King of the Hill- "A Firefighting We Will Go"

[Guest MRK303]

I just came across King of the Hill of Fox and they were showing a volunteer firefighter episode. The characters joined the local volunteer fire department and used the firehouse as a “clubhouse.” The men were drinking, smoking, using the equipment for games around the firehouse. The volunteers seemed to have no clue how to use their equipment and in the end the firehouse burns down because they were fooling around so much. Its media like this that gives the volunteer fire service a black eye. I remember a few years ago in the Journal News, a taxpayer wrote a letter to the editor in opposition to building a new firehouse because he wanted to know why, “the clubhouse boys needed a new firehouse to drink in and party.”

"A Firefighting We Will Go

Episode KH311

Original Air Date: 1/12/99

Hank and his friends become volunteer firefighters--with disastrous consequences.

In the present day, Hank, Dale, Bill and Boomhauer meet with the Heimlich County fire chief inside an interrogation room. The fire chief warns the men that they are all in serious trouble. As the story unfolds in flashback, Hank, Dale and Boomhauer watch as Heck Dorland drives a fire truck towards the common alley. Bill, wearing a fireman’s helmet, hops off the vehicle and proudly exclaims that is now a firefighter. Heck explains to the men that the professional firefighters are on strike--leaving the city’s defense in the hands of volunteers. He asks Hank and his friends if they are interested in joining. The three men, in ecstasy, run towards the truck. Later, as Peggy fixes dinner, Hank enters the house wearing a fireman’s helmet. When Luanne excitedly expresses her desire to become a firefighter, Hank insists she isn’t strong enough to carry a large man out of a burning building. Peggy disagrees. She demonstrates a "fireperson’s carry," which allows a woman to lift a man’s weight using leverage. Unfortunately, Peggy hurts herself in the process. Later, Hank and his buddies practice dousing a trash fire using a hose. Dale loses control of the hose and it flails on the ground, dousing his colleagues. Back at the firehouse, the men bask in the clublike atmosphere. There, Heck introduces Hank to an elderly man named Chet Elderson, one of the town’s first volunteer firemen. Chet notices that someone unplugged his neon Alamo beer sign. Dale plugs it back in, but receives an electric shock in the process. One day, Hank and his buddies drive past the middle school, attracting the attention of Bobby and his friends. The boys want to board the fire truck, but Hank notes their muddy feet. The men decide to clean the boys using the fire hose. Unfortunately, the group strips the bolt on a hydrant, producing a geyser of water.

As time passes, the men’s behavior at the firehouse turns more and more juvenile. A sleepless Hank protests when Dale and Bill play ping-pong one night. But the pair ignore his pleas for quiet. Angered, Hank rises from his bed, grabs the ping-pong ball, and smashes it with his foot. In retaliation, Bill removes Hank’s eyeglasses and crushes them with his foot. Angered over the crushed ball, Dale throws a hot Frito pie at Hank, but misses and strikes Bill in the face. Hank chases after Bill, who becomes stuck on the fire pole. Later that night, the men receive word of Chet Elderson’s passing. The funeral turns disastrous when Hank, Bill, Dale and Boomhauer, acting as pall bearers, tumble into the open grave. Afterwards, at the fire station, Dale plugs in Chet’s beloved Alamo beer sign. Hank yanks out the cord, but Dale plugs it back in. Suddenly, the station’s fire alarm sounds. The men are dispatched to a fire at Goobersmooches restaurant. Just before the men hop aboard the fire engine, Bill runs to his uniform holding a roasted marshmallow; Dale discards a cigarette; and Boomhauer knocks over a tanning lamp. When the foursome arrive at the restaurant, Heck has already extinguished the blaze. But when they return to the station house, they find it engulfed in flames. The men recount for the fire chief what transpired moments before they left for Goobersmooches. Eventually, the chief concludes that the fire house blaze could have been caused by Dale’s smoking, Boomhauer’s tanning, or Bill’s eating. But Hank reveals it was none of these. He recounts how, when he hopped into the driver’s seat of the fire truck, he saw the Alamo beer sign flashing in the rear view mirror. He blames Chet Elderson for plugging in the defective sign, and for accidentally causing the fire. The fire chief accepts the story...much to Dale’s relief."

Info from http://www.fox.com/kingofthehill/episodes/0311.htm

[ny10570 745]

relax, its a cartoon. Besides, there are plenty of real life examples that are worse than what that blurb describes.

[JohnnyOV 2]

I hate to say it, but the writers of the show have complete freedom of speech on this issue. This goes with showing anything in a negative light, the writers can say what they want unfortunately, no matter how bad it makes us look. And because the show is a cartoon and for entertainment value only, slander really isn't even a viable option to get angry over.

[ex-commish 490]

Its media like this that gives the volunteer fire service a black eye. I remember a few years ago in the Journal News, a taxpayer wrote a letter to the editor in opposition to building a new firehouse because he wanted to know why, “the clubhouse boys needed a new firehouse to drink in and party.”

Brother I share your concerns but we don't need the media to give us a black eye. We have those within our ranks who have sucessfully given us the black eye as well as the stereotype that the taxpayer you quoted stated to the newspaper.

[Guest MRK303]

And because the show is a cartoon and for entertainment value only, slander really isn't even a viable option to get angry over.

Don't take me wrong, I thought it was a very funny episode. Kind of reminds me of the New York Post Chimp cartoon...Try explaining your argument to the NAACP... "Its a cartoon and for entertainment..."

[IzzyEng4 427]

So I guess Everyone that is old enough also forgot about Joe Rockhead's Fire Department then huh???? If you are too young to know what I'm talking about, look up the Flintstones cartoons. Let alone the vast majority of Warner Brothers and other old cartoons that did the same thing.

[FFPCogs 863]

Joe,

Fact is this is the public's perception of volunteers, and one that many volunteer FDs have done little to refute in the past. I'm fairly certain that you can recall some of our past conversations on the subject or those related to it. To reiterate them in a nutshell...if this is the perception we face than it is our job and responsibility to change it, for no one else can or will.

Cogs

ps Seems things have been a bit "warm" in the Valley lately. Kudos to the boys, they're doing a bang up job as usual.

[aowen 0]

Complain as we may, black eye or not, most of the volunteer firehouses I'm familiar with all contain bars and drinking does occur in the firehouse. If you do not want the public complaining about volunteer firefighters drinking and fox airing cartoons, get rid of the bars, take a strict stance on alcohol consumption in the firehouse and get rid of the clubhouse atmosphere.

Drinking alcohol in the firehouse should not be permitted, drinking in uniforms in bars following parades this behavior reinforces the publics negative view towards the fire service.

[AFS1970 504]

I remember Joe Rockhead's Volunteer Fire Department, I still laugh at the idea that "nothing ever burns in Bedrock, it's made of stone". As a matter of fact, I would love a pic of Fred & Barney in those white coats and red helmets running with the ladder. That would make a great department T-Shirt.

A few years ago, there was a debate about an episode of Who's the Boss where Tony joined the Volunteer Fire Department and it was a similar joke. They guys were only members to play cards. Tony was more proud of the blue light they gave him than the work he was doing for the community.

Anyone Remember LA Firehouse? That was a soap opera that happened to feature career firefighters. It didn't do anyone any favors either. Let's face it, the days of positive shows about the emergency services like Emergency & Chips are over.