Five bells, stand by all stations.
Attention, all districts, a five alarm fire, five bells, move in immediately.
That's it, let's go!
Let's go!
Fire, fire!
Presenting Fire Fighters, 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 hear Tim Collins give his answer to Chief Cody, Tim's decision as
to whether or not he'll swallow his ambition and postpone his transfer to the rescue company
for the good of the department.
But first, you'll want to hear this message.
Let's go, Fire Fighters!
Let's go to the office of Chief Cody at Fire Department headquarters, where you remember
the Chief has put a difficult decision up to Tim Collins.
Only a moment ago, Chief Cody admitted, Collins, you've got me over a barrel.
You're right, I did say I had to approve your request for a transfer to any division of
the Fire Department.
Well, then what's the problem, Chief Cody?
I've had the experience.
You said you'd approve my application.
I told you I want to transfer to the rescue company.
And, well, what's the problem?
My goodness, Timmy, I guess it's me.
I mean, I'm the problem.
That seems to be the crux of it, Collins.
Miss Greville has a fire prevention pageant she wants to put on, but the brigade wants
to stage Trudy's play.
My fire prevention play, Tim, all about how the city almost burned down years ago and
about a nasty arsonist going around setting fires.
You can see why the kids prefer Trudy's play, Collins.
The upshot will be that we'll have no fire prevention program at Northside at all, and
the department needs it.
Well, yes, sir, but Chief Cody doesn't the Bureau of Fire Prevention figure in that?
Ever since we started the brigade, the Bureau has backed up the kids all the way.
Well, I did have in mind a man who could straighten out this tangle, Collins, who could get Miss
Greville and Trudy and the kids together so the whole project wouldn't go up in smoke.
Oh, and all the guests invited, too, and even the mayor said he was coming.
If that play blows up, it's going to be a black eye for the school, the brigade, and
the Fire Department.
Yes, don't I know it.
Oh, hang it, I thought I had just the man who could step in and put it across.
Well, that's all you need, Chief Cody, one man to help them whip their program into shape.
Yes, yes, but the man I wanted slipped right through my fingers.
Well, can't you talk to him, Chief, make him see how important this is?
I tried to, son.
I tried to persuade him to take a tour of special duty with the Bureau of Fire Prevention
before he transfers to the rescue company.
Oh, good grief, doesn't he see that a week or two doesn't make that much difference when
... Hey.
Oh, Timmy, you're here.
He is.
He means me.
Oh, Timmy, please.
Chief Cody, can't you make him?
Not unless he decides for himself, Judy.
I promised him his choice when he asked for a transfer.
Oh, Chief, good grief, what choice have I?
Will you take this assignment, Collins, of your own free will?
Well, sir, when it's for the good of the department, you bet I will.
All right, Private Collins, you're temporarily attached to the Bureau of Fire Prevention.
Now, go on out to Northside School and put on a fire prevention play that will do the
department some good.
The next day, Tim Collins, now a member of the Fire Prevention Bureau, calls on Miss
Grebel, Director of Play Production at the great modern Northside School.
As he knocks on the door of her office, he wonders, will he find her so stubborn that
the fire prevention play must fail?
Come in.
It isn't locked.
Miss Grebel, I'm Private Tim Collins of the Fire Prevention Bureau.
Oh, excuse me.
Oh, you're a fireman.
Come in.
Oh, let me move these papers off the chair.
Don't bother.
I can...here, let me...
Oh!
Oh, my head.
Good grief, I'm a clumsy ox.
Bumping heads with a lady even before I'm introduced.
Oh, it doesn't matter.
It was my fault.
It doesn't hurt anyway.
Oh, gosh, I'm sorry.
Here, why don't you bang me over the skull with a book or something?
So we'll be even.
No, you can owe me one free whack.
Don't think I won't collect.
Well, that's a bargain.
Now, don't forget.
It's lucky Miss Grebel didn't walk in and find us banging our heads together.
Oh, but I'm Miss Grebel, Mr. Collins.
Chief Cody said that...
You?
Oh, oh, a student teacher training with your sister?
She's the one I'm supposed to see, the Miss Grebel in charge of plays and stuff.
Oh, but that's me.
I'm she.
I mean, I mean, I haven't any sisters.
Chief Cody phoned that you were coming to see me.
Why, are you sure?
I mean, well, gosh, I thought Miss Grebel was much older.
Is that my fault, Mr. Collins?
No, no, but things like that didn't happen when I was a student here.
I'm sorry if you find Northside School is changed for the worse.
Oh, no, no, ma'am.
I find the old school much improved.
In fact, I...
Oh, excuse me.
Yes, Mr. Collins?
Oh, somebody just came in.
Oh, hi, Trudy.
What do you want?
What are you doing here?
Oh, my goodness, it's my school, isn't it?
Where else would I be this time of day, besides Miss Grebel sent for me?
Oh, yes, Trudy.
Mr. Collins, when Chief Cody phoned that you were coming...
But if I'm interrupting something, I can wait outside.
Certainly not, Trudy.
Sit down.
Yeah, yes, you sit right down.
We're all here to...
To talk about the fire prevention play for a week from yesterday.
Oh, yes, the play.
That's what we're here for.
And well, the play.
Now, what about it?
Well, my feeling is that the best way to present the case for fire prevention is through a pageant.
But there seems to be some opposition.
In fact, a tremendous amount of opposition.
Oh, my goodness, Miss Grebel.
The Firefighters Brigade, we don't want to be mean or uncooperational, but...
But you kids have sold yourselves on the idea of a regular play instead of a pageant.
Something of everything from the burning of Rome right up to today.
Oh, yes, that's it.
But we'd rather have a play.
And I don't want to be high-handed, Mr. Collins.
I do truly want to cooperate with the children, but, you see, I represent the best interests
of Northside School.
Somehow I've got to represent the Firefighters Brigade.
And between you, it looks as if there won't be any program at all.
And for the best interests of the Fire Prevention Bureau, which I represent, that's bad.
Well, since we just can't seem to get together, Mr. Collins.
Yeah.
What's that, an alarm?
No, Mr. Collins, surely it isn't so long since you graduated that you don't recognize that
bell.
Don't run for the fire host, Tim.
It's only the passing bell.
Oh, oh, sure.
Hey, where's everybody going?
I have an auditorium class.
I've got home-
We haven't settled anything.
Well, how can we when we're deadlocked?
Nobody's mad at anybody, but we just can't agree.
So we'll have to give up the whole thing.
No, no, no, no, wait, wait.
Here, I'll shut the door so I can hear myself thinking.
Mr. Collins, you'll make us late for class.
Oh, my goodness, Miss Romney will just simply devour me if I'm late.
Ladies, the fire department is in charge.
You'll have to listen just for one second unless you climb out the window and get to
class that way.
Mr. Collins, stand away from that door.
Not until you hear me.
Miss Grebel, that pageant of yours, it's good.
Well, you let us go when Chief Cody hears-
Huh?
Oh, you read my pageant?
Trudy and Jimmy told me all about it, and it's good because you've written into it every
point of fire prevention Chief Cody wants to get across.
Oh, Timmy, I thought you liked my play.
I do, Trudy, because that play has action, life, real people talking, so the audience
would listen to catch every word.
Mr. Collins, either you like everything or you can't decide what you like.
I'll tell you what I would like, Miss Grebel, and what Chief Cody would like, too.
A play with real people in it like Trudy's to put across all the points of fire prevention
like yours.
Oh, my goodness, then we need some more writers and a whole new play, and there's only a week
to go.
Well, why don't you girls, I mean you ladies, why don't you get together, make one good
play out of what you both have now?
Why, that's possible, but I- No.
No, I don't like your methods, Mr. Collins.
I certainly won't, if Miss Grebel won't, us ladies stand together.
Well, then I've let Chief Cody down, he's the one that loses most, you know, because
I failed on this assignment.
Oh, no, if it were for Chief Cody- But you hadn't practically kidnapped us, Tim
Collins.
You know what the Chief thinks of his fire prevention campaign, I just did what I did,
hoping you'd see it from his side if I kept you here long enough to- Well, there, the
door's open, you can go to your classes now, I'm sorry I kept you-
Well, if Miss Grebel would, only for Chief Cody though, and I'm going to tell Mom what
you did, you see if I don't, Timmy Collins.
Oh, now Trudy, your brother was only trying to- Well, Trudy, we could try it, for Chief
Cody?
After school this afternoon, shall we, Miss Grebel?
You'll be here in my office as soon as you can after dismissal, now run along dear.
Oh yes, Miss Grebel, oh my goodness, I'm late as light!
Well, I'll tell Miss Lammonie you were delayed for good reason.
Oh, thank you, Miss Grebel!
Maybe I could tell the principal you were late for good reason, would that help, Miss
Grebel?
I'd rather not bother to do me any favors, Mr. Collins.
I'm quite able to take care of myself.
And soon afterward, as Tim Collins reports to Chief Cody at headquarters, the young fireman
confesses.
Oh, I've got myself in a jam, Chief, both Trudy and Miss Grebel are mad at me now.
But the play, Collins, they're going on with that plan.
Well, for your sake, Chief, they're going to write a fire prevention play between them.
Good, we need that publicity for the campaign.
Oh, we'll get it, sir, but good grief, I'm in for a bad week.
Well, why don't you keep away from the school then, Collins?
As long as they've decided to work together, why not drop out of sight?
Oh, that wouldn't be fair, Chief Cody.
Sounds like good judgment to me.
Oh, no, sir, you see, first thing in Miss Grebel's office, I bumped her head with mine.
You know, clearing things off a chair, both stooping together.
She has my sympathy.
Those Collins' heads are hard as rock.
Yes, sir, but she's entitled to one free swing at my skull with a book.
And in fairness, I should be around when she decides it's time to collect.
Well, Tim Collins has succeeded in getting Miss Grebel and Trudy to cooperate for the
sake of the fire prevention program.
But what kind of a play will they turn out?
For the Firefighters Brigade performance, just as it is presented in the auditorium
at Northside School, listen to our next True to Life episode of the Firefighters.
In just a moment, Chief Bob Cody will tell you boys and girls how you can help the firefighters
in your own town.
But first, here is 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 Chief Cody.
Do you know how many jobs there are in a modern fire department?
Well, there's the truck man, the member of a hook and ladder company.
Now, his job is to ventilate a burning building, search for living creatures in need of rescue,
and afterward, overhaul the ruins to prevent a new outbreak of flames.
Well, next time I'll tell you about another job.
So long for now.
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!
Firefighters!
Firefighters is a copyrighted feature of William F. Holland Productions.