The Volunteers

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## Briefing

After a fire at a chemical depot, tankers full of chlorine gas have no choice but to make a trek across California to another depot equipped to handle the volatile gas. Jon, Ponch and Turner volunteer to escort the trucks to make sure they get there without incident.

## Report

Jon arrives at their pre-determined meeting place and Ponch is early for once. Jon wonders if his watch is slow, and Ponch tells him he's been working on this punctuality. A woman jogger runs up to Ponch and talks in code, Jon doesn't understand it and Ponch explains it.

An APB goes out that another patrol officer Turner, is in pursuit of a robbery suspect in a stolen t-bird, Jon responds to the call. The pursuit takes them to a Newhall Chemical Depot, where they chase around the grounds until the car hits another car and rolls over. A fire starts and Jon and Ponch get the driver out before the car explodes.

A group from the Davis Chemical Trucking Co., are worried about the heat the fire is generating and their tankers will go up like an H-bomb if they don't move out.

After the fire department has taken care of the fire, Getraer has arrived to take care of the situation. He requires three volunteers to escort the tankers. Turner volunteers and Jon and Ponch both volunteer each other.

The tankers were there to deliver a highly volatile chlorine gas that when exposed to heat becomes unstable. They arrived during the night when it was cooler but the fire has prevented them from delivering the gas and the heat of the daytime is rising. They have to travel to another depot that can take the gas but it involves traveling some distance to get there. Getraer tells them they'll take the back roads since they're less congested.

Ponch bumps into Robbie, while she's polishing her truck, she gives him a feminist speech. Jon arrives and tells her she's the prettiest little truck driver he's seen.

Jon rides at the front of the convoy with Turner while Ponch rides ahead to block any oncoming traffic.

Some locals in a pick up are taking pot shots at anything, Leo points his rifle at the convoy but one of them spots a flammable sticker on the side. The man at the back radio's they're there and Turner tells them to slow down to let them pass.

Jon has now gone ahead to block traffic and the pick up truck passes him, he tells Ponch not to pursue as he would be too exposed to the rifle. Ponch rides ahead to block traffic.

The pick up is driving on and Leo wants to take more pot shots at things but Pete tells him not to. When he doesn't listen, Pete goes to grab him but loses control of the truck as he does so and causes a pile up.

A truck carrying dangerous animals crashes and one of the cages on the back fall off. A Sheriff's car also crashes and rolls over.

Jon and the convoy arrive at the scene and Jon goes to check on everyone. He finds the pick up truck tipped on its side their friend is injured inside the cab, Jon tells him someone will be with him soon.

The cage that fell off the truck houses a tiger that soon escapes from its cage. Screams are heard not far away and Jon and Ponch go to investigate. The tiger has ended up in a supermarket, Jon goes to the meat counter while Ponch gets on the shelves. Jon throws steaks at Ponch who in turn throws them at the tiger, he throws them so it leads the tiger in the store room. Once in, Ponch jumps down and shuts the door. Despite rescuing his wife the owner isn't happy that Jon throw fillet steak instead of the cheap cuts of meat.

Charley isn't happy with the delay and chews out Jon and Ponch over it. Robbie tells her father that it's not their fault and not to take it out on them. She tells him that she'll only be happy once he retires from trucking. Charley tells her that he can't stop driving and it's in his blood, it's the only time he's lied to her, however he does want her to stop driving and wants this to be her last job. She tells him she can't and that she's her fathers daughter.

Baricza tells them that it will take 30 minutes to clear the area. Jon tells him they'll take the alternative route instead. Ponch tells Turner to get the convoy turned around and they head on down the alternative route.

Jon radios Ponch to tell him they've got a problem, then radios Turner to tell the convoy to stop, there's a barricade on the road. The town folk don't want them going through their area with the volatile gas. Ponch tells them the dangers of leaving the trucks in the sun, and if they go another alternative route it would take too long. After some disagreements the towns folk decide to let them through.

Robbie is having trouble with her engine and her father notices. The road they are traveling on is prone to landslides and although minor at first they come to a slide that's poured large boulders on the road. Bobbie is still having problems with her tanker and keeps rolling back into the wall of some loose soil. The loose soil hits the back of her tanker. Jon and Ponch along with the rest of the truckers are clearing the land slide. Charley asks where Robbie is and is told she's trying to fix her engine. A rock on the wall Robbie hits falls on her tanker and hits the switch at the back, Robbie notices the gas escaping and goes to close the leaking gas, she manages to close it before succumbing to the gas. Two hikers, a man and his wife arrive and help out, there's one boulder that's too large and they ask Turner to help out with her patrol car, when she goes to it she spots Robbie on the ground and shouts everyone to help her out. The gas is still leaking somewhat and they manage to pull her free. Jon asks the hikers if there's anywhere a helicopter can land, he tells them there's a place 6 miles from where they are. Jon tells Turner that if she doesn't get oxygen she could suffocate and tells Turner to get a chopper. The hiker tells them there's an oxygen kit at a camp site a mile away, Ponch gets on his bike and rides off onto the uneven ground.

Jon gets in Turner's patrol car to move the offending boulder on the road. Ponch arrives at the camp site and smashes the window to get to the oxygen kit, once he has it he makes it back to everyone but not without suffering a blow out to his rear tire. Jon manages to move the boulder out the way. Robbie is put in the back of the patrol car with one of the hikers where the oxygen is given to her, Jon tells Turner to get out of there with protests coming from Charley.

Jon tells Charley that they're one driver short now, and he'll volunteer to drive. Charley tells him that Robbie's truck was suffering from some troubles and tells Jon to ride his rig while he drives Robbies. Jon tells Ponch to take his motor. The hiker tells Ponch he'll look after his bike until Turner returns with his wife, Ponch radios in that his bike needs a tow.

With Jon at the head of the convoy they move out again with Ponch up front on his bike. Whilst on the move Jon hits a rock which causes the tanker to jolt upwards and loosen. Jon radios Charley to ask him what he hit, Charley asks him how his gauges look. Jon looks at them and at first it's fine but then gets a warning light on the trailer, Charley tells Jon to radio Ponch to take a look. Jon honks Ponch and then radios Charley to tell him he has to stop, but Charley tells him not to and to continue at his present speed. He tells Jon, Ponch will have to look while they're moving. Ponch takes a look and notices that the trailer has uncoupled and tells Jon who in turn radios Charley. Charley tells Jon, Ponch will have to climb aboard, Jon asks if he should slow down. Charley tells him not to or the trailer will continue to move, he should keep it steady.

Ponch rides further ahead and dismounts from Jon's bike, when Jon passes he jumps on his truck. Charley tells Jon he's going to shunt his trailer to force it back in, once it's in Ponch pushes in the safety pin to keep it in place. Once in place Jon stops so Charley can take a look, Ponch tells them he's got to get Jon's bike back. A woman in a convertible is passing and Jon flags her down, he tells Ponch she'll give him a lift.

Ponch is again early at their pre-determined meeting place. This time it's Robbie jogging and she talks in code to Ponch. Jon deciphers it.

## Notes

* The shot just before Jon gets off his bike, the car that crashed is showing it's passenger door open, when in the next shot it's closed.
* When they have to take a detour, Jon spots trouble ahead, however when he radios Turner to stop they're passing a bend. Jon wouldn't be able to see anything ahead of him.

### Quotes

* Jogger/[Ponch]/(Jon): Hi. Denver 11, 7. [Got it, yours?] Fine. Bye. (Ah, don't tell me. it's a code, ah, secret agent?) [No. Stewardess. She said I'm flying to Denver tonight at 11. Pick me up at 7. I said, your place? She said fine. Very simple.]
* Robbie/[Ponch]/(Jon): Hi, hi Jon. (Hi there eh, Robbie Davis. Look great, how you doing?) Fine. Early? [Late.] After? [Great.] Okay, bye. (Don't tell me, she said you're gonna to be early tonight and you said, no. You're gonna be working late, so she said could you get together after. You said great.) [You're learning, Jon, you're learning.] (Feel it all right here, it's going to be a beautiful day.)

### Codes Used

* 10-4 - Message Received.
* 11-25 - Traffic Hazard.
* 11-98 - Meet the officer.
* 10-2 - Reception Good.

## Cast

### Main Cast

* Larry Wilcox: Jon Baker
* Erik Estrada: Frank Poncherello
* Robert Pine: Joe Getraer

### Guest Stars

* Tige Andrews: Charley Davis
* Katherine Cannon: Robbie (Davis)
* Warren Berlinger: Market Owner

### Others

* Steve Brodie: Sam
* Richard Collier: Prisoner
* Paul Comi: Councilman
* Lee Paul: Police Chief
* Rana Ford: Jane Turner
* Paul Sorenson: Superintendent
* Bill McLaughlin: Gabe
* Todd Everett: Young Man
* James Crittenden: Leo
* Maxine Elliott: Elderly Woman
* Anna Uppstrom: Jogger
* Karen Wyeth: Young Woman
* Mark Carlton: Pete