Impulsive hot-shot Larry Barker wants to join the firemen's rescue brigade, thinking he's got more of the right stuff than any of the men already there. His fiance's father, Fire Captain Tim O'Conner, has a low opinion of Larry, but hires him anyway, under pressure from Mrs. O'Conner and daughter Mary. Once in the brigade, Larry's headstrong go-it-alone heroics garner lots of press attention, but his inability to follow orders jeopardizes the lives of his fellow fire-fighters. After being offered the choice of a six-month suspension without pay or resignation, he quits, and his reputation is ruined, especially in the O'Conner household. But when a fiery explosion traps Mary in a sinking cruise ship, Larry has one last chance at redemption.