Early in the Morning,
Christmas Morning has arrived in Pontypandy. The Fire Station was all dark and the vehicles were resting after a busy night on Christmas Eve. The Firefighters were happy to enjoy a Christmas Eve dinner with the good people of Pontypandy. The tree was decorated and Jupiter was decorated as well. Penny was asleep in her quarters which sat near the Fire Station Kitchen. She woke up early to see Station Officer Steele in his office wide awake. "Erm... Sir? What are you doing up early?" she asked her senior officer.
"Good Morning, Firefighter Morris... Slept well?"
"Yes, sir. Especially if we have been hard at work."
"Yes. Well, that's true."
"Apart from that... What brings you to your office?"
"Haven't you heard, Penny? Christmas has arrived in Pontypandy!"
"You're joking!"
"See for yourself! Oh... By the way... It did snow. Better check the heaters."
"Roger that, sir. Erm... Would the heaters be at the back of the station?"
"Yep. Better bundle up. I'd get your Coat on with gloves if I were you."
"Got it, sir."
"That's the Spirit! Good luck."
Penny went out to grab her turnout coat and her gloves before she grabbed the toolbox. She went out to the back of the station. While she did that, she got her phone and put on her favorite playlist before putting in her earbuds (AirPods) and put on a classic playlist of Christmas Songs. She picked one that made her Christmas Spirit rise to a new level. She decided to sing along to it.
"You better watch out"
"You better not cry"
"You better not pout"
"I'm telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town"
"He's making a list"
"He's checking it twice"
"He's going to find out"
"Who's naughty or nice, Santa Claus is coming to town"
"He sees you when you're sleeping"
"He knows when you're awake"
"He knows if you've been bad or good"
"So be good for goodness sake"
"You better watch out"
"You better not cry"
"You better not pout"
"I'm telling you why, Santa Claus is coming to town"
Penny was now singing Christmas music while fixing the heaters in the Fire Station. Everyone else was bundled up in their blankets because of the heat issue in the station. Elvis was especially cold because he looked like he held his blanket too close to help keep him warm. Ellie was asleep despite her wrist needing extra care. She had ways of keeping it from getting worse. Sam was half-asleep as he felt the cold air in the station. He then woke up to the heating system being shut down for a while. "That's odd. The heat is never off at this time of winter." He thought silently.
The lead firefighter decided to check it out. He slipped on his Fire Station Uniform while Everyone else was asleep and went outside to find the station officer. He then heard singing from outside of the Station. He can hear Penny singing her Christmas Playlist.
"Dashing through the snow,"
"In a one-horse open sleigh."
"O'er the fields we go,"
"Laughing all the way."
"Bells on bobtails ring,"
"Making our spirits bright."
"What fun it is to ride and sing"
"A sleighing song tonight."
Sam looked out the window to see his colleague working on the power supply to the fire station. He saw that there was snow on the Fire Station Balcony. He had an idea to get her attention. Sam quietly picked up some snow and used his hands to make a snowball before he quickly ran to the Window he was at before and decided to launch it without her noticing. He launched it and it hit her right in the head. "What the?!" She said looking around.
Penny felt some snow on her head before she brushed it off. She continued fixing the heaters. What she didn't know was that Sam made another snowball and was standing at the door to the Garage. He fired a snowball at her again. It was another hit and he was quick enough to hide again. "Who the?! Who keeps throwing snowballs at me?! If that's you again, Elvis... We're gonna have a word later! I'll get you back!" She said thinking it was Elvis.
Sam heard her but she didn't see him. He quickly made the third snowball before he slowly tiptoed to the back of the station and he saw that Penny had a snowball ready but he thought it was for Elvis. He decided to go for it and get her a third time. As he brought his arm back, Penny saw the reflection and quickly fired her snowball. "Gotcha, Elvis!" Penny shouted as the snowball hit Sam sending him towards a pile of Snow.
"Ah... Goodness me... Penny!"
"Oh my goodness... Sam... I thought it was Elvis who threw these snowballs. I am so sorry... You ok?"
"Yeah... Whew... Needed that today."
"Sure, you did. What are you doing out here?"
"Just seeing what you were up to. Fixing the heaters?"
"Yeah. Station Officer Steele said that the heaters went out while we were asleep. For some reason, the thing won't start. There's nothing wrong with it other than the switch."
"Did you check the Filter?"
"Uh... No. Why?"
"Look at this. It needs to be changed."
"Sam... How did you?"
"Beats me... I did this to the house a few times."
"Ok. Let's get the heat on and we'll have the station warm in no time."
Sam and Penny spent the next few minutes working on the Generator. They cleaned out the filter to the generator and then tried turning it on again before they heard the generator turn on slowly before it finally restored power to the station. The heat was finally back on and power was now fully restored. "There we are. Power's finally back." Remarked Penny as the two entered the Station Garage.
"Yeah. And we finally managed to fix the heat too. I can feel it as we pass through this floor."
"Now, this station will be nice and warm."
"I bet Elvis will enjoy the heat. He doesn't like it when it gets too cold."
"We've been there, Sam."
"Yep. That was before Ellie and Arnold joined."
"How about a nice cup of tea and a breakfast to start Christmas Morning?"
"Done."
As the two firefighters went upstairs, Penny's phone rang. It was her cousin Annie. She was wide awake this Christmas Morning but Penny wasn't sure why. "Hi, Annie. What's up?" Penny asked.
"P-P-P-P-Penny?" Annie asked shivering.
"Annie? What's wrong?"
"Y-you-you need to come to my farm... I-i-i-it's freezing... N-no heat... P-P-P-P-Possible Fire risk..."
"Annie. Are you snowed in?"
"Y-y-y-yes."
"Ok. Hang tight, Annie. Help is on the way. We'll be there."
Annie nodded and hung up before Penny walked up to where Sam was. He seemed concerned when he heard the conversation. He decided to ask Penny about her conversation with Annie. "Everything OK, Penny?" He asked.
"No. Annie's snowed in. She's tired and freezing out there in the snow. We're going to need everyone for this one. Grab some Hand Warmers, a flask of hot tea, and a Blanket. We're now responding to an emergency."
"I didn't even get the kettle on!"
"Ok... Well, uh... Let's get the Police out there and see what they have. Let's go!"
"Roger that, Penny."
Sam wasted no time rushing to Station Officer Steele's office. He knew that Penny's cousin was in danger because of the freezing temps in the snow. The station officer was out in the kitchen when Sam activated the station alarm. Ellie and Elvis woke up and rushed to get their gear on. Arnold joined them too. Sam grabbed the Microphone and informed them of the emergency. "Annie's farm is snowed in and the heat has gone out leaving Annie freezing in the cold weather!" Sam announced.
"We're going to need air support and Police assistance, Sam."
"You're right, Penny. You and Elvis take Venus! Jason, Arnold, and I will be in Jupiter! Ellie will follow in the Fire Service Ambulance!"
"Roger that, Sam!"
"Forget bringing Jupiter, Sam! We're also going to need Phoenix!" Arnold reminded him.
"You're right, Arnold! You take Phoenix! Jason and I will go ahead in Jupiter!"
"Roger that, Sam!"
The team rushed to the station garage behind Elvis who was grabbing his search and rescue gear. Arnold and Sam grabbed their Animal Rescue gear. Penny, Ellie, and Jason grabbed their fire and rescue turnout gear before they all rushed to their vehicles and drove off with Ellie in the Fire Service Ambulance ahead of Elvis and Penny who were in Venus. Sam and Jason were using the 2003 appliance for Jupiter while the other one was in Newtown for a Re-fit. Arnold followed behind in Phoenix. Sam decided to have Jason pick up the radio and help Sam call the Police and Air Support. "Pontypandy Fire Service calling Police and Air Support! Tom? Krystyna? Sergeant Ravani? We're going to need your assistance! Annie's farm is snowed in and the heat has gone out leaving Annie freezing in the cold weather!" Sam radioed.
"Roger that! We're on our way, Sam!" Replied Rose.
"I'm on my way!" Krystyna answered.
"Got it! And on my way!" Tom replied.
The Fire crews arrived first with Sam taking charge. They surveyed the scene looking for anything that can be risky for the Police and Fire Services. There wasn't much but the snow needed to be cleared. Penny was surprised to see her cousin's farm snowed in like Pontypandy Mountain. "Whoa! This looked like when Norman Price went missing on Pontypandy Mountain." Remarked Penny.
"I know, Penny." Sam replied.
"How do we find Annie in this weather?" Elvis asked.
"This is going to be a busy day." Ellie pointed out.
"Ellie's right. We need to think of something." Arnold reminded Sam.
"Right! Ellie and Arnold, you start searching the Animal pens. Arnold... You check on the animals until Lizzie gets here. Elvis, I need you to search the area! Take Penny with you. Jason and I will check the buildings." Said Sam formulating a Plan.
"Roger that, Sam!" They all replied.
The team went their separate ways. Sam and Jason went to check on the rest of the area until backup arrived. He knew Annie was in danger of freezing and at risk of Hypothermia. Penny was out with Elvis and they searched the snow digging every hole but have had no luck. Sam was checking the adjacent buildings when he saw Police and Air Support arrive. "Any luck, Sam?" Malcolm asked.
"Nothing yet. Uh... Penny got a call from Annie who was somewhere in this area in the cold weather."
"Where do we think she is?"
"I don't know."
"We need to find her before the storm sets in. We have word from NATS (National Air Traffic Service) and the Met Office that a Snowstorm is setting in."
"Good grief... Just what I don't want."
"Sam! Over here! By the Animal Pens!" Ellie called.
"Malcolm, Grab some hot tea! Penny and I have everything else!"
"Roger that, Sam!" Malcolm replied.
Sam and his crew rushed over to where Ellie was before she directed them to where she saw something. Ellie showed them what she saw. A signal was being sent from a distance. Sam and the others watched as the signals continued. "S-O-S... It sounds like an Emergency Signal. Look! It's out by the mill!" Malcolm pointed out.
"Let's move!"
"Wait a minute, Sam... That slope right there is too Dangerous for Jupiter or Phoenix to drive down." Malcolm advised.
"You're right, PC Malcolm. Good thinking. Right... New plan. We get Tom to bring us up and Krystyna will fly back here from the airport with extra supplies to clear the snow. The question is... How did Annie get stuck in her farm?"
"Your guess is as good as mine."
"What's that cloud over there, Sam?" Ellie asked.
"Hmm... It's not from a storm."
"It can't be..."
"Sam! It's Krystyna! Can you hear me?" Radioed the Airplane pilot.
"Go ahead, Krystyna. Sam here!"
"I see smoke Signals coming from the barn!"
"Ok. We have an Emergency confirmed in our sights. Krystyna... Head back to the airport and get some spades to clear the snow. Bring Snowplows for Jupiter and Phoenix. Venus has Snow Tyres which we can use."
"Roger that, Sam!"
"Tom! I'm going to need a harness! Get me as close as you can to the barn!"
"On my way, Sam! Be with you in a moment!" Replied Tom.
"Penny? Elvis? Get ready to help Jason and Arnold with the Snowplows! Krystyna is heading back to get some from the airport with spades!"
"Annie could be down there injured and freezing. We have to get to her and Fast!"
"But how?"
"If we can get Tom to bring me up and I fly just a few metres that way towards the smoke signals, I can start digging and get Annie to safety. Ellie... Head back to the Ambulance and get ready to follow Jupiter and Phoenix. Malcolm, where's Sergeant Ravani?"
"She went to get the flask of tea you needed."
"Right..."
"Sam. It's Tom! I think you might be better off taking Mercury! Did you bring Mercury?" Tom radioed.
"Negative, Tom. I'll send Elvis back with you to get her!"
"Got ya, Sam."
"Elvis! Get up in the Air with Tom and fly back to the Fire Station! We need Mercury!"
"Roger that, Sam!" Elvis replied.
Elvis flew back with Tom to the Fire station to pick up the Quad Bike that the fire service uses on any terrain. They needed Mercury to make this rescue possible. While Elvis and Tom flew back to the station, the rest of the team moved in on the snow-covered barn. They had a moment to think before Sam came up with an idea. "Penny! Grab the Skis from Jupiter! I got an idea!" He ordered.
"Ok, Sam."
"What's your plan?" Malcolm asked the lead firefighter.
"We're going to ski from here. Penny and I did some training a few years ago."
"How do you suggest that?"
"If we can get across from here downhill, zigzag across the trees, and leap across the river to the barn, we can be able to dig our way to the door and get Annie to safety."
"That would work."
Penny came back with the skis and both Sam and Penny got them on before they grabbed their spades, bags, and helmets before they were soon fully ready to start skiing. Sam remembered the last time they used skis to rescue Norman, Mandy, and Sarah from an Avalanche. "OK, Penny. Let's go!" Said Sam as he set off to rescue her cousin.
Penny followed Sam across the snow with her skis. Malcolm and Ellie watched as they saw how good they were at skiing when it snows in Pontypandy. They were amazed and waited for more supplies for the rest of the crew to catch up. Penny and Sam made their way as they planned zig-zagging through the trees, leaping across the river, and making it to the barn which was snowed in. They came to a stop just shy of the door. "Annie! It's Fireman Sam! Can you hear me?" Sam asked.
"Sam?"
"Yes, it's me and Penny! Are you alright?"
"I'm f-f-f-f-f-fine... I-i-i-i-i-i'ts just so c-c-cold."
"Just hang tight, Annie! We'll soon have you out of there!"
"What's the latest, Sam?"
"Penny? It's ok. Annie's not hurt. But she's stuck in the barn. We're going to need to dig our way through."
"What about the window up there?"
"Hmm... It's worth a try. But we'll need Saturn to locate exactly where she is."
"Ellie... Launch Saturn towards the barn! We're going to need to find out where she is so that we can rescue her!" Penny radioed.
"Got it, Penny. I'm on it."
Ellie rushed over to Venus and launched their new drone before she picked up the remote controls and steered Saturn towards her colleagues. The Heat sensors were essential to find Penny's cousin and it worked on search and rescue missions. Ellie found Penny's cousin right near where Penny discovered the window. "I got her, Penny. She's just east of your location inside the building. It looks like there's smoke coming from there. Is there a Fire?" Ellie radioed back.
"I don't know. I'm going in."
Penny rushed into the barn which was not on fire. She went in up a snow drift and through an open window seeing the mess in the barn. As she made her way down to the ground floor, she saw where the smoke was coming from. Apparently, her cousin got a fire going to keep warm but it wasn't enough. "Ah. Annie. There you are. Are you ok?" Her cousin asked.
"I'm fine, Penny... It's just cold here without the heat on."
"I see... We've been trying to get you out of there but the window was a better option. Shame Sam is busy digging his way through. Anyway... let's get you to safety. It'll be nice and warm in Venus."
"Ok, Penny."
Penny helped her cousin to safety and they both made it out of the barn once the fire was out. Sam managed to clear a path and finish the job before he went to find where the heater was. As the two cousins walked down the snow drift, Malcolm led an escort of Fire and Police Vehicles to the scene with Elvis not far on Mercury. They arrived and Ellie led them to the Fire Service Ambulance. Rose had a cup of tea ready for Penny's cousin and Malcolm went to find Sam. "Ah. Malcolm. Thanks for the assist. I think that last night's snowstorm may have caused the heat to go out. Annie did try to fix that herself but it didn't work out that well." Sam informed the Police Constable.
"Hmm... Funny enough. We had the same problem at the Police Station. Sergeant Ravani went to fix it herself. All while I was there."
"We had the same thing at the Fire Station. Penny was asked by Station Officer Steele to re-fit the heating to the station. Thankfully enough, the heat came back on when I helped her."
"Sergeant Ravani managed to get it going herself. The heat's on again at the station now."
"It looks like this heating system needs a lot of repairs. I'll give Mike a call at the Fire Station."
"Alright. And the smoke signals?"
"Oh. She had a fire going. She knew how to do it properly. Penny got her out of there before I did."
"You didn't know about an open window?"
"No. I did not."
"Right..."
As the lead firefighter and Police Officer discussed what happened, Penny was with her cousin as she was keeping warm with a blanket and a cup of tea. They were out by the Ambulance as Ellie was checking over Annie. Rose was helping too as the Firefighters forgot to put the kettle on at the station. "Thanks for the assist on the flask of tea, Sergeant." Penny thanked Rose.
"It's the least we could do, Penny."
"Yeah. Shame we forgot to get ours ready."
"Hmm... That explains it. At least PC Malcolm and I get the kettle on before our shift starts."
"Yep. That is true."
"How's your cousin?"
"She's doing alright. Nothing but a cup of tea, a warm blanket, and a new heating system won't fix."
"I see. I just got off with Station Officer Steele. I was thinking we can have a Christmas Party at the station together. Fire and Police."
"What about Annie?"
"She's invited too. Besides, I think it would help if we all had somewhere there is warm air."
"Ah... Right."
The two walked back to the Ambulance while Elvis, Jason, and Arnold cleared a path for them to return to Pontypandy. Roadside vehicles were helping them clear the roads across town and all over the UK. Annie looked up at her cousin and Rose whilst Ellie was completing her paperwork. "I'm sorry to call you, Penny... I tried getting through but my phone was low on battery. If I called 999, I would've lost my phone battery." Annie apologized.
"Annie... It's not your fault. You should always remember to have your phone charged but also remember to charge it carefully."
"I know..."
"And it's essential to always call 999 in an emergency, Annie." Rose reminded Annie.
"I understand, Sergeant."
"Hmm... Tell you what. Station Officer Steele and the Police are having a Christmas Party at the Fire Station later. I'll bring you along in Venus and we can be together as a family. Nothing is better than being with family for the holidays."
"You really think so, Penny?"
"Of course, Annie. Oh, and Miss Pawdry is coming along too. Where is that cat anyway?"
"She's gone off to the Ocean Rescue Centre. Last I heard from Ben."
"Alright. Well... That's enough for one day. Let's get back to the station." Sam advised as he and Malcolm returned.
The crew loaded up their tools and Annie collected her bags and her Christmas Presents before handing them to Rose who kept them safe. Annie followed her cousin to Venus as Sam led the charge on Mercury. Elvis took over in Jupiter with Jason as the Firefighters and Police Officers returned to the Fire Station. Penny was hoping that Station Officer Steele was right about the Christmas Party at the Fire Station.