Original subtitles

And if you want to keep the batteries in your smoke detector fresh, you just

change them every time that you reset your clocks for daylight savings time.

Oh, you see, Billy, how much... Oh, no, sweetheart.

These are not toys.

Fire safety is very important business.

That's why we have to act grown up here.

Geronimo!

We got to get one of those for the house.

Can we go up there?

I'm sorry. The polls are closed.

Not really. The firemen are changing up there. Half of them are running around

in their skivvies. Hey, get her out of here.

Sorry, lady, but rules are rules.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I was just doing a bed check.

Well, at least this year I came down feet first.

Peter, how'd you like to have your picture taken with a real fireman? Gosh,

would I?

Oh, but let's let Billy go first.

Last month, Fireman Johnson rescued three people from a burning building.

I'm sick.

Sorry, I don't mean to keep staring, but why do you look so familiar?

Angela, the guy saves lives. He's a hero. You've probably seen him on the

Or maybe it was the fireman's calendar, August 89.

You were holding the hatchet!

Throw it in Mother's kitchen.

Anyway, I'd just like to say that you guys are doing a terrific job, and if

there's ever a fire at our house, we're calling you.

Thanks. You know, I've been watching you all morning, and I like your

enthusiasm. Would you be interested in joining our volunteer program?

Me? A volunteer? Me?

Really, me?

You already know what it's like down the pool.

Sure, sure, but...

I don't know. I'm kind of busy, you know, but I could juggle a few things.

No, Chief, maybe I shouldn't. Well, call me if you change your mind. Okay.

Okay. All right, Billy.

Let's go find Mona. We'll get some lunch.

Are you hungry?

Yeah!

Tony,

are you hungry?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Fire truck.

Ambulance. Fire truck.

Ambulance. You're going to need an ambulance if you say it one more time.

Cup car.

Boy, that sounds like it's getting closer.

I think it might be next door.

Sounds like it's coming from the kitchen. No.

I did it. I did it. I cast the test. I am now an official volunteer

fireman.

Oh, congratulations.

Just remember, you have to put your trucks away when you're finished

Mona, Mona, I'm not playing, Mona. Oh, hey, this is for you, pal of mine. All

right. Mona, after studying for a whole month, I'm not fooling around. Let me

tell you something.

Fighting fires is serious business, huh? Oh, look what they gave me.

A badge.

Look at this.

And then I got one of these lights for the car, you know.

A beeper. A beeper. The men can reach me any time, day or night.

What a concept.

Come on, Jonathan. Let's go play firetruck.

You couldn't have become a volunteer librarian?

Hi. Hi.

What is all that stuff?

This stuff is my equipment, Sam.

Your dad is a fireman.

Dad, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but aren't you a little bit un -young to

be doing this?

You mean old?

No, Dad, I just don't understand why you would want to do this. I think it's the

pole.

It's more than that.

Let me tell you guys a little story.

I'm nine years old, see?

And the house down the street catches on fire. So I run down there, and I find

myself in the middle of flames and smoke and confusion. It's like the whole

world is burning.

Just then, I hear somebody yelling, Help! Help!

It's Mrs. DiBenedetto from her fifth -floor window.

Okay? Suddenly, she disappears into the smoke. I want to tell you, I was really

scared. I mean, it was like nobody on the street could breathe.

Just then, out of the smoke and the flames comes a silhouette.

It's a man.

It was a fireman.

And he's got Mrs. DiBenedetto in his arms. See, she's crying.

But the place, everybody's cheering him on, you know. And as the fireman passed

me, he says, Pretty hot in there, kid.

And that's why I want to be a fireman.

Okay.

Just do me a favor. Be careful.

Because you're still onion.

Oh, wow, wow. You think that's funny?

What, you're saying I'm old, too? Well, could an old fireman do this?

I'm sorry, ma 'am. You're coming with me.

Well, it's about time.

Hi, how you doing? I'm Tony Maselli. I'm the new volunteer fireman. Oh, welcome.

Donut?

No, no, I'm in training.

For what?

I'm a fireman. Yeah, aren't we all?

Look who's here, the new guy.

Hey, I'm Sid, life insurance.

Sid, how are you? This is Jake, dry cleaning.

Arthur, baby furniture.

And Clarence, athletic equipment.

Well, hey, I'm Tony, housekeeping.

Welcome anyway.

Well, isn't there something we should be doing, like washing a truck or

exercising or bouncing quarters off our beds?

Rookies, they're so cute.

Relax, Miss Sally. We're not here to set the world on fire.

We just back up the regulars once or twice a week.

Mostly, we get cats out of trees, test fire hydrants, and hang around here and

have a blast.

Haven't you guys ever fought a fire? Oh, yeah, yeah. What was it? Four or five

years ago?

It was that vacant lot. Luckily, we knocked it down before it spread to the

adjacent vacant lot.

Great, that day. Weren't we, guys? Oh, it was perfect.

Deal, you win.

No, no, no, thanks. I'm going to let the chief know I'm here.

Okay, guys.

Come in.

Fireman Michelli reporting for duty, sir.

Relax, Miss Ellie. You're not in the army now.

Yes, sir.

So, welcome aboard.

Thank you, sir.

Have you met the guys?

Oh, yeah, I met them.

Do I sense a problem here, my son?

Oh, no, no, sir. It's nothing.

Come on now, son. You can talk to me.

Let's turn that frown upside down.

Well, you see, sir, this isn't exactly what I thought it would be, you know.

Well, son, you can't expect to walk into a... four -alarmer right away.

I mean, a big part of a fireman's job is just to sit around and wait.

Well, I think you got the right guys for that, sir.

Oh, I see what the problem is. These guys don't exactly look like Fireman

Johnson. They don't look like Lyndon Johnson.

You come with me, Miss Selly. I want to show you these guys in action.

Lunch! No, no, no.

No, it's not lunch.

We're having a surprise stopwatch drill, and it's starting now.

Come on.

Anybody see my boots? All right, I'm all right, sir.

So,

um, what's their best time for this so far?

Maybe these guys do need some shaping up.

You think you could handle that, son?

Me? Yes, you.

I like your spirit.

I like the cut of your gym.

Thank you, sir. I like yours, too.

You bet your life I could handle them. Are you kidding me? You won't recognize

them when I'm finished with them. I'll turn them into a mean, lean,

machine.

I can cool them down when the smoldering's hot. I'm the fireman.

That's my name.

They call me the fireman.

That's my name.

Making my rounds all over town, putting out a whole thing.

Everybody like to have what I got. I can cool them down when the smoldering's

hot. I'm the fireman.

We can't take it anymore, Chief. Tim Ross, Tim Ross, you've got to go. My

used to be so happy. Now look at me. The spark is gone.

Boys, boys, now just give him a little time to settle down, and I guarantee you

he won't be so gung -ho.

Hey, guys, meet Sparky.

Sparky, meet the guys.

Silly. What's with the dog?

I noticed that morale was sort of slipping around here. And do you know

guys?

That's right. We needed a mascot. So I took all the money from the cookie kitty

and the bad word jar, and I bought Sparky. Sparky, say hello to the chief.

Hey.

Good dog, this Sparky, isn't he? Hey, by the way, he had a little accident on

the driveway, so keep your boots on.

Sally, could I have a word with you in my office?

Alone?

Good boy, Spock.

All right, have a seat there, Mr.

Ellington. Yes, sir.

Now, there's a feeling around here that maybe not all of us are on the same

wavelength. I know exactly what you're driving at, Chief.

Oh, you do? Sure, sure. You see us all working out, and you want to join in.

may I say so, sir, not a moment too soon, because, hey, even at your age,

must want to get rid of those love handles, eh?

You just helped me make a very difficult decision.

I've decided to let somebody go.

No, Chief, don't do that. Don't do that. Look.

Just tell me the name of the guy who's not pulling his weight, and I'll have a

talk with him.

Miss Sally.

I know him.

He's not going to take this well.

What is this?

Oh, you got one of Tony's fire violations, too.

Too many people in one room?

It takes at least seven people to play Twister.

Please don't cite me. These smoke detectors are ready to go back up.

I don't care.

What's wrong?

I got fired.

Fired? You were let go?

From a volunteer program?

striper. Hey, hit the bricks, kid.

Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I realize how much this meant to you.

Hired from a volunteer program?

What a dweeb.

What happened?

They all turned on me, Angela. Every one of them.

And all because I wanted it to be the best darn volunteer fire department in

world.

I know, but do you think that perhaps it's possible you went just a teeny wee

bit overboard?

Maybe a drop.

But they didn't have to take away my badge.

I want to be Fireman Tony.

No, I do.

He's my Tony, so I get to be Fireman Tony.

Kids, kids, why don't you go play outside?

Kids. Oh, no, it's all right, Angela.

Come on over, boys. Come on over and gather round.

That a boy. But let's not talk about being a fireman.

Let's talk about dreams, huh?

What do you kids dream about being when you're all grown up?

A fireman, like you.

Or actually not. Yeah.

Well, those are all fine dreams, boys. Really fine dreams. And who knows?

Maybe they'll come true.

On the other hand, they could end up being crushed like walnuts in a vice.

Obliterated, shattered.

Beaten to a bloody pulp.

They'll take everything from you and leave you nothing.

Can you tell me some milk and cookies?

It's a good life lesson. Okay, you can eat, Tony. No, you can eat.

You're not a fireman anymore.

Are you?

I'm sorry, kid.

Another donut, Clarence? Why, thank you, Arthur. I think I'll have two now that

Miss Sally's not here. Uh -uh. You said Miss Sally.

Excuse me.

You see, I'm looking for Chief Baxter.

The chief's busy right now.

Can I help you?

I'm Angela Bauer. I'm a friend of Tony Maselli's. Oh.

Miss Bauer, maybe I can help you. I'm Chief Baxter. Oh, yes.

Yes. Hello.

The reason I'm here is to ask you to please give Tony another chance.

I don't think that would be a very good idea, Miss Bauer.

Oh, but Chief, Tony loves being a fireman.

See, he's wanted to be a fireman ever since he was a kid in Brooklyn.

He saw this fireman carry his neighbor.

This is the Benedetto out of a burning building.

Okay, so once in a while he gets on your nerves, but that's just his boyish

enthusiasm. I have it too, but you don't see me going off half -cocked.

Come on.

Come on, didn't you ever have a dream?

A dream that was so pure that it stayed with you for years and years?

Well, Tony did.

And his dream came true.

His only mistake was pushing too hard to keep it.

And when he came home and I saw that look in his big brown eyes, my heart

out to him.

That was beautiful.

Really touching.

Yeah.

Whose deal is it?

You guys are silly.

Relax, guys. I'm just here to talk to Angela.

Angela, Mona told me you were here. You didn't have to do this. I can defend

myself. A leggy blonde never hurts.

Look, guys, I know I came on too strong. I don't blame you for being upset. It's

just that sometimes I get... Oh, Clarence, are you still eating donuts?

I mean, and you with the smoking, Jake.

There I go again.

Now I'm annoying myself.

What is that? It's a fire.

Wow, a fire. And they called us? Come on, man, let's go.

Engine 27, ready to roll.

It's a Lexington Hotel, and it's a big one.

Where's my helmet?

Here you go.

Thanks, Miss Sully. Sure.

Come on, Miss Sully.

Thank you, Chief, thank you. Can I drive?

Here we go. Oh, my sandwich.

Quick, quick, turn on the TV. There's a big fire downtown.

Since most of Fairfield's regular firefighters are off battling a major

neighboring Bridgeport, all volunteer units have been summoned.

See? This is what I was afraid of. I am so glad Dad's not a fireman anymore.

Uh... Actually, I helped reinstate him. He was on his way downtown

to the fire when I left.

Oh, no.

Way to go, Mom.

Let's go to the scene with action reporter Lori Lee.

Firefighters are inside the hotel now searching for guests.

Several barmen have been rushed to the hospital suffering from smoke

Why didn't he listen to me? I begged him not to do this.

Honey, I'm sure he'll be fine. Of course he will. Your dad knows how to handle

himself.

Chief Baxter, I understand your volunteer group has really distinguished

Well, actually, it was mostly the work of one man whose superb physical

conditioning allowed him to repeatedly climb the seven flights, bringing many

safety. Hey!

Oh, thank God he's safe.

Would you put me down?

You've already taken three victory laps around the building.

Yes, yes, ma 'am. Sorry,

ma 'am.

You certainly are the man of the moment. Well, I just want to say that I

couldn't have done it without my fellow hose warriors, Sid, Arthur, Clarence,

and Jake.

Hey, boys.

Oh, and I want to say hi to Sam and Jonathan and Angela and Mona.

I'm okay, guys.

And Billy, dreams do come true.

So, Farman Maselli, can you sum up what were the conditions like inside that

hotel?

Pretty hot in there, kid.

You actually carried all those people down seven flights of stairs?

Well, you know, Angela, when you're in peak physical condition, as I am, you

do anything. Anything is possible.

Anything like this.

Uh -oh.

You're back?

Yeah. Wow.

Twice in the same week.