Foduck is a smart, brave, proud and kind tugboat, who cares about safety- he cares about the safety of his friends, and he cares about the safety of the Big Harbour, and he cares about the safety of any visitors who come. His main job is to put out fires with his powerful hose, although he does other things as well to ensure that the other tugboats are safe and happy doing their work.
However, one summer brought on a lot of hot weather, and with hot weather, as Foduck is so fond of reminding his friends, is the increased risk of fire.
"Honestly, Foduck! We know- you told us tha for the millionth time!" George growled, with a whirr in his smokestack. "We can take care of ourselves!"
"But it's my job to protect you!" Foduck argued, hurt by George's rudeness. "This heatwave is bringing on a lot of fire, you know."
"Tell me about it!" Shivered Hank in fright, remembering a fire in Dock 9- he had become trapped whilst messing around, and Foduck had rescued him once Theodore had raised the alarm. "He saved me from the Dock 9 fire, George! You can't just assume we can always take care of ourselves in an emergency!"
"Hank's right," Emily said sternly, fixing George with her stare. "Now apologise to Foduck."
"I don't see why I should, when I'm right!" Sniffed George contemptuously, glaring at the rescue tugboat, as if daring him to argue his point. On hearing silence, he added, pompously "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have jobs to get done."
Foduck was upset by this turn of events, but Emily and Hank felt sorry for their friend.
"Cheer up, Foduck," Said Emily, kindly. "George will see sense soon enough, and he'll see how important you are."
Foduck felt better on hearing this. "Thanks, Emily," He said. "You're right."
"You're welcome!" Emily beamed, feeling very happy indeed that her friend felt much better following George's rudeness towards him.
So the tugboats carried on with their jobs as usual. Hank did maintenance (not safety maintenance- he did bumper duty and other things like that.) Emily and George helped bigger ships and left the Big Harbour as required, and Theodore did his work too.
Foduck carried out safety checks, still wondering how he could prove George wrong and show that he was needed to protect his friends and the Big Harbour from fire.
But by the time noon came, Foduck still hadn't thought of a way to prove his worth to George.
...
It was at 9 minutes past one when he was immediately summoned to the Dispatcher the Pearl the Pilot boat, who told him it was an emergency, but being the stubborn little pilot boat she was, she refused to tell him anything.
"Just ask the Dispatcher!" She grumbled, and Foduck had to obey, feeling confused as to what was going on.
"Why would she not tell me where or what this emergency is?" He asked himself philosophically as he zoomed over to the Dispatcher.
...
The Dispatcher hadn't managed to answer that question, but he had something more urgent in mind for Foduck- his mission.
"There's a fire near Lilly Lighthouse." The Dispatcher informed him. "Theodore is ensuring that all ships and boats avoid that area until the fire has been extinguished."
"How was it started, sir?" Foduck asked, hoping it wouldn't be the 'a' word.
"Sunlight was magnified through Lilly's windows and the concentrated beam set some dry grass alight. You'd better hurry there as quickly as possible, Foduck."
"Right sir- I'm on it." And he sped off to the rescue, relieved that it wasn't arson- at least.
...
Foduck smelt the fire before he saw it- thick, pungent clouds hit his nose and his eyes watered at how overwhelming it was.
He saw his good friend Theodore was indeed zipping round Willy Island, warning others to stay away from the fire.
And then he saw it.
It was bright red, orange and yellow burning the grass by Lilly. The poor lighthouse was fiercely fretting over her plight, whilst Theodore called reassurances up to her- until he saw his friend.
"Foduck- boy, are we glad to see you!" He exclaimed in relief. "We're in really big trouble!"
"I can see that," Relied Foduck. "Don't worry, Lilly! I'm here to save you!"
"Well hurry up!" Lilly cried haughtily. "It's far too hot!"
Foduck aimed his water hose at the fire, and fired-
But nothing came out.
This puzzled the two tugs.
"Try again," Urged Theodore. Foduck agreed, and tried again- but like before, nothing happened. This time, he heard a strange squeaky noise.
"Here, I'll go round the side see what's wrong, Foduck- you try again." The little tug suggested.
"Good idea, Theodore."
So Foduck tried again, whilst Theodore examined the hose at the side. It appeared to be jammed.
"Foduck, your hose- it's stuck!" He called. "Now what are we going to do?"
The safety tug could see that Theodore was feeling frightened, and he felt uneasy himself. This had never happened before.
"Maybe we should tell the Dispatcher!" Theodore said suddenly, but this made Foduck panic.
"No, Theodore- we can't! It's my job to get rid of the fire! What will he say if I don't put it out?"
So the two friends thought and thought. There was no way to get water from the sea to the island quickly enough; Foduck was the only tug with a hose; and they didn't know anyone from the air either.
All the while, the fire engulfed Willy's Island and all Foduck could do was stand there numbly and watch it ravish the dry, dead grass and char it beyond recognition.
"Wait!" Theodore shouted suddenly. "I have an idea!"
"What is it, Theodore?" Foduck asked urgently. "I must know!"
"What about Rosie, the assistant coastguard vessel? I heard that coastguard ships are sometimes used to fight fires, and Constance is still able to keep both duties going for the time being!"
"Theodore, you're brilliant!" Foduck exclaimed. "But we need to get her quickly!"
"I'll go!" Theodore called, zipping away to find her, whilst Foduck stayed- though there wasn't much he could do.
...
"Goodness gracious, that's some fire!" Rosie exclaimed in alarm, as she arrived at the scene with Theodore. "Never mind, I'll put it out in a jiffy!"
...
It took about ten or fifteen jiffies, but at last, Rosie extinguished the fire with her own hose, used in case people were stranded with wild campfires.
"That should do it! You two okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, we're fine- thank you, Rosie." Theodore answered, but Foduck felt ashamed- he had let the Dispatcher down by being unable to put the fire out.
...
The Dispatcher was waiting for them in his usual spot as Rosie and Theodore came in, followed by a subdued Foduck.
"Ah, how did it go?" The Dispatcher asked him, which made the rescue tug gulp.
"Well, sir, I...I didn't put the fire out." He confessed. "Rosie did."
"Why? I asked you, Foduck."
So poor Foduck explained about his hose, hoping the Dispatcher wouldn't be too cross.
"Well," Said the Dispatcher. "It appears you didn't attend your inspection appointment yesterday, Foduck."
"Oh!" Foduck exclaimed, alarmed. "I forgot!"
"Now, you aren't to blame for your hose getting jammed, but if something like this happens again, you must tell me," The Dispatcher chided gently. "These things do happen, and it wouldn't change your job, Foduck- but I could have gotten alternative solutions sorted quickly. That fire was very large and very damaging. If it hadn't been for Theodore's quick thinking, the damage would have been significantly worse."
Foduck knew the Dispatcher was right.
"Yes sir." He said, quietly. "It wouldn't happen again."
...
"Don't worry, Foduck. I know you didn't mean for it to happen." Theodore said that night, in a kind voice.
Emily and George were away for a few days- George was heading for France, and Emily was going to Belgium, so the two harbour tugs were allowed to sleep in the same dock with Foduck until their return to keep him company, as the four vessels had since been relocated.
"Thanks Theodore, but I still feel terrible. I'm just glad you were there to help me." Foduck replied earnestly.
"Well, so long as you have the inspections and ensure that you tell the Dispatcher is amiss then you'll be fine." Theodore reassured, smiling at his firefighting friend.
"Hey, thanks Theo. Good night."
"You're welcome. Good night, Foduck."