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What happened next inside the Cedar Falls Fire Station unfolded in a controlled storm of urgency and precision. Firefighters moved with practiced calm, gently lifting the toddlers onto waiting cots, fitting tiny masks over their faces, and speaking in low, reassuring tones that steadied Emma just enough to keep her from falling apart. Oxygen hissed softly as they monitored every breath, every flicker of movement, while Emma stood nearby, clutching a crumpled tissue, replaying the park scene in agonizing detail and blaming herself for not seeing the danger sooner.
