The Ponyville Volunteers

May 22, 2006

The shrill beeping of pagers alerted the whole Apple Family farmhouse around 3:30 P.M. Bright McIntosh, Pear Butter, Big McIntosh, and Granny Smith all turned to each other as several more tones dropped. Big Mac and Applejack had just come back from school.

Ponyville County Fire Control for Friendship Fire, Harmony for a Truck, Northside for the RIT team, Medic Zone 2, respond to a reported structure fire at 6 Schoolhouse Road in Ponyville Village. Multiple calls reporting heavy smoke coming from the attic and second floor and a report of somebody still inside the residence. Repeating, Friendship Fire, Harmony for a Truck, Northside for the RIT team, Medic Zone 2, respond to a reported structure fire at 6 Schoolhouse Road in Ponyville Village. Multiple calls reporting heavy smoke coming from the attic and second floor and a report of somebody still inside the residence. Time is 15:31.

Granny Smith said to a young Applejack, "Now, make sure to watch Apple Bloom, alright? You're gonna be the mare of the house while we're gone." She then collected her cellphone and keys.

"No problem," Applejack replied as she ran upstairs to her room to turn on a scanner to listen in.

Big Mac, Pear Butter, and Bright Mac all ran out of the house down the road to the station as Granny Smith hopped in an old rusty pickup truck with a blue lightbar on it. "Fire police work in that darn arena's gonna be a nightmare around this time of day." She then started it up and drove off, her blue lights flashing.

The three Apples were joined by four cows who worked on the farm. As they ran at a breakneck pace down the entrance road to the farm and then to Schoolhouse Road, Pear Butter said to Daisy Jo, "You won't be doing this much soon, since you're gonna be 2nd Assistant Chief soon."

"I can't wait," Daisy Jo replied. "I'll get to be like good ol' Bright Mac last year." She referred to the fact that Bright Mac had just stopped being Chief of the company in December of last year after a four-year stint.

Within three minutes of the alarm, the whole gang arrived at the station. Big Mac immediately ran into the radio room and radioed to dispatch, "Fire Control, Friendship base acknowledgin' the call." He then ran out of the room to put his gear on.

As more firefighters arrived at the station, they heard Car 2-01 radio, "Car 2-01 to Fire Control, working fire, working fire, working fire! I got heavy smoke pouring out of the home with people outside saying somebody's trapped."

Daisy Jo, the captain at the time, whistled and yelled to Big Mac and another junior firefighter who had ran to the station from school after it had let out around 35 minutes before, "Hurry up and get in the flipdowns!"

They both then finished their gear and ran over to Engine-Squirt 2-11, the first-out truck for in-village calls. Once they boarded and grabbed a seat, they closed the doors as Big Mac said, "We're all set!" It had been about 4 minutes.

Daisy Jo then radioed, "Engine-Squirt 2-11's en route with 8, 5 interior." The truck then pulled out of the station full speed ahead and onto the road as Rescue 2-31 and Ambulance 2-41 were readied to respond next. As it did, the firefighters inside began putting on their air packs.

"Car 2-01 to fire control," the chief of Friendship radioed.

"Car 2-01."

"I'm arriving," he replied. "I got a 2-story woodframe house with fire showing on the first floor. I'll be establishing Friendship Command. Transmit a 10-75 and retone us, retone Harmony for another ambulance, retone Northside for another engine, and dispatch Medan Village for a standby. Also, start me a second medic to the scene. Ponies on scene are confirming entrapment."

"10-4," a dispatcher replied. "A 10-75 has been transmitted per the orders of Friendship Command with confirmed entrapment."

At the 12 minute mark, as Pear Butter and Bright Mac moved through the building, carrying the trapped resident with them, Pear Butter heard a loud creaking sound below. The smoke was thick, and it was impossible to see through. "Hey, what was that?!" Bright Mac was unable to hear it over his SCBA mask.

They both then stopped as Daisy Jo approached from the opposite direction with another firefighter, all 4 of them staying low to the floor. She said to them, "Give him to us! We'll get him out!"

"Shit," Bright Mac yelled out before he threw the stallion over to Daisy Jo. "Take him!" As soon as Daisy Jo took hold of the victim, a loud cracking sound was heard beneath them. "Oh, fuck!" Pear Butter immediately screamed and grabbed onto her husband as the floor below the two gave way, sending them into the basement, which was fully involved.

Daisy Jo screamed out, "Pear Butter! Bright Mac! No!" As she tried to move towards the hole, she was held back by the other firefighter with her. She tried kicking and screaming, but it was no use. Soon, a third firefighter arrived, and they both proceeded to drag Daisy Jo and the victim out of the building. "Damn it, let me go!"

Upon the four of them exiting the building, Daisy Jo ran out, stared at the building for a few seconds, and then tried to run back in. Again, several firefighters had to restrain her. Big Mac, by now, was in utter shock. "Oh... Oh my God..."

"Pear Butter! Bright Mac! Damn it, let me in there!" Daisy Jo was then wrestled to the ground as another firefighter ripped off her mask and helmet. "Motherfucker! Let me go back in!"

"They're gone," replied the other firefighter. "Daisy, they're gone! We can't get them! Get that through your fucking head!"

Daisy then looked over to Big Mac as she calmed down, who was crying by now. She then stood back up and walked over to him. "I... Oh my God... I'm so sorry..." She then embraced him in a tight hug. "I... I failed..."

Granny Smith, devastated, looked on from the road as she said, "My son is dead... Oh my God, my son is dead..."

June 22, 2017

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Applejack replied as Ambulance 2-41 backed into the station after a medical call at what turned out to be a hoarder house. Along with her on the ambulance was Big Mac and Olive Ryder, Daisy Jo's younger sister, who had been in the department for 20 years and 3 months, and was an EMT-Intermediate like Applejack and Big Mac. "That old mare had trash and shit piled right up into the ceilin' in her home. The stench was awful. I saw the county sheriff medic gagging outside. He had the widest grin when we told him to return, since ALS wasn't needed."

"Same here," Olive replied. "I really hope we never get a fire in that house. I'm gonna have to take a really long shower."

"Chief Shadow Mist told us we're gon' let the fucker burn if we ever get a fire in there," Big Mac replied. "Unless she's in there, of course. I did hear some town cops talkin' about maybe movin' her into a nursin' home, since she seemed to be a few hay fries short of a kids meal, if you catch my drift."

"Of course she is," Olive replied. "All hoarders are."

Big Mac then said to Applejack, "Say, I'm gonna need some help with the plow when we get back to the farm. The blade is dull and it needs to be sharpened."

"Got it," Applejack replied as she fixed her coat in her locker. "How long should it take?"

"Not long," Big Mac replied. "Maybe about 15 minutes."