ANNOUNCER:
Uncle Sam's Forest Rangers!
ORCHESTRA:
QUARTET: RANGER SONG
ANNOUNCER:
The Forest Ranger of today is using every possible modern device and method of science and mechanics to aid him in the big job of managing and protecting the forests. Today's forester fights the treacherous forest fire with tractors, trucks, airplane and radio. Forest work, too, has kept pace, and the last several years have found improved roads and trails, extension of telephone lines -- even such things as emergency landing fields built in heretofore almost inaccessible parts of the National Forests; over a thousand short-wave radio sets linking together the lookout towers, the fire guard out to investigate the first wisp of smoke, ranger stations and forest supervisor's offices. But even though the Forest Ranger today may get over his district as often on the hurricane deck of a light truck as on a horse, the Ranger job still has plenty of thrills.
Our old friend Ranger Jim Robbins is like the other foresters -- he's more than willing to use all the advantages of modern science and engineering to help him in his manifold duties as protector and custodian of the Pine Cone Ranger District. And today we find that Jim needs all the help such things can give him . . . but that's jumping ahead of the story.
The story we're bringing you today opens on an unfamiliar scene -- the city room of a large American newspaper; downstairs the presses are rolling out the noon edition; now that the 11:30 deadline is past, two reporters are taking time out for a cigarette and a little conversation.
(NOISE OF CITY ROOM, CLACKING TYPEWRITERS, SHOUTS OF "COPY BOY")
REPORTER A:
How about some chow, my fine young friend?
REPORTER B:
No can do; I want to wind up my regular beat first - see? I'm supposed to relieve Sandy at the City-Hall-run about three.
REPORTER A:
You'll make it. Things are plenty quiet today; I've got a feeling I'm gonna go to sleep over this typewriter right after lunch. Where you heading now?
REPORTER B:
I want to drop in at the Forest Service - Regional Office, you know. Might pick up something there.
REPORTER A:
Yeah? Thought the forest fire season was over, these days?
REPORTER B:
Yeah, it is in this neck of the woods -- but the boys do more than fight fires, dumbell.
REPORTER A:
Yeah? What? - Plant trees? That ain't no front page story.
REPORTER B:
Depends on how you look at it. Anyhow, here I go - so long.
(INTERVAL - MUSIC)
REPORTER B:
Howdy there, Mr. Jameson. What's on the hook?
JAMESON:
Hi, Miller, Oh, not so much. Let's see -- the Regional Forester is going to speak at a meeting of the Associated Clubs.
REPORTER:
Luncheon? Maybe I'd better cover that.
JAMESON:
Okay by me -- I'll guarantee the food -- and the speech too.
REPORTER:
All right. It's a date.
JAMESON:
(RUSTLES THROUGH PAPERS) Well - let's see -- yep, here's a release for tomorrow's paper: "Forest Service officials meet in Spokane to start new Forest Equipment Laboratory."
REPORTER:
Now what?
JAMESON:
Equipment Laboratory. It's a brand new project, Miller. Lots of our field men have worked on the development of tools and types of equipment for our specialized jobs, so the Service decided to set up a place where they can raise their "brain children" with all the facilities necessary -- tools, expert machinists, scientists --
REPORTER:
Thanks, that sounds like a nice feature. Anything else?
JAMESON:
I guess that's about all right now.
(TELEPHONE RINGS)
JAMESON:
(TO TELEPHONE) Yes, Jameson speaking -- Who? Oh, yes put him on. -- Yes, hello, hello, this is Jameson. Hello Bert, how's things on the Forest? -- What's that? -- A plane, you say? -- What? -- With skis? I dunno -- guess I can fix it up, yeah, sure -- OK, go ahead -- Yes, yes -- uhuh, Okay. You bet! I'll call you back. If I can get it it'll be there in two hours. Okay. Call you right back. (HANGS UP)
REPORTER:
What's up?
JAMESON:
Wait a minute. (JIGGLES TELEPHONE HOOK) Hey, operator -- operator. Get me Main 2435. I'll hold on -- (TO REPORTER) There's a man in a cabin 20 miles from nowhere out on the Pine Cone District and he's been badly hurt. Now if we can -- (TO PHONE) Hello! Central Airways? (FADES OFF)
REPORTER:
Boy, this sounds like a front page story!
(INTERVAL - MUSIC)
JIM:
Bess, what do you think of this new ultra-short wave set? Type T they call it. Mighty good looking piece of machinery, isn't it?
BESS:
Jim, you know I don't know one radio from another. Is that another one of those special Forest Service sets?
JIM:
Yeah. We haven't had much chance to try it out yet. But the big advantage is that you can talk duplex on it, and --
BESS:
What does that mean, Jim?
JIM:
Duplex? Oh just that you can talk and listen at the same time, just like a regular telephone. You use a regulation french-type hand set, you see. Then, if you want, you can listen on the little loudspeaker here. Also, it uses a much smaller antenna than the other type sets -- hmm - it's almost 11 o' clock.
BESS:
What are you going to do at eleven?
JIM:
We sent another set just like this up to the Lone Lake Cabin, and --
BESS:
Is that where Jack Reynolds and Charlie MacMurdo are staying for that wild game winter survey?
JIM:
Yeah. Figured they were going to be snowed in some of the time this winter, way up there in the high country - so they might have time to make a few tests of the T set with me. Old Charlie'll know how to operate it -- he's been a radio bug on the side for years. Well, let's see if they're on.
(SNAPS SWITCH) PAUSE -
VOICE ON RADIO:
Calling TL 72, calling TL72, Calling TL72, this is TL 89 calling! Jim, if you're on, come back quickly, please. Urgent!
JIM:
Hmm, wonder what - Hello TL89, Hello TL89, this is TL72 coming back -- Jim speaking. What's your trouble, Charlie?
RADIO:
Plenty! Lucky thing we had this outfit, Jim. Jack Reynolds has been hurt. Tree snag crashed and fell on him; I think his hip's broken, and he's pretty bad off -- Just about used up my first aid kit on him. Jim, we've got to get him out of here right away, somehow!
JIM:
You bet, Charlie! Hold tight, now, I'll call the CCC camp and have them send out the camp doctor. They'll have to push through the snow with the tractors, I'm afraid. Gosh, it's gonna be tough getting there, Charlie.
RADIO:
Tell the sawbones that the accident occurred about an hour ago. I didn't find him right away, and he lost plenty of blood before I tied him up. Still bleeding, too.
JIM:
Hold that set of yours on standby, Charlie, so you'll get me when I call you again.
RADIO:
Okay, Jim.
BESS:
Oh, Jim, that's terrible! How can they ever get to him through all that snow?
JIM:
I don't know, Bess -- Where's Jerry?
JERRY:
(COMING UP) Coming up, Jim, I just heard the last of it, coming in the door. Sure tough, ain't it?
JIM:
Yeah. Get the CCC camp on the phone, Jerry. Tell 'em Jack's hurt bad. Tell 'em to get out the camp tractors and try to break through. Get all the men they've got on it.
JERRY:
Okay - Gosh, though Jim, if they can get through in twenty-four hours, they'll be doing well. That truck trail's snowed up pretty bad.
JIM:
I know it. It'd take a crew of men longer than that to bring 'im out on foot. - Hmm, wait a minute, Jerry - I've got an idea.
JERRY:
Huh?
JIM:
You know that emergency landing field we fixed up last year?
JERRY:
Yeah. Say, it's right near the cabin, ain't it?
JIM:
Yeah. Do you s'pose it's packed enough for an airplane to land on?
JERRY:
Gosh, I dunno, Jim. There's a lot of snow --
JIM:
I mean with skis instead of wheels -- Well, it's our only chance, I'm going to call up the Supervisor's office and have them get the Region to charter a plane. (RINGS PHONE) Hello -- hello -- long distance call to Willow Glen -- (FADEOUT)
(INTERVAL - MUSIC)
JIM:
Bess, this waiting is pretty tough! Wish I was on my way to that cabin now, doing something, instead of sitting here --
BESS:
If you hadn't been here, Jim --
JIM:
Bess, do you hear that?
(SOUND OF AIRPLANE MOTOR)
BESS:
Jim! It's the plane! It's the plane!
JERRY:
It's the plane all right - going right over the Station.
JIM:
I'll give Charlie another call -- Calling TL 89, Calling TL 89 - hello, Charlie. This is Jim speaking.
RADIO:
Hello, Jim. Any news?
JIM:
You bet, old man. The plane just passed over the Ranger Station.
RADIO:
I got you Jim, okay. That's sure great news. - Jack's grinning at me now -- as much as he can, poor fellow -- Wait! Say, I hear it, too.
JERRY:
Boy, they sure were travelling fast.
JIM:
Hmm - now if they can make a landing --
RADIO:
I can see it out of the window, Jim - she's circling; they've spotted us, all right -- There she comes -- skiis and all -- by George, Jim, she's making a perfect landing. -- Well, Jim, you sure pulled the trick for us all right -- gotta help 'em with Jack, now. So long!
JIM:
Well, Bess --
BESS:
(SIGHS) Thank goodness!
JERRY:
If you hadn't got that plane, Jim, I'm afraid we'd never have got him out alive.
JIM:
Nope, in the old days, now --
BESS:
Don't say it, Jim!
(INTERVAL - MUSIC)
(FADEIN AGAIN NOISE OF CITY ROOM)
VOICE:
(OFF) "Final Edition, Ski Plane rescues man snow trapped in mountains. Read all about it! Read all about it!"
REPORTER A:
So things were pretty quiet, eh, Miller, me lad?
REPORTER B:
Well --
REPORTER A:
Old man, that was a peach of a story -- and great pictures too. Say -- about that flash on the rescue you got in when the plane landed. How did you manage that?
REPORTER B:
Well, Reynold's partner MacMurdo, was testing out a new Forest Service radio. I got Ranger Jim Robbins on the line (he's the guy that arranged the whole deal - see?) and asked him to call in to the paper, collect. And he did, see?
REPORTER A:
So -- And I was the guy that wondered if Forest Rangers ever did anything except fight forest fires --
(FADE OUT)
ANNOUNCER:
Uncle Sam's Forest Rangers is presented by the National Broadcasting Company, with the cooperation of the United States Forest Service.