The biggest concern when a firefighter movie or TV show comes out is whether it will capture the essence of the real firefighter experience. Based on Tuesday night's sneak preview of the Discovery Channel's upcoming series "Firehouse USA: Boston," this is one production that will deliver.
As it follows the firefighters of Engine Co. 37 and Ladder Co. 26 on their calls, the show is not only refreshingly realistic for firefighters but surprisingly instructive for the general public. It appears to be a high quality documentary packed with drama and information, not a corny or staged "reality" show.
The preview opens with a call to a three-story structure fire. The show captures the stress and urgency of the response, focusing on the driver's frustration at the cars in his way, and concern over finding the fastest route to the fire through an unfamiliar part of the city.
Numerous technical details later emerge about how they fight the fire, the problems they encounter, the risks and the physical toll the job takes.
We also hear about some of the fire suppression issues particular to Boston, which has many old, wood-framed structures placed extremely close together. If the firefighters don't get the fire out fast enough, they can lose the entire street.
At a later response to a church fire, the show explains the actions of the firefighters as they chase the fire through the walls by pulling ceilings, tearing up the floor and opening walls, in order to reach the fire before it reaches the roof.
The show also demonstrates the many other types of rescues that firefighters perform, and the wide variety of knowledge required. The preview featured responses to a car crash and an elevator rescue.
Between all the action, the firefighters provide commentary on issues such as facing their fears, paying their respects to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and yet - loving their work.
We also see the firefighters' personal stories unfold, including those of two firefighters whose fathers died in the line of duty when they were kids.
This crew is an all-male, racially diverse group of firefighters who came to the station on Huntington Avenue because it's one of the busiest stations in the city, averaging 4,300 calls a year. Many of the firefighters are young and look up to the captain as a father-figure.
Finally, the show wouldn't be complete if it didn't demonstrate the camaraderie among the firefighters and the resulting humor. The preview followed the firefighters through a bachelor auction for the department's Death and Welfare Fund for the families of fallen firefighters, held at Boston's Rock Bottom Brewery. Needless to say, those at the station get a lot of mileage out of examining who got the better bids.
The series will premiere Tuesday, July 26 in prime time (exact time TBD), and air on subsequent Tuesdays.
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