School teacher Gerard Spriet enjoys his retirement, but the mayor's gift, a fire truck replica, only stimulates his old dream to join the fire brigade. Despite his wife Francine, who wants to boss him, firstly to fix the delapidated cottage she inherited from an aunt, conspiring to have the mayor turn him down, and the female fire chief's objections to his age and background, her secretary and buddy and fireman Kris promises to coach him to overcome his phobias. He does well in a theme park and spa but actual fire practice burns down the cottage and embarrassing mouth to mouth photographs compromise his marriage.