The River - Tales from Bark Mountain

In Bark Mountain, the river doesn’t care how strong you are.

The current rises fast, the water is cold, and in a moment everything can change.

In this episode of Tales from Bark Mountain, we follow Goose and the crew as they face one of their toughest river rescues yet… where the current is strong, the stakes are high, and every second matters.

When the call comes in, the crew doesn’t wait for perfect conditions. They don’t wait for the storm to pass. They move together. Boots hit  the ground, paws hit the water, hearts locked on one thing: bringing everyone back safely.

It’s about trust. It’s about courage. It’s about holding on—when letting go would be easier.

And when it matters most,

they’ll use everything they have…

to bring someone home.

This Tales from Bark Mountain episode was narrated by Steve Serbic

Music from Bensound.com

License code: JOMKAMTPZ2OJIAIF

Artist: : Benjamin Tissot

Check out goosethefiredog.com for pictures and more stories 

Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:15

Welcome to another tale from Bark Mountain. It was a warm afternoon in Bark Mountain, the kind of day where the sun shines just right, and the river looks calm enough to fool you. But rivers don't think, and they don't forgive. The dispatch tones rang throughout the hall in the Bark Mountain Firehall. Reports of children stranded on the rocks in the river near Pine Bend. One person possibly in the water. Copy that. Alright, crew. Gear up for a water rescue, Fire Chief Steve said. There was no rushing, just discipline. Like they had practiced a hundred times before. Life jackets came out, straps tightened, helmets clipped, and beside the engine, Goose stood ready. Chief Steve knelt down, fastening Goose's bright orange water rescue flotation vest. Alright, partner, let's go to work, Chief Steve said quietly. The trucks roared down the country road towards the river. As they pulled into the gravel parking lot near the river, the scene changed very fast. Three boys stood on the riverbank, soaked panic, shouting over the roar of the current. He went under. He got pulled in. He's down there. They were pointing down the river. Chief Steve's eyes carefully scanned downstream. He couldn't see anything. He looked at the fire crews and said, He must have gone around the bend. You stay here with the boys, I'm going downstream. Let's go, goose, he shouted. They got in Fire Chief Steve's truck, and they drove hard along the narrow road that followed the river's bend. And then they saw the young boy in the river, barely above the water, arms failing and drifting fast. Chief Steve punched his accelerator and raced further down the road. He got about a quarter of a mile down to the parking lot and pulled in. Let's go, Goose, he yelled. They jumped out of the truck and sprinted towards the river. But the current was roaring and moving fast. Too fast. The boy was gonna pass them until Chief Steve yelled Go, Goose, go. Goose didn't hesitate. He surged forward. His paws were pounding dirt and then he launched himself into the river. The current grabbed him immediately, but Goose fought it. Stroke by stroke his eyes were locked on the little boy moving quickly towards him. As soon as the boy came close, he grabbed on with all four of his paws. As Fire Chief Steve was running back to his truck, he saw the rescue truck heading towards him. He grabbed his radio and said, Drive past me. Go to the lookout. Goose is with the boy. You should be able to grab them with your ropes. The rescue truck responded with copy that heading to the lookout. Its lights came on and it raced down the river road, disappearing into the dust cloud it left behind. As they got to the lookout, they grabbed the ropes and they ran to the river. They could clearly hear goose barking upstream as he was frantically trying to hold on to the boy. Goose had all four of his paws wrapped around the little boy, and the little boy's two cold, shaking arms clung to goose. As they floated down the river, Goose kept barking, holding on but floating, fighting the current, and trying to get closer to shore. As the firefighters reached the bank, they could clearly see Goose and the boy coming their way. Firefighter Dazzle had the rope and she threw it as it arced through the air. Goose and the boy were coming close, and Tom yelled Bite the rope, Goose. Goose was looking frantically for it and then he saw it. For a moment he was unsure if he could grab it, and then everything slowed. Goose adjusted. He focused, he took a deep breath, and then he bit down hard on the line. Firefighter Dazil yelled pull. Tom and Dazil dug in, boots sliding, arms straining, pulling with everything they had. The current fought back, but Goose was kicking hard, and no one stopped, foot by foot, paw by paw, inch by inch, they brought the boy and goose closer. When Chief Steve arrived and drove into the parking lot, he could see they were pulling Goose and the boy onto the shore. Exhausted and shaking, but both were safe. The boy coughed and gasped, and then he hugged Dazzle and Tom. Goose lay beside him, soaked, breathing hard, but never taking his eyes off the little boy. Chief Steve knelt down beside them both, one hand on the boy and one hand on Goose. You're okay, he said to the boy. And he looked over at Goose with a smile. Good job, buddy. When the Bark Mountain firefighters perform a rescue, they know this to be true. They can't wait for perfect conditions. They have to go anyways, so they show up, they move fast, they use everything they have. Four paws steady in the storm, and courage that won't let go. They just keep holding on until everyone makes it safely back home. Thank you for listening. Please check out goose the fire.com for more stories and pictures. Every Sunday the crew gathers around for another tale from Bark Mountain. Please join us. Good morning, good day, good night, little firefighters everywhere.