Fire and Rescue [VHS]
Before the title screen even appears, the action has begun with an interrupted firehouse meal, the slide down the pole, and the engine's race to the scene of a building ablaze. Mike the firefighter guides kids through the process of becoming a firefighter, explains briefly and simply the equipment used, and takes viewers through a typical day. This 31-minute video was shot at a variety of station houses in New England and Trenton, New Jersey, using real firefighters and real situations. Whether it's putting out fires (with hoses, pickaxes, and ladder trucks), rescuing a boat-accident victim, or taking apart a smashed car to retrieve the injured driver, videomaker Fred Levine manages to show plenty of action while neatly avoiding any human injury that could be distressing to young children. For ages 4 and up, although vehicle enthusiasts as young as 2 will enjoy.--Kimberly Heinrichs