This is an alternate story to my first hippogriff-centered FiMFic 'Chevalier'. Who says that only ponies can become firefighters. These gryphons and one solo hippogirff are here to make a statement.
Fillydelphia's fire department are getting some new faces, and they are not ponies. These firefighters are the first fire-griffons to be put into service. These are firefighting adventures of griffons Gilda, Greta, Giselle, Genevieve, Gretchen, Captain Gordon, and the hippogriff Wilhelmina.
I had been summoned to Cantorlot by Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. I had been told that they have a special position for me. I soon noticed that my friends Gilda, Greta, Giselle, and Genevieve had also been summoned to the Royal Palace, "I wonder why we're here," Gilda whispered to me, "think it's something special?" she asked me
"Possibly, I think the princesses have something in store for all of us," I replied back, suddenly the Princesses arrived and we bowed before them, "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, it is an honor to be in your presence," we said in unison as a show of respect to the Rulers of Equestria. They lightly bowed back to us. Princess Luna smiled at me.
"We thank you all for coming on this most beautiful of mornings," said Princess Celestia happily to us, "we have summoned you all here because we have a very important task, we have looked over your training records and credentials from the Westland and Griffonstone, and we have come to the conclusion that this position is a perfect fit,"
"Firstly I see that this may fit with your plans of settling down, Gilda, I've heard from Twilight that you want to settle down away from Griffonstone?" Princess Celestia asked
"Yeah? What about it?" Gilda asked back sarcastically, I scolded my friend by punching her in the wing, "ouch! I mean umm...yes Your Majesty," she said correcting herself,
"Well then, I feel this would be a good start for you...you and all your friends here," said Princess Luna, "I must advise that this position we are bestowing upon you is very dangerous, and will be the first time your kind have been given this great task before you, from your good deeds done in the past, you are seen by some as heroes,"
"You are all to become the first ever fire-griffs, Fillydelphia is looking to expand their fire department, and we are having you answer the call, just like Princess Luna said, this is a very dangerous task, fire-ponies have died in the line of duty, but your training in Griffonstone and the Westland has made you more than qualified for this task at hoof,"
My eyes widened at the thought of being the first ever fire-griffons to be commissioned, "For you Wilhelmina, you are the keeper of an element of harmony, the element of courage, and with the strong bond of friendship that you share with these griffons, I feel you all will make quite the team, remember you put other ponies before yourselves,"
When we were dismissed, we bowed to the princesses and made our leave, "So we're going to be fire-griffs, so that means we fight fires and save lives," said Greta excitedly,
"Yeah, you see those guys going into a burning building, that's gonna be us too," Gilda said giving Giselle headlock and a noogie, I am happy to see how much she changed.
"But it's like Princess Luna said, this is dangerous work, if we're not careful, we're all going to be Southern Fried Griffon," Giselle reminded us, a few days later we arrived at our station in Fillydelphia. It was a brick station two-stories tall with copper cloth-like sculpturing on the front above the entrance with lettering reading 'Ladder Company Six'.
"This is a beautiful station," said Genevieve, and we saw the fire apparatus that we would be working with. It is a 1997 Simon-Duplex LTI 2000/300/102'. The truck was red, white, and gold with shiny chrome wheels. As we were looking at our rig, and the equipment in the station another griffon showed up. It was a male, and one with authority.
"Like what you see, ladies?" He asked. The griffon had a yellow beak like Gilda but had light silver feathers, brown eyes, and wings and a pelt in a slightly darker shade of grey, "in my office now," He said, and we followed him, "normally, I don't do hens, but seeing your creds coming from Celestia and Luna, you all have to prove yourselves"
"My name is Gordon, and to you ladies it will be Captain or Captain Gordon, understand me?" He asked, we all nodded, "this is your home ladies, so you treat it as such,"
"If you are going to see me, I suggest you ladies wear your uniforms properly, button-up your jackets, polish your boots, and wear your caps properly," he ordered to us, "welcome to Ladder Company Six, and Engine Company Twenty-Two, this is the busiest station in Fillydelphia, 3,500 calls a year from this station alone, it's a lot of action,"
"Hmm...we seem to have a hippogriff with us, Wilhelmina is your name, yes?" he asked me, I nodded yes to him, "well, your name is too much of a mouthful and too much trouble to spell, so I'm going to call you 'Billie', that's okay with you, Thunder Flanks?" He asked, I chuckled alongside my friends at my nickname, and nodded 'yes' to him,
"Remember equipment comes first, and flying comes later, I don't want to see any of you ladies flying while on the line of duty, there's always a risk of falling debris on a sight, and I don't want to see anybirdy getting hurt, or worse killed, the lives of others are in your talons ladies, you're dismissed, try to settle down around here," He said
We did just that. Giselle and Greta were making the beds. Genevieve was polishing the pole, and Gilda and I were cleaning and polishing the rig, "Bossy Beak," she grumbled,
"Gilda, he is our captain, he runs things around here, and we have to listen to him, okay?" I replied, to her. Gilda sighed, and smiled back, "by the way, you missed a spot,"
Gilda gruffed, and threw a sponge at me, and hitting me in the tail. I laughed and threw it back. We laughed, and within an hour the rig was nice and clean. So far, the alarm has not gone off yet. We pulled the truck back into the station to a waiting Captain Gordon, "Good work, now remember ladies, be smart, think on your talons and think fast,"
It had been three weeks now. Three weeks since we first arrived at the station. We all wondered when we were going to see our first fire. Gilda was the company engineer. She drives our rigs to and from the local supermarket. We have two trucks in the garage, a 1997 Simon-Duplex/LTI 2000/300/102' and a 2013 Ferrara Pumper/Tanker.
Our other engineer is Greta. She drives our pumper/tanker truck. I am the lieutenant at this fire station, and Genevieve and Giselle are our firefighters under my command. I am the second-in-command under Captain Gordon. We had just finished checking all the tools and equipment on the trucks, and they were all running in working order.
We checked everything from the valves and gauges to our tools and to our breathing apparatuses, "When are we gonna get out, and go fight a fire?" Gilda groaned, and just then the alarm went off, "spoke too soon," we stopped what we were doing and got into our firefighting gear in a flash. We were all ready to got to work, "let's do this!"
Gilda and Greta blew the air horns. The lights blazed, and our sirens wailed as we got out on the road. I ride with Greta, and we are the ones who lead the tower unit to the fire, "Take a left up here on 7th avenue, it should be another three blocks down!" I said amid the noise of our trucks blazing down the city streets, and cars giving us room.
I looked up to see a big fire on the sixth floor of an apartment building. I was out of the cab, and unscrewing the valves while Greta was getting out the hose, "Giselle, I need you to man that monitor, move your tail!" I called out, breathing through my oxygen tank and mask. The hoses were set on the fire hydrant, and we waited for the order.
Giselle was up on top of the pumper with a ready monitor. Glass shattered from heat. Gilda was out of the rig, and on the scene, "What've we got?" she asked,
"Structure fire, sixth floor," I replied, Genevieve was operating the outriggers so the tower unit won't tip over when we raise the tall ladder up into the air.
"My daughter is still up there, SOMEPONY HELP!" cried out a frantic mother named Sweet Vanilla out on the street outside the building, "PLEASE SOMEPONY HELP!"
"Everything is going to be okay, ma'am, we will get your daughter," said Captain Gordon to console the mother. Gilda wanted her first taste of action, and now was the time, "Gilda, Billie, there's a filly trapped on the sixth floor named Cinnamon Swirl, let's go, c'mon let's go!" We pulled out the hose, and started the climb up the flights of stairs.
Gilda helped me with the hose as we hurried up the stairs. Gilda was also carrying an axe to break down the door. The ladder was going up into the air. We were at the door, and Gilda cut through the door with a few swings. The door swung open, "Keep down low, keep down low!" I called to her from behind as we evaded a coming backdraft.
"Go! Go! Go!" I commanded patting her on the shoulder as we went in. I placed down the gas-powered fan to blow out the smoke, and went in after Gilda, "fire department, Cinnamon Swirl, where are you?" I called out, and saw a little filly huddled up in the corner, and crying. I smiled under my oxygen mask, and picked her up off the floor.
"Don't you worry, we'll get you out here, mon amie," I said to her as I held her in my arms. I then radioed to the others, "I've got Cinnamon Swirl, I am coming toward the window, run it when she gets out safely!" Captain Gordon was coming up in the tower unit. When he was within reach, I gave Cinnamon Swirl to him. She was covered in sot.
Captain Gordon signaled to run the hydrant. I helped Gilda support the hose, as the water was coming out from the hose and the monitor from the pumper/tanker unit, "Hit it high! Hit it high!" I yelled under the heat and the roaring flames. It was like being in the belly of a dragon. I saw Gilda smiling back at me as the fire was now under control.
"We did it, Gilda! We did it!" I congratulated her just as the tower unit was putting water on the fire with Captain Gordon at the helm of the nozzle on the basket.
As we went back down the stairs with our gear, Cinnamon Swirl was reunited with her mother. Such a scene warmed my heart knowing that no one died, and no one was injured in the fire, "You should be proud, Gilda, this is what we do," I said to her as we took off our masks, and we shared a hug between friends. The little filly looked at us.
"You guys are griffons?" she asked, we nodded 'yes' and smiled at the filly, "you are my heroes," my heart melted as I smiled back at her. My feathers were caked in sweat and sot, yet it's hard to tell with my coloration. Giselle started crying at this moment that unfolded. It was the first time our company put out a fire, and saved a life on duty.
The ladders were lowered back into place, and the hose was neatly rolled up as we left the scene after the tower unit had it's outriggers and ladder in place. The next day, Sweet Vanilla and her daughter Cinnamon Swirl visited our station with a single layer chocolate cake, "Thank you, thank you so much for saving my daughter," she said to us.
"It's what we do, ma'am," I said, greeting her from our front desk at the side entrance of our station. Gilda smiled, and nodded to say hello as she was sweeping out the rooms, and Giselle was making breakfast in the kitchen. It is moments like these when you do your job that makes you want to work harder at everything that you do in life.
To the ponies of the city of Fillydelphia, we are the heroes that live among them and work within their community. We are firefighters. It has been four months now. Four months, and we are considered one of the finest companies in the city. The station we call home is nicknamed 'The Castle' because of the Victorian style construction.
We are welcoming a new member to the station, a rookie fresh from one of the two training facilities in the Westland and Griffonstone named Gretchen, "Welcome to Ladder Company 6 and Engine Company 22, you are part of one of the finest companies around, that means you have to be ready to answer the call when the alarm sounds,"
I was in his office to meet with the new recruit. Gretchen looked adorable with her pigtails, blue coloring on feathers and fur, and she wore glasses, "This is Lieutenant Billie, she will show you around the station, and help you get acquainted with the other members of the company," He said as his parting words, and surfed the net for fire axes.
"It's good to have you onboard, Gretchen, these are our Engineers Gilda and Greta, and these are your fellow fire-griffons, Firefighter Giselle and Firefighter Genevieve," I said introducing her to the companies. I remember Gretchen from watching the Boffyball game against Yak-Yakistan. It good to see the team making progress on the field.
"Remember? We were on the boffyball team, remember with Coach Klaus?" Gretchen said to Gilda, "so what made you want to be a fire-griffon, Gilda?"
"For me, I'm killing two birds with one stone, more like three, I always wanted to get out into the world, and I get to be around my friends and help out others," said Gilda with a smile, and ruffling Gretchen's pigtails. As Gretchen was getting acquainted with Giselle and Genevieve, she was also settling down and making her bed in the rooms.
Captain Gordon was coming out of his office. That meant only one thing, "Alright ladies, let's move the trucks out, and inspect the equipment," I said to the companies.
The trucks were moved to the back of the station to be washed, and have the equipment looked over. Gretchen is a very bright and cheerful griffon. Greta and I were washing the trucks. As we were doing our chores, we talked, "After the boffyball game and meeting Rarity, I wanted to give something back to the ponies," said Gretchen,
"Like saving lives, and giving to the local community," replied Greta, "we all worked hard to be where we are, the top brass in Equestria said griffons and hippogriffs are incapable of being firefighters because of our reputation for greed, but as Captain Gordon says, we're the first of our kind in this profession, we're here to make a statement,"
"It all starts from doing the simple things, like keeping our station tidy and equipment in working order," said Giselle, "which I take it you studied at the academy?"
"Alright, Firefighter Gretchen, since you are the new birdy around here, you get the honor of being in the basket as we test the ladder," I explained to the griffon with glasses and pigtails. Her beak dropped in shock, "now, now, don't you worry, this ladder is perfectly sturdy and perfectly safe," I reassured her, she looked intimidated by the truck.
"O-o-o-okay," Gretchen stuttered, as I pressed the buttons on the control panel which operated the outriggers.
"Are you telling me that you can play boffyball against Yaks, but you have trouble going into a basket?" Gilda asked, Gretchen nodded with her beak chattering. Gilda sighed, "look it's okay, it's just like Lieutenant Thunder Flanks said, the ladder is sturdy and you have nothing to worry about," I am starting to wonder if Gilda made things worse?
"But-but-but...," she stammered, "alright, but I'll let you know ahead I'm not going to enjoy this," she said before ascending up into the tower unit basket.
"It's not about enjoying it, it's about saving lives, and putting the wet stuff on the red stuff," called out Gilda, she was at the controls at the turntable on top of the back of the rig. Gretchen was in the basket, holding onto the edge with her talons as the ladder was going up into the air, and extending to it's full length while avoiding power lines.
"Gretchen point the nozzle up! We're going to test it, alright Genevieve, run it!" I called to her, and she turned the fire hydrant.
"Turn the nozzle head to narrow the stream, alright looking good!" I said giving the talons-up to Gretchen for a job well done. The ladder was retracted lowered back into position after the nozzle was turned off. We all congratulated her on making the company. Now we were to take the trucks out for another job around the station, shopping.
We took the trucks out to go to the supermarket to restock the refrigerator and freezer. Gilda was getting the frozen food items with Greta. Firefighters Genevieve and Giselle were getting dry foods, fruits, and vegetables. Gretchen and I were getting meat and food for dinner tonight. I was making dinner. I was making smoked sausage chowder.
"We're really glad that you joined up with us with you onboard we are nearly a full company...oh spaghetti or manicotti," I said, grabbing a carton of Pomi marinara sauce,
I gave Gretchen the shopping list, and I followed her with the shopping cart. Into the shopping cart went a few onions, a few packs of kielbasa sausage, chicken broth, half & half cream, a small bag of potatoes, a six-pack of butter, salt, pepper, and some frozen sweet corn. Gilda soon came up to our cart with some Digorno and Frescetta pizzas.
Greta and Genevieve brought peas, a large bag of rice, a bag of lentils, a jug of milk, a case of Dr. Pepper, cartons of Sun Tropics Calamansi Lime and Dalandan Juices, a few packs of maple bacon, a box of Cinnamon Life cereal and a box of pancake mix. It's amazing how something as simple as a trip to the store brings us all together as a team.
(Side Note: Gretchen the Griffon appears in MLP: Friends Forever Issue #24. She is the first comic-only character to appear in my stories)
Our sleep was interrupted in the early hours of the morning by the station alarm. We were out of our beds and in our gear exiting the station in sixty seconds flat. The sirens and our airhorn sounded in the darkness of the early morning. The darkness of the morning was broken by the lights of other trucks, and a warehouse at the port was on fire.
It was a three alarm fire, and we were the third alarm, "Echo 101, this is Ladder 6 and Engine 22, what've we got?" Captain Gordon asked the other station captain on sight amid the roaring orange flames and thick black smoke. This captain is from the other station a few miles down the road near downtown. His name was Captain Five Alarm.
"Structure fire, could be faulty electricity, but we can't rule anything out just yet," said the other fire captain on site.
"Let's go those hoses on the fire, move your tails ladies!" Gordon blasted at us amid the roaring fire, we moved as fast as we can
Gilda and I were connecting the hoses to the fire hydrant while Genevieve and Greta operated the outriggers and pressure valves to make sure the ladder goes up in the air, and the right amount of water pressure hits the flames. I overheard that nopony or nobirdy was badly injured or killed, "That's a relief, alright Gretchen, you're going up!"
"It's just like we practiced!" Gilda called up to her to give our rookie some confidence while Gilda and I put on our breathing apparatuses,
"Let's do this!" said Gretchen, Greta raised the ladder up in the air with Gretchen in the basket after Genevieve set up the tower unit's stabilizers. The fire was raging out of control. There were bits of burning debris falling from the sky. The entire building looked, and felt like hell. The fire was so bad that helicopters were called in to bring water.
I signaled for Giselle to run the hydrant after Gilda and I were ready with the hose. Greta and Genevieve held onto the other hose, and we began to fight back the blaze. Giselle went to the helm of the monitor or deck gun on the pumper-tanker. As the fire raged into the darkness, the large structure creaked and weakened in the intense heat.
A backdraft blasted out as the structure collapsed, "Look out, it's coming down!" Greta warned us, as we backed off.
As we were getting the fire under control, we moved in to finally put the blaze out. It was the early morning by the time the fire was out. The sun was just coming up over the horizon. Our feathers were caked with sot and sweat. It turns out the fire was caused by a cigarette, probably from a bunch of colts hanging around town on a late night.
The ladder was brought down with Greta at the controls, and I was at the control panel that operated the outriggers. The warehouse was now a burnt out shell of itself, and we help treat the security-pony that was on duty for minor burns from the falling debris. It was confirmed in our report that the fire was an accident, irresponsible teenagers.
We gave our reports to the police-colt on the site, "Good work, Couettes ('Pigtails')," I said to Gretchen and ruffled her hair for a job well done. Gretchen helped put out her first fire. She got a hug from Gilda and Greta, and hi-fives from Giselle and Genevieve. Even Captain Gordon gave her a light smile, and a salute. He is the hardest to please.
"Remember Gretchen, we're firefighters, we're family" I said, gently putting my talons on her shoulders, she smiled up at me.
"That's right, we look out for each other as we will look out for you," said Gilda, she looked around at us, and we all agreed. It was great to have Gretchen around. It makes me wonder when more griffons or hippogriffs will suit up like us, "c'mon, let's pack everything up, and see if the IHOP is open," with that, we cleaned up, and went out to eat.
Pancakes feel great after waking up at dawn to put out a fire, "I don't know about you ladies, but I'm looking forward to the Firefighting Convention at the Civic Centre" said Genevieve, cutting and eating a piece of her stack of pancakes, "it's too bad we're probably just going to look around, Fillydelphia hasn't been too kind to us with our budget,"
"It's the whole 'pony-griffon' thing, I tell you, we're lucky to even have the equipment to bring to a fire," said Gilda,
"I wouldn't go that far, Gilda," said Greta, "the city has given us used trucks and an old station, but look at us now, we care for those rigs and under our care, those trucks and our skill as fire-griffons make us just as good as any engine or ladder company in the city, any company," soon to all our surprise, Captain Gordon came out to join us.
"That's what I like to hear," said our captain, enjoying his cup of morning coffee, "alright ladies, we'll eat some chow, clean up the equipment, and get some rest, then we'll go to the convention, I hear there will be a demonstration of the E-One Quest, hopefully it won't make our tower unit jealous," he joked, "the big girl has feelings, you know"
"Yeah, this company wouldn't be the same without Ladder Six," said Gretchen, having shaken off the 'rookie' label from her feathers.
After breakfast, we went back to 'The Castle' to clean up both our rigs and equipment as well as ourselves. After we washed up and the equipment was cleaned up and ready for action, the fire alarm went off again. This was an easy one in Ponyville as Opal Essence was stuck in a tree. The party never stops when you're a professional fire-griffon.
After the incident with the Idol of Boreas and almost causing the Second Westland War, I am not afraid to admit I have made a lot of mistakes. On the other talon, I am not ashamed to admit that I have made some of the best friends I have ever had in my times of trouble. I am looking at you Greta, and you Billie, and all my friends here.
I made amends with Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, yet I wanted to give something back to the ponies that I was so wrong about. That is why I chose to become a firefighter. I am now the engineer that runs our tower unit to the fire when the alarm goes off. I am putting my life on the line every time I go into a burning building to put out a fire.
That is how I show my gratitude to the ponies who live in this city, but I don't do my job alone. I have friends who help me out, and talk to me when I have problems. These griffons and that hippogriff, Lieutenant Faucon, Captain Gordon, Greta, Gretchen, Giselle and Genevieve. They are all my brothers and sisters at the station, my own family.
To think that it started with a griffonscone and a little help from Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie? When I shared my first griffonscone with Greta, I knew I had made a friend and friendship that was meant to last. Greta and I went through the academy training together, and graduated at the top of our class. Billie was also a top graduate this year.
When we rescued Cinnamon Swirl from that apartment fire or took care of that big warehouse fire, I knew I was a part of something very special. Those big wigs on the city counsel can say whatever they want about us. As long as I have my friends and an emergency call comes in, Ladder Company 6 and Engine Company 22 are here to stay.
Like our trucks, our station too has a lot of personality. Our station was build in 1892, and has the old watchtower that was used in those days to spot fires. We live and work in the suburbs. Everyday at the station, there is always something new happening. Today we were going to the Fillydelphia Civic Center for the big Fire Safety Convention.
When I told Grandpa Gruff I was going to be a fire-griffon, he told me every act I do in the line of duty will bring back the honor of being a griffon. I am a fire-griffon for more than just honor. This decision was the best I ever made. I could honestly say that this series of events all started with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie. I knew this is my career.
"Ladies, check it out, that's an E-One Quest rear mount aerial," said Gretchen in awe like a hatchling in a candy store.
"It's cool, oui, but our truck is better in my opinion," said Lieutenant Faucon, we looked around at all the equipment on display from new trucks to new tools. Billie showed me that nobirdy is perfect, and that I am capable of making mistakes. Greta was my first friend, and my first love. I don't know where I would be if it weren't for these two.
"Our trucks are less than 20 years old, and under our care they can run for twenty more" I said praising our trucks over the others on display.
Everybirdy is an individual. That's what makes us special. It didn't matter that the city gave us a secondhand trucks or an old station. Gretchen is bright and cheerful. Billie is the first to go into a burning building if there are ponies or griffons trapped inside. There is no better driver than Greta, and no better hose team then Giselle and Genevieve.
You expect that out of Billie. Our lieutenant has an element of harmony after all, the element of courage. Not to mention she is the marefriend to Princess Luna herself. I am proud to call her my friend. In the olden times, I would've been banished or excommunicated by my family for being friends with a hippogriff. Those times have long passed.
Times have changed, and so have I. Now that I think about it, I think our station needs to go through changes as well. We have a three-door garage for the trucks, and Captain Gordon parks his Chevy SS there instead of using his parking space in front. We've been asking the city for money for new equipment, but we're always turned down.
Even if we get a new rig, we will use our current truck until she can't go anymore. The way we've been taking care of her and her pumper-tanker sister, they're going to be with us for a long time. We are so stretched right now that we don't have enough griffons or hippogriffs to work in shifts. We live at the station. Somebirdy has to do the job.
Altough we are stretched for manpower, funds and equipment, there are good things that come out of this, like listening to Captain Gordon singing and dancing to 80s music in his office. Our captain is a good guy. He is very happily married to a wife named Gina and they have two hatchlings, a son named Garrett and a daughter named Colleen.
Garrett comes by on weekends to play basketball with Billie, Greta and I in the back of the station. Colleen likes being around Giselle, Gretchen, and Genevieve. Gina is a Peregrine Falcon griffon, built for speed. I remember her being one of the first griffons to try out for the Wonderbolts. She was turned down as the team was for ponies only.
She is a stay at home mom, and internet blogger. She is still fast on her wings after was turned down by the Bolts . After I became friends with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, there was something in my life I wanted, a second chance. I was afraid of blowing it. As a fire-griffon, I will always treat everypony and everybirdy with kindness and respect.
Chapter 6: Tragedy (The Princess Royale Hotel Fire)
Captain Gordon once told me 'when you've worked in the fire service for as long as I have, you will learn the hard way that you have to do what you can'. His words seemed to be true one Hearths Warming Eve night. The Princess Royale Hotel just opened. The ten-story hotel was the symbol of elegance and opulence in downtown Fillydelphia.
Building inspectors came in before the building was opened, and deemed it 'absolutely fireproof'. I was at the meeting with Captain Gordon and the inspectors, and told them that they should install sprinklers in case of an emergency, but our words went largely ignored as, according to the building inspectors, sprinklers were not required.
I had a gut feeling, a fear that something was going to happen. My fears were realized when the alarm went off at 11:30. We got in our gear, and rushed out of the station. All the floors leading up the sixth at the Princess Royale were on fire. There were 200 guests staying at the hotel on that cold night. Amid the flames, I heard screams.
Guests were yelling that there were ponies trapped on the sixth floor. Gretchen was up in the basket, and Greta and Giselle were connecting the hose to hydrant. I could hear breaking glass from the heat as Gilda and I went into rescue those trapped in the flames. As Gilda and I were going up the stairs to the sixth floor, I came across a body.
It was a mare, brown mane and beautiful eyes, stunning. As I picked her up over my shoulder, I noticed that there were three others in the hall. Gilda and I got them out of the building and down the fire escape. The medics on site starting giving CPR to the three mares we pulled out of the hallway. My heart sank when they covered the bodies.
I thought Gilda and I had saved them. As we battled the blaze with the other fire companies, the guests that got out were transported into buses to another hotel not far from the Princess Royale to await the news. Meanwhile, parking lot outside was turned into a makeshift morgue. A gas main on the third floor exploded in the intense heat.
"Watch out!" called out Gilda as flames and glass burst out of the window from the explosion. Gilda and I immediately got the hose to battle back the flames.
Later testimonies from the guests told that somepony had pulled the fire alarm, but not everypony heard it. We fought the fire for hours until we got the blaze under control. In all ten ponies died in the fire mostly from smoke inhalation, and some fifty were injured. Among the dead was a mother and her daughter. I had never seen such a sight.
The next day, we were working with police to find out what caused the fire, and look for bodies. It seemed one of the testimonies was true. One of the victims that was placed in a body bag was a stallion that was so badly burned that he had to be identified by dental records. It was found by the police that the fire started in the basement.
It was concluded that the fire was an accident, and that it was caused by a spark from a furnace that caught on some leftover towels and bedding. Families mourned those that they lost in the fire. Gretchen cried into my shoulder seeing the filly and her mother put in body bags to be taken to the coroners office. I will never forget that night.
Our flag outside the station was at half-mast for the victims. It was quiet at the station. Captain Gordon came to see us in the aftermath, "I know...I know this is a hard time for you ladies, but things like this happen and you learn from them, that's why we put on the gear and that is why we get on that truck when we are called!" he said to us.
"Yes sir," I said quietly, followed by a few more from Gretchen and Greta. Captain Gordon looked at all of us. I was sad, but also angry that the inspectors didn't listen.
"Take as much time off as you need," He said with a sigh, and went to his office. He was talking on the phone with his wife, and I was going to go to Cantorlot. I flew down to the scene of the fire last night, and was surprised to see Princess Luna walking up to me, "You did all that you could, that is all anypony can ask of you," said Princess Luna.
"But...I thought...I thought I saved them," I muttered as my eyes welled with tears, "I failed them," I felt a surprise as Princess Luna held me close. She was so soft and so warm, and welcoming. I looked into her eyes, and she stroked my feathers gently as I cried into her shoulder. I had never cried like this ever in my life since my mother died.
I looked at the burnt windows, and I could hear those screams of the victims even tough the fire is gone, "Look at me, listen to me," said Princess Luna turning me to face her sapphire eyes, "you are strong, you are brave just like the companies you are the second-in-command of, those that were lost want to see your strength, not your tears,"
"You fought the flames and you went with Gilda to save those ponies, that is the embodiment of what you represent, that is courage, now stand up Wilhelmina, stand up and comfort those that need comforting," said Princess Luna, and by her wisdom I knew she was right, "and in your times of trouble, I will be there to comfort you," she vowed.
"Thank you...Luna," I said with a light smile and wiped my tears. I flew off to see the firefighters and the families of the victims to help them get through this dark times. In the wake of tragedy, you find strength, and dedication to make sure that such an event like this never happens again. I will not give up, I will not give in, and I will not quit.
It took us three months, three months of time to recollect ourselves and get back to the station. We got news from the City Counsel that the architects and building inspectors were to be arrested and charged with ten counts of pony-slaughter. The means there will be justice for the victims and their families of the Princess Royale Fire.
My name is Greta. Along with my best friend Gilda, we are the engineers. It's our job to drive the rigs to the scene, and help set them up to fight the fire. We even work on rescue operations. After all, that is what we are trained to do. That morning, there was big news. A letter came from the city, "What does it say?" I asked the Captain.
"Well, it seems I'm keeping that third spot in the garage," Captain Gordon joked, we laughed, "but we're getting new equipment, the mayor has granted us a formal apology for sending us second-hoof trucks, and we to conduct a fire safety class for a local elementary school in Ponyville," we were all excited to be teaching some fillies and colts.
"I told' em that we're keeping these rigs, they're in good talons," Captain Gordon said, as soon as he said that we got call. We rushed into our gear, and raced out of the station. We were called to a rail depot where a train of hay-cars caught on fire, but there was a problem, "The tanker cars are carrying crude oil, we need this under control!"
"Giselle, Genevieve on the hose! Gilda you're in the aerial, Greta on the turret, Billie, Gretchen man the other hose, let's go! C'mon let's go!" Gordon ordered to us amid the flames and black smoke doing into the sky. None of us wanted to relive the fire at the Princess Royale Hotel. It was also time that Gretchen get to know the hose team.
"I'm on it!" I said to the captain as the outriggers were in place, "let's go, Gilda!"
"Charge it, Gretchen!" Gilda called down to our rookie firefighter that was still gaining experience in the field,
Gordon was on the deck gun to create a wall of water to prevent the flames from spreading. There is a certain rush that comes with fighting a fire. It's a kind of excitement that comes with going into action. You're up against an element that is unpredictable. As Captain Gordon says, you have to be prepared for anything, you're a professional.
We were the first to get water on the fire, and other companies were on the scene. Captain Five Alarm's guys over at Station 2 got a new truck, a 2013 Spartan ERV tower ladder, "It's good to see you ladies again!" said Captain Five Alarm. In memory of those who died in the great hotel fire, our ladder truck was now named 'Princess Royale,'
"The ponies call, we answer!" I replied, and moved Gilda into a better position of attack. We firefighters work on what we call 'the buddy system'. When you go into a burning building, temperatures can get very hot often over 1200 degrees. If I see that Firefighter Gretchen or Firefighter Giselle is in danger, I can signal to them it's time to get out.
Gilda, Billie, or I can pat them on the shoulder and say 'let's get out, it's getting too dangerous'. We're the ones that go into a burning building when everypony or everybirdy else is getting out. More trucks were being called in as this fire was getting dangerous, and all the more serious, "HIT THE DECK!" Billie yelled as the oil tanker cars exploded.
The cars were lifted three feet off the ground, and exploded. The water curtain didn't work. The tanker cars overheated. Every firefighter on site hit the ground, and shards of shrapnel were sent in all directions. Billie and Gretchen were back on their talons and bringing the fight back to the blaze, "Gilda switch to the foam setting!" I radioed to her,
The conductor and crew were safe, suffering from smoke inhalation and burns, but the fire was out, "First time at the hose, aye Basket Bird?" asked Billie to Gretchen
"It won't be the last," Gretchen replied, doing as she was trained. Because of her size, it made it easy to put her in the basket, hence her nickname.
Gretchen nodded as we cleaned up, our trucks didn't fair well. The shrapnel from the blast damaged both our trucks, and deemed them unsuitable for action. It was so sad to see our trucks go like that even if we had them for only a short period of time. For weeks once again, we were out of commission due to damage to our station's fire trucks.
Billie's right flank was injured by shrapnel, but still she was walking around. Gilda had burns on her talons, as well as a burnt tail which was wrapped in gauze and bandaging. Now Gilda is calling Billie 'Bandage Butt' for a laugh. Billie won't be able to dunk for a while when we play basketball in the back. She has a pretty good 3-point shot though.
"Well companies, we can't save our trucks, it's sad I know, but...we finally got the budget we were hoping for from the city, and those big wigs sent us these," we all got the shock of a lifetime, "they thought we could use a truck that carries both ladders and hose, so they got us an E-One Quest Quint with an 135ft ladder, just for you, Gretchen,"
There were two windows on each side of the cab, and between them were places for our medical supplies, "And for you Greta, a new custom pumper-tanker unit," he added.
To my surprise, Gretchen wasn't scared of the tower unit. She looked ready to work. We got our chance only hours after being introduced to our new trucks. A semi-truck carrying fireworks on the main highway going to Manehattan had caught on fire. We rushed out of the station with both ten-wheelers. You have to be prepared for anything.