled up inside him; and he realized four things: a) the actor playing "Cap" would NEVER talk like that on camera since b) the censors would never let him get away with it; c) they were parked on a suburban street nowhere near the Universal lot, and d) there was not a camera, mic, or crewmember to be seen, anywhere! Oh, Crap! Mike's hazel eyes rolled back, and he faded into blessed oblivion…

TBC

A/Ns: Mike Stoker is a retired LACoFD Captain, who at the time of the show was stationed with Station 69 in Topanga Canyon, as its Engineer. Many of his duties on the show, and his backstory are fact; but of necessity I have taken some creative license.

*It is probable he was involved in some capacity in the devastating fires of 1970, in which thousands of Southern Californians lost their homes, myself and my family included. I will be forever indebted to Mike Stoker and all first responders, to whom I owe my very existence. My humblest thanks.