Five bells, stand by all stations.
Attention, all districts, a five alarm fire, five bells, move in immediately.
That's it, let's roll, let's go.
Firefighters!
Presenting Firefighters, the true to life story of our unsung heroes, who stand ready to ride by day or night
against our most murderous enemy, the Demon of Fire.
In just a minute, we'll take a trip into the country where Tim Collins and his brother Jimmy are visiting their cousin Ellery Collins,
chief of the Volunteer Fire Brigade of Upper Falls.
Cousin Ellery hopes that Tim can find a way to combat the costly fires that are destroying property throughout the district.
But before we join them, here's a message.
Let's go, firefighters.
Let's go to the farm where Tim Collins, rookie fireman, and his brother Jimmy are visiting their cousin Ellery.
Tim is on a week's furlough from the city fire department, you remember, because Chief Cody suggested.
Collins, your cousin is in a bad spot.
Yes, sir.
I'd do a lot to help out a brother fire chief, but I can't get away.
I can't go out to Upper Falls myself on such short notice.
I know, chief. And you can't give him any advice unless you know the situation out there.
Well, he gave me a pretty good sign up. I understand they have an engine they keep at the Volunteer Firehouse.
Yes, sir, right in the village. When an alarm comes in by phone, somebody sets off the siren on top of the firehouse.
And the volunteers come in from wherever they happen to be. But that takes time, Collins.
Yes, sir, they have too much ground to cover. And with the season so dry, even when they get to the fire, there's no water.
Yeah, that's the worst of it. That engine takes water from wells or brooks or ponds.
But all those sources are drying up in this weather.
Yes, sir.
And your cousin wants to know what can be done about it.
Well, there must be something. If I could only get out there myself.
You can get out there to Upper Falls, Collins. You've got furlough time coming.
Oh, good grief, I forgot.
You could spend a whole week at Upper Falls if you really want to help your cousin out of the hole he's in.
When can I be released, sir?
Well, as of this date, when you go off duty tonight.
And Collins.
Yes, sir.
You'd better take that kid brother of yours along.
Jimmy? Oh, I bet Mom would let him go. I'll ask her.
He needs a run in the country. Let him work off some of that energy. Get your cousin to put him to work on the farm.
So that's why we find Jimmy Collins, Tim's 14-year-old brother, standing in the middle of a barnyard early in the morning, shouting for his cousin, young Pete.
Hey, Pete, where are you?
Here I am.
I can't see you.
I'm over here.
Oh, I want to see your calf.
Why, were you sound asleep when I got out there?
Oh, why didn't you call me? Gosh, I was going to help with the chores and stuff.
Oh, Ma said to let you sleep. She said you were all tucking out when Pa and you and Tim got here last night.
Oh, gee, I guess I slept in the back of the car all the way from the city.
Well, you missed it anyway. It was all over when Pa got home.
Huh? What was? What did I miss? What was it, Pete?
It was a fire up to Manichee's place on the north road.
Oh, gee, now I remember.
Hmm? What do you remember?
Well, last night we stopped downtown. I mean, down in the village at the firehouse.
Oh, that's where they are now.
Soon as Pa got finished up around the place here, he drove Tim down to the firehouse.
Well, last night after the fire, there was a man down there. He was awful mad at your Pa.
Yeah, that's old Tyler Bedlow.
Oh, who's he?
Tyler, he drives the engine for the volunteer brigade.
Lives right next to the firehouse, so he's always first to get there when the alarm goes off.
What's he mad about? What's he mad at your Pa for?
Hmm, cause the weather's so dry, Pa says.
Oh, that doesn't make sense. He must be crazy.
Well, he's mad cause it's so dry there's no water to put fires out with.
Pa can't figure out some way to put fires out.
Well, Tyler says Pa better quit being chief of the brigade.
Oh, Tim will figure something out. That's why we came to visit, Tim and me.
Hmm. Say, you want to see my calf?
Oh, gee, you bet.
Well, come on.
Well, what kind of calf is it?
Oh, grungy.
Ah, there she is. And a pen.
Oh, a little fella.
Oh, gosh, he's cute.
And while Jimmy is getting acquainted with Pete's personal calf on the farm,
Tim Collins is getting acquainted with the equipment of the Upper Falls Volunteer Fire Brigade.
Item by item, Tim goes over the equipment, hoping to churn up some new idea
that will help his cousin Ellery combat the fires that ravaged the countryside in this dry season.
And meanwhile, back at the farm, Jimmy is asking Pete.
Hey, what's that little white building?
Oh, where, Jimmy?
Over there on the big hill, beyond the village.
Over on Hangover Hill? You came past there last night.
Is that the school, Pete? There's a flagpole out front.
Yeah, schools close this week same as yours.
Oh, that's the school you go to. Way over there?
Well, it's not so far this time of year.
You take a winter snow on the road, and it's twice as far.
How far?
Oh, you mean how far from where we're standing right now?
Oh, yeah.
Oh, I don't know.
But I can tell you how far from my bedroom to the teacher's desk.
It's exactly two miles, one quarter, seven yards, two feet and a half a step.
Are you sure?
I ought to know. I walked it often enough.
I got to walk it again today, too.
Four at four.
Now it's my turn to feed the goldfish.
Goldfish?
Goldfish and snails.
See, every day while school's closed, one of us kids has a turn to go feed them.
Walk all that way just to feed some fish?
Why didn't the teacher take them home or something?
Huh? Who wants 50 goldfish flapping around the house?
50? Gee, that's a lot of fish.
Well, you'll see, Jimmy.
We've got a great big tank right by the window.
Of course, in winter, they stay in the library down in the village where it's warm all the time so they won't freeze.
Yeah, but long about as soon as she begins to warm up, we just...
Hey, I thought you said the school was closed.
Sure it is.
Or what would I be doing home this time of day?
But there's somebody over there, Pete.
There must be. There's smoke coming out of the chimney.
Oh, maybe the teacher's there.
Well, why should the teacher want a fire in the stove on a day like this?
Gosh, it's so hot today, nobody...
Hey, that's no fire in the stove.
Hey, no. That smoke isn't coming out of the chimney.
It's just kind of leaking through the roof.
Pete, the school's on fire.
Come on, we've got to give the alarm.
Where are we going? Where's the alarm box?
Box? What box?
To pull the alarm.
Oh, there isn't an alarm box in the whole of Upper Falls.
We've got to telephone.
Come on, Jimmy, back to the house.
Hey, Ma!
Schoolhouse is on fire!
I'm going to call the operator.
I got the phone, Pete.
Hey, the line's dead. The phone doesn't work.
Well, you've got to turn the crank, Jimmy.
Three long rings.
Oh, here you take it. All I know is how to dial.
Three long rings. That's the fire alarm.
And when they hear three rings, everybody drowsy with their doing and gets on the line.
Hello, Miss Krasner?
Miss Krasner, the schoolhouse is on fire.
Yeah, it's the schoolhouse up on Hangover Hill.
Hey, everybody, it's the schoolhouse. Turn out the fire brigade.
As soon as she hears Pete's breathless announcement,
the telephone operator in the village plugs in the line on her switchboard
that communicates with the firehouse.
And Tim Collins, recognizing the alarm, picks up the receiver.
Three rings. That's your fire line, Ellery. I've got it.
Hello. Upper Falls Fire Brigade.
Schoolhouse.
Yeah, fire in the schoolhouse on Hangover Hill. Right, I've got it.
As he hangs up the receiver, Tim's hand goes out to the big red button
fixed in the wall of the firehouse next to the telephone.
He pushes the button, and the automatic alarm,
the great siren on the roof of the firehouse, begins to sound,
calling in volunteer firemen from all over the countryside.
Wherever they are, they drop what they're doing,
check with the phone operator to learn the location of the fire,
and at their best speed, the volunteers close in, on foot, in cars,
and some even on horseback.
Already the engine driver has arrived.
Tim's cousin, Ellery, chief of the volunteer brigade,
has climbed up beside the driver, reaches for the bell cord,
and as Tim Collins leaps to a post on the rear step of the engine,
it pulls out into the village street,
to begin the run of Hangover Hill to the burning schoolhouse.
Meanwhile, let's return to Chief Cody's office in the city,
where he is making an important phone call.
Hello? Hello? Oh, come, come, this line.
Oh, hello, Jimmy. Where's your brother, Tim?
Huh? Gone to a fire?
Trouble again at Upper Falls so soon?
Well, where's... the schoolhouse, huh?
Goldfish. Jimmy, get closer to the telephone.
I thought you...
Oh, there are goldfish. In the schoolhouse.
Yes, all right, all right, son, go rescue the goldfish.
But listen, Jimmy, when it's all over, tell your brother to call me.
I've got the equipment they need at Upper Falls.
Now, hold on, now, hold on. I want him to get that message.
I'll say it again.
I have the equipment they need at Upper Falls.
Yes. All right, Jimmy, now go rescue those goldfish.
Hmm.
Loaver! Loaver!
Oh, find me a man to drive that new piece of equipment.
Yes, I went already to Rowe Roper Falls as soon as I checked with Collins
and the chief of the volunteer brigade.
So, Chief Cody has found a possible answer
to the problem of the Upper Falls Volunteer Fire Brigade.
But the mysterious new piece of equipment he means to send to Upper Falls
cannot arrive in time for the present emergency.
And Tim Collins is about to learn at first hand
the hardships of fighting fire in the country.
For the story of the blaze that threatens to destroy the country schoolhouse,
listen to our next true-to-life episode of The Firefighters!
Now, in just a moment, Chief Bob Cody will tell all you boys and girls
how you can help the firefighters in your own hometown.
But first, here's a message you ought to hear.
And now Chief Bob Cody with a special notice for the Firefighters Brigade.
Chief Cody.
Hello, boys and girls. This is your friend, Chief Cody, asking your help.
You know that the way firemen keep little fires from growing into big ones
is to get there fast, before the fire can spread.
But to get there on time, the ladder trucks and engines need a clear track.
So when you hear them coming, get out of the way
and warn others to clear the road, to get back, stand up, and get ready.
To get back, stand still, and let the firemen go by.
Now, you'll find some people are careless about this,
and you can help us by passing the word along.
And you might save those careless people from serious accidents, too.
Well, that's all for now. You'll be hearing from me soon.
Fire Chief Cody and the young rookie fireman Tim Collins
will be back on the same station the next time you hear...
That's it. Let's go.
Let's go.
Firefighters.
Firefighters is a copyrighted feature of William F. Holland Productions.