Feeling Trapped - Tales from Bark Mountain

This episode of Tales from Bark Mountain, a routine elevator rescue becomes something much bigger. When a mother and her two young children become trapped inside a hot elevator for hours, the firefighters discover that sometimes the most important rescue isn’t opening the doors.

it’s helping the family feel safe while they wait. Through laughter, kindness, ice cream, stories, and the comforting presence of Goose the Fire Dog, one frightened family learns that even though they are stuck, they are never alone. 

This heartwarming story reminds us that courage grows when someone stays by our side, especially during life’s hardest moments.

Music from Bensound.com

License code: JOMKAMTPZ2OJIAIF

Artist: : Benjamin Tissot

Check out goosethefiredog.com for pictures and more stories 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:08

Welcome to another tale from Bark Mountain. The sun blazed over Bark Mountain, making it one of the hottest days anyone could remember. Most of the families huddled inside their homes to escape the heat, but Fire Chief Steve and the firefighters of Bark Mountain were ready at the fire hall for whatever call might come their way. The firefighters had the truck bay doors open and were sitting in the shadows to avoid the heat as a light breeze moved through the fire hall when the alarm bells sounded. Engine eleven, rescue eleven, family trapped in an elevator, the dispatcher said. As the firefighters got in their truck, they rolled down all the windows. Fire Chief Steve turned on his air conditioning in his truck as Goose jumped in beside him. It only took a few minutes for the trucks who drove down the country road into town to arrive at an apartment building. A manager waited outside. The manager explained that a mother with her two young children had been trapped in the elevator for over thirty minutes. First thing Fire Chief Steve noticed when he arrived is how hot it was, and he also realized it must be very hot inside that elevator. The firefighters grabbed their elevator rescue equipment and headed up the stairs. When they arrived at the fourth floor, they pried open the elevator doors to see where it was located. It was clearly stuck between the third and fourth floor. The firefighters could only crack open the doors a couple of inches, and they saw the fear on the mother's face and two small kids crying. Fire Chief Steve called the elevator technician, but he said it would be over an hour before he could get there. Dazzle was looking into the damage of the elevator and whether or not they could move it to rescue this family, and the rest of the firefighters were opening windows and doors on the fourth floor to try and create a breeze to alleviate how hot it was in that elevator. The mother inside the elevator, her two young children, Emma, who was six, and Noah, who was four, were really scared and now Fire Chief Steve had to break the news to them that they won't be able to get them out for at least an hour. They cracked open the doors enough. The kids continued crying as Fire Chief Steve spoke to the mother. I'm really sorry to tell you, but there's a problem with the shaft in this elevator. We can't move it to open the doors to get you guys out, but we have called for an elevator technician to see if we can lower the elevator and then we can pry the doors open far enough to be able to get you and your family into the hallway. The mother thanked Fire Chief Steve and the firefighters for everything they were doing to try and get her family out. The firefighters gave the family cold water and were hoping that would help stop the kids from crying, but it didn't. Forrest said I have an idea, I'll be back in ten minutes. He walked down the stairs across the street to the corner store, and he bought three ice cream sandwiches. On the way back past the fire truck he grabbed two goose the fire dog stuffies and made his way back up to the fourth floor. The firefighters pried the doors open again, and Forrest handed both kids a stuffy and an ice cream sandwich. It worked. They stopped crying. The mum said thank you. Forrest could feel the heat inside the elevator and he was concerned. Fire Cheese Steve and the firefighters huddled up and discussed a plan. They realized they need to keep those doors cracked open until the elevator technician gets there. So they went down and got special rescue tools that held the doors open six inches. The firefighters then set up two fans and even though there wasn't very much cold air, at least it was creating a breeze inside the elevator. With the elevator doors open six inches, the firefighters could now communicate with the family. After about an hour, the elevator technician arrived. He explained that the lifting mechanism inside the elevator shaft has broken. He told the firefighters the elevator is not safe to move. It's going to take me at least two to three hours before I can get it stable and you will be able to move it. The hallway where the firefighters were standing fell silent. They could hear Noah starting to cry again. Emma's small voice drifted through the narrow opening between the doors. Are we gonna be okay? she said. Fire Chief Steve walked up and said. Yes you are. We're doing everything we can to get you out. It's just gonna take us some time. And there's some good news, he said. What's that? Emma said, while her little brother cried in the background. You've got the entire Bark Mountain Fire Department spending the afternoon with you. Emma giggled. So then we're not alone? Not for one minute, Fire Chief Steve said. And as the temperature started to climb, the firefighters did everything they could to keep the family cool. They kept giving them ice cold water and making sure the fans were creating a breeze within the elevator. But the fans were only able to circulate the air and not cool it down, and it remained extremely hot inside the elevator. The elevator technician updated Fire Chief Steve that he was working hard, but this was a very challenging situation. He was still an hour away from stabilizing the shaft so the firefighters could move the elevator. When Noah started to cry, the firefighters decided the only way to distract them would be to entertain them. Tom started to tell stories about goose chasing squirrels around the fire hall. The kids laughed. Firefighter Izzy made animal sounds until both kids started laughing so hard they forgot they were in an elevator. And then Forrest found himself making shadow puppets on the hallway wall. The kids were fully entertained. Every few minutes Chief Steve knelt beside the opening. You're doing a great job, mum. She smiled with her tired eyes. I'm trying, she said. I know you are, and your kids feel safe because you're staying calm. She smiled again. The firefighters were doing a good job of keeping the kids entertained. Firefighter Jake ran to the corner store, got a travel magazine for the mum to read while she was waiting, and the kids two juice boxes. I hope this will help pass the time, Jake said. The mum smiled. Thank you so much, she said. As the hours stretched on and the heat increased, Fire Chief Steve noticed little Noah beginning to grow quiet. He wasn't crying anymore, but he still looked really scared. Far Chief Steve looked down at Goose. I think it's your turn, buddy. Goose barked and wagged his tail. Far Chief Steve asked the mum if the kids liked dogs. Emma screamed, We love dogs. The firefighters carefully lured Goose into the elevator. As soon as Goose reached the elevator floor, he walked over to Emma and gave her a big lick on the cheek, and then sat beside Noah. Within seconds, Noah wrapped both of his arms around Goose's neck. Emma also leaned in against Goose's soft fur. After a few minutes, Goose rested his head across both of the children's laps and let out a long, peaceful sigh. Silly goose, Forrest said, and both children laughed. For the next hour, Goose stayed right beside those kids. Sometimes his tail wagged, sometimes he licked away a tear, but mostly he just stayed close to both of them. The elevator technician came back to the firefighters and said, I think I have everything stabilized where we should be able to move the elevator a few feet so we can open the doors. The firefighters got all their tools in place as they were ready to lower the elevator. On my count, Forrest said. One, two, three. The elevator technician and the firefighters worked seamlessly together to slowly lower the elevator foot by foot, until Tom on the third floor says stop, that's enough. We can open the doors now. All the firefighters then went down to the third floor with their equipment, and they told the family that they'd be opening the doors and to wait until they told them they can come out. They used all of their tools to stabilize the elevator so when they opened the doors it wouldn't move. And then at last the doors opened. The children rushed out, hugging every firefighter one by one, and then they turned and hugged Goose the longest. As the mum stepped out soaked in sweat, wiping away the tears. You all worked so hard, not just on trying to get us out of the elevator, but entertaining my two kids. Thank you so much, the mum said. Fire Chief Steve smiled. You're so welcome. It's what we love to do, he said. As the family walked safely into the cooler evening air, Emma turned back and waved, and then she yelled, My brother and I stop being afraid because you all stayed with us. Thank you so much. We love you, goose, and both of the kids giggled. As the firefighters watched the family walk down the sidewalk and disappear down the road, they knew this to be true. Sometimes people become trapped in elevators, and sometimes they become trapped by fear, sadness, or feeling they're facing life alone. But no one has to stay stuck there. The greatest rescues of all don't just open doors. They bring hope. They stay beside you, and they remind you that you're never alone.

SPEAKER_00 10:29

Thank you for listening. Please check out goostofired.com for more stories and pictures. Every Sunday the crew gathers around for another tale from Mark Mountain. Please join us. Good morning, good day, good night, little firefighters everywhere.