.
- Your work the other day really impressed me.
If you can prove your paramedicine program works,
they'll make the funding permanent.
- There's that thing between us.
That means something.
- I'm kind of seeing Cara right now.
I'm sorry about how I acted in the laundry room.
- It's nothing. - It's something.
- How's Pelham? He's gotta be the right fit.
- Doesn't Kidd seem like the natural replacement for Casey?
- She's not back yet.
- Hey, Stella. I just wanted to make sure
that you're keeping Boden in the loop
about your furlough.
- If you're looking for a drinking buddy,
happy to meet up at Molly's, or wherever.
- I don't know what's going on with her
or where we're gonna be when she does come back.
[somber music]
♪
- All right, so let's meet at the brewery after shift,
and we can load up supplies for WinterFest.
- Oh, I rented a truck.
- How many beers do we have to give away?
- 100 of each style. And a dozen of your IPAs.
- Oh. No, I was just monkeying around with that recipe.
- No, I tasted it.
- And it was my first attempt at brewing.
- No, it's awesome.
- Well, maybe we shouldn't include it.
- What? No, forget that. It's in.
You got the all clear.
- Minus one appendix, but plus one amazing wristband.
- You do know you can cut that off
the moment you leave the hospital.
- It's a fashion statement now.
Oh, and I spoke to the WinterFest coordinator,
and apparently we got an amazing location for our booth.
They said our association with Charles DeWitt scored it.
- That's great.
- Or maybe Cara took care of it for us?
- That's--that's, um--
that's not, uh--
- Oh, the jump bag was lying out
behind the ambulance unzipped for some reason.
- Oh, shoot, that was me.
I was replacing the ACE bandages and I got distracted.
- I figured. I zipped it up and put it back. It's fine.
- My brain is all over the place.
I have the oversight panel presentation on Friday.
- For full funding.
- It either passes, and paramedicine
is officially in business,
or they put the kibosh on the whole thing.
- Well, you will rock it like you always do.
- Oh, I don't know.
I tried calling Chief Hawkins, get his support,
but he hasn't returned my call. Do you think he's ducking me?
- He will back this program publicly. You watch.
- Giant tower fire downtown in a resident apartment building.
We were, like, the fourth truck on scene.
- All of 51 was there. - Really?
- Yeah. Cruz met his wife in that building.
- Wait, were you the rescue guy
who carried the kid outside the window and down a floor?
- There was no other way out.
- I was swapping my air bottle out in the street,
and I look up--my jaw dropped. - Nah.
Anyone in CFD would have done the same thing.
- Okay, okay, it is time for morning briefing.
Everybody make your way next door.
[alarm beeps]
- Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61.
Persons trapped. 201 East Randolph Street.
- Is that the Park Plaza?
[sirens blaring]
[dramatic music]
♪
[sirens blaring]
♪
- Somebody help! - Can you move?
- Help me! - Help me with it.
- Oh, my god, it fell.
A big gust of wind, and it just fell right on them.
- 2-6 to Main. Get me an EMS Plan One.
Park Plaza on Jackson Street.
- Copy that. Multiple ambulances en route.
[people shouting] - My husband! Help!
.
- Hey, grab the struts.
- And get two chainsaws. One for us, one for squad.
What are we thinking?
- Use the struts to stabilize the trunk.
Move on either side of the tree.
Cut the branches slow and methodical.
Don't step on any victims.
- Okay, ladies and gentlemen, will you please back up?
Let these people do their work. Thank you.
- Give us some space. Please. please.
Make way.
- Clear back, please.
- Give us some room to work here.
All right, Gallo, have the Hurst ram
standing by in case we need to lift it.
- Back up.
It's a chainsaw.
[saw buzzing]
- Lift this right here.
This here.
[saw buzzing]
- Hang on. Okay.
Here we go.
Okay, where are you hurt?
Here.
[saw buzzing]
- There we go. Hey!
- Hey, are you okay? Can you walk?
- Here you go. I got you. - Come on. We got you.
- Please. Please.
My husband.
[saw buzzing]
- Down.
Good.
[tense, emotional music]
Here you go. Okay.
♪
Good. Okay.
[grunts] Sir, can you hear me?
- My legs. I can't feel them.
- Okay. You hang tight.
We've got to clear a few more branches.
We're gonna get you out of here.
- There are a couple little bitty kids in yellow parkas.
Are they okay? - Uh...
Yeah. I see 'em. They're safe.
- Okay.
- Mouch.
- [mouths words]
- Okay. Hey, what's your name?
- Hugh. - Okay, listen, Hugh,
we're about to cut the last branch, all right?
Hold my hand. Right.
[saw buzzing]
- [gasps loudly]
- Okay. Hugh, I'm not gonna lie.
You got an impalement.
These paramedics are gonna take care of you, all right?
You stay tough for another minute. Okay?
His name's Hugh.
[dramatic music]
♪
- Hugh, we're gonna give you an IV
and a shot for the pain, okay?
- He's gonna be all right.
You got the best in the business working on him.
- He's lost consciousness.
- I can't lose him.
- You won't, ma'am.
- [cries softly]
[machine whirrs]
- Hold.
- Capp. Grinder.
- Okay, backboard.
- Okay. Hang tight. Hang tight.
[tense, emotional music]
♪
- Easy. Easy. - Okay.
- Moving forward. On three. One. Two. Three.
- Hugh? - He's gonna be okay.
- It's okay, sweetie.
- She'll bind him. - Okay.
All right. Pelham, you hold steady.
- Okay. - Yes. All right.
[saw buzzing] - [gasps] Oh.
[dramatic music]
♪
- Okay, let's lift him.
- You can ride with him.
- Oh. Oh, I can? - Yeah, yeah.
- Oh, thank you. Thank you so much.
[engine starts]
[siren blaring]
♪
- Hey, nice work, Truck.
- Hey, Pelham.
- Hi. - Nice work back there.
- It was all them.
They make a lieutenant look good.
- Hey. How was that call?
- There was a victim...
a little bit older than you and me.
An impalement. Tree branch right in the gut.
- Was he stable?
- Can't say.
He was still breathing when we got him into the ambulance.
His wife was with him.
After that, no telling.
You know, the older I get--
maybe it's a cumulative thing,
but the rescues where we don't know
what happened to the victims--
they weigh on me more than they used to.
- Yeah. It was simple.
You know, just drop them off at the hospital
and forget 'em when we first started.
But...
I go through the same thing now.
See the faces sometimes.
- Any advice on how to deal with it?
I'm all ears.
- Just do our best.
Leave the rest to God.
[emotional music]
♪
- I was very skeptical,
but dating Cara does have its benefits.
Good placement for our booth at WinterFest, for example.
- About that...
I've been thinking about her a lot.
- Cara? - Violet.
- Oh, no. - Like, a lot, a lot.
- I'm gonna need to sit down.
- What?
- You've messed up with Violet at every turn,
for literally years.
You're gonna make her head spin with this.
And right before the biggest event
of our microbrewery?
Okay, clearly in whatever state this is, you're not listening.
But can you at least not destroy things with Cara
until after WinterFest
so our booth doesn't end up stuck by the porta-potties?
- Our booths are over by the porta-potties?
- Uh... - No.
- Brett. Violet. Can I have a word with you?
So I did a little reconnaissance
on the oversight panel presentation
you're making on Friday, and I know one person
on the committee--Jean Gilmer.
Lovely woman. Our families go way back.
I--well, I went ahead and primed her for your pitch.
- Oh, really? - Yeah.
And the good news is, she was very receptive.
- As she should be. This is a great program.
- Is there bad news?
- Not necessarily, but she did say
that one member, Tom Jensen, is a bit of a stickler
on anything involving cost increases.
- Oh, no.
- But she thinks she can sway him
because it's such a good program.
Her words. - Okay.
Well, that makes me feel better.
- Speaking of, Violet, how's your, uh--
- 110%.
Who needs an appendix anyway? Not me.
- Good. Good. We were all worried about you.
- Oh.
[cell phone rings]
- I gotta take this.
Brett, I will see you at the presentation.
- Yes, you will.
- Hello?
- You know, when Chief Hawkins first got that job,
I was unimpressed, but he's growing on me.
- Yeah.
- And the way he made sure you were taken care of
at the hospital...
- What do you mean? - He was on those nurses.
Made them get you the best recovery room in the hospital.
- He did?
- Checked on you more than once too.
- Oh.
- All right, I'm gonna look over my binder.
- Okay.
- Hey, Lieutenant? - Hey, Kylie.
- Chief Boden wants to see you.
- You asking for me, Chief? - I was, yes.
Take a seat.
Look, I don't like to mix personal business
and firehouse business,
but I believe I need to make an exception.
- Okay.
- Stella Kidd.
She was approved furlough for four weeks.
Now, the fact that she was taking Girls on Fire
to a new city, that's--
well, that's the Stella Kidd that I know and appreciate.
- But?
- Four weeks became eight.
Boston became Concord, became Philadelphia.
Now, I was willing to help her cover the additional furlough,
but now, after she knew
that we had an open spot for a truck lieutenant,
she didn't immediately come and claim it.
[emotional music]
So you tell me...
is there something more going on here that I'm not seeing?
- I appreciate you coming to me with this, Chief.
I'm in the same boat.
Casey told Stella he was leaving.
I told her there was this floater lieutenant
who was impressing everyone,
and it's like she didn't hear me.
She was so gung-ho about expanding Girls on Fire
that everything seemed to go in one ear and out the other.
- Here's the hard truth.
Pelham is a top-tier lieutenant.
If I don't hear from Stella that she really wants this job
by the end of next shift,
I'm gonna be forced to make a difficult decision.
♪
- I will...convey that message.
.
- Hey, Stella, give me a call when you can, okay?
It's important.
- If memory serves-- and I'm told I have
a hell of a memory-- you owe me a beer.
- I vaguely recall something like that.
- Mm. Like an elephant.
Plus, I want you to look over some crime scene photos.
- So you came all the way over here
to show me pictures you could have emailed?
- I know you can't duck me while you're on shift.
- Fine. [chuckles]
Let me see the envelope.
- Not a chance.
Meet me at the Map Room Bar tonight, 8:00 p.m.
And I know my winning smile and flawless personality
may not seal the deal,
but you can't resist what I have in this envelope.
You're an arson investigator through and through.
You know it, and I know it.
- [chuckles]
- I can't believe WinterFest is finally here.
It's make-or-break time for Fire Goat.
- Okay, Gallo, you gotta be at the brewery 10:00 a.m. sharp.
- Okay. - I figure 30 minutes load,
a 30-minute drive,
and 30 minutes to set up our booth.
- All right. I'll be there. - I'm so excited.
Okay, we need a slogan when we hand out the beers.
Like, um, "Fire up your night"
or, "We'll put the fire in your belly."
Really? Nothing?
- [sighs]
[light, suspenseful music]
♪
[festive music playing]
♪
- Welcome to WinterFest. Hi.
Oh, that's our new gingerbread brew.
- Thank you.
- And this is the Fire Goat Pale Ale.
It puts the fire in your bell--
you know what, I'm not saying that.
Just enjoy, y'all. - What's this brew again?
- Fire Goat Pale Ale.
Made by firefighters, drunk by firefighters.
- Damn good.
- Much better. - Yeah.
- Hey, looking good, Fire Goat.
You have your bottles for the Best Brew Contest?
- Right here. - Thanks.
You guys place top ten, stratosphere for this brand.
- Well, we have our fingers, toes,
and everything in between crossed.
- Where are the freebies?
- Uh, how about a couple koozies?
- Ooh. - Look, we're low on beer,
and we need to save the bottles for real customers.
- Hey, everybody, I have an announcement
to make about Fire Goat beer!
- Okay, okay, okay. Fine, fine, fine. Here you go.
But you have to split it. Here.
- Never mind.
- Thanks, guys.
- Ma'am? I don't mean to disturb you.
- You're the firefighter that talked to me at the incident.
- Yes, ma'am. My name is Randall McHolland.
- Oh, I--
I can't thank you enough. I'm Sandra, Hugh's wife.
- How is he?
- Well, there was some internal bleeding,
but surgeon said he put a stop to that,
and doctors and nurses tell me
he's on schedule for a full recovery.
- Oh.
That's great. - It is.
I just couldn't imagine.
- I know.
I, uh--
I brought your husband some, uh--
a little Christmas get-well-soon stocking,
from all of us at Firehouse 51.
- You're so sweet.
- We were just thinking about him.
- He'll love this.
Hugh has been playing Santa Claus
for the past 20 years.
Malls and schools and stores.
He loves it.
- You don't say.
- We go to the tree every year for inspiration.
And we were standing there like we always do and...
this freak gust of wind came up.
- Well, that's Chicago. - Yes.
And then when Hugh saw the tree falling,
he--he leapt forward and pushed two boys out of the way.
Well, I'm grateful you stopped by.
I will pass on your well-wishes when he wakes.
- Please do.
And, as a firefighter, let me tell you,
it's always amazing to hear
about the heroism of our fellow citizens.
- Oh, thank you.
[emotional music]
♪
.
- Okay, I'm gonna head back to the truck
and get the last few cases.
- Turned your bottles in just in time.
Judges have already started.
- Great. - Cool.
- You look extra cute today in your little Fire Goat T-shirt.
- Cara, we need to talk. - Yeah.
- [seethes audibly]
- Look...
you're great and everything, and fun, and nice,
and all of that stuff.
But listen, I'm gonna come out and say it.
I have feelings for someone else,
and I don't want to lead you on
'cause, like I said, you're--you're great.
- Are you through?
- Well, I'm, uh, yes.
But I wouldn't characterize-- - Is it her?
- I...
I'm...
- Thanks, y'all. Enjoy.
What happened?
- She's upset.
- Of course she's upset. I told you not to do it here.
- Not to do what here?
- The WinterFest Best Brew top ten
is posted at the main stage.
- Things didn't work out with Cara.
- Aww.
- But we do have a winner to announce.
- And I, uh, didn't want to wait to tell her
because there's, uh--
- The 2021 Best Brew goes to...
- There's something else I want to admit.
- The New IPA by Fire Goat!
- Did that just say Fire Goat?
- It did. It did. The IPA!
- Your IPA! - Yo!
[both exclaim]
- Oh, my God! - Hey!
both: Fire Goat. Made by firefighters.
Drunk by firefighters.
- Whoo! - Here you go.
- Come on!
- Every time. [laughs]
Here you go. Drink up.
- Come here.
- If you look here, here, and here,
you can see the origin point is the transformer
next to the factory, right?
- At first blush, I'll give you that.
- Which the insurance company's fraud department
took as cause to rule accidental.
- But that's not what you think,
or I wouldn't be sitting here.
You got a blueprint? - Yeah.
- Are you guys Chicago PD or something?
- Arson investigators. - Cool.
- You see? Cool.
- Do you know if this door was forced open?
The one between the factory floor
and the chemical storage vault?
Because these claw marks look like they came from a crowbar
like the one you'd find in the back of a car,
not from a Halligan that the fire department
would use during the incident.
If this door was open before the fire was set,
the arsonists could count on the change in airflow
to bring fresh air inside the building.
But you already knew that. - [laughs]
- It's fun watching you work.
- I knew you were up to something.
- All right, come on, Severide. Come back to OFI.
I'm begging you.
I mean, Van Meter's great,
but you and me-- we're the Avengers.
- [laughs] I'm not leaving the squad anytime soon.
- You keep saying that,
but someday, this is going to happen.
Just so you know.
- Thank you for a nice night out.
I needed this.
[sentimental music]
- How are things going with Kidd?
♪
- Excuse me. Can I get one more?
- Mm-hmm.
- Well, if you excuse me, I'm gonna hit the ladies'.
Don't go anywhere,
'cause I have more cases for you to agree with me on.
♪
- Thanks for taking me to WinterFest.
- Well, your mom was busy.
- Yeah, she had a doctor's-- hey!
- McHolland. I didn't want to alarm Brett,
but that friend I have on the oversight panel--
she had a death in the family in Texas.
She's not gonna be there to push through Brett's program.
- Oh, man! Is there a way to postpone it?
- I did have an idea, though, which is why I'm here.
I need your help. - Absolutely.
- I talked to Chief Boden.
He's bringing in a floater for you today.
- Oh. - Can you take a ride with me?
- Uh, sure.
- So, yeah, I may have fumbled that breakup with Cara,
but A, it was for the best,
and B, we still freaking won WinterFest.
I mean, how amazing is that?
- Amazing. - Best brew of 2021.
We're gonna have bars in Chicago just begging
to stockpile your IPA.
- Yeah.
- Hey, Brett, has Violet checked in yet?
- Yeah, she's here. I saw her in the locker room.
- Cool. Wish me luck.
Hey. Violet.
- What's up? - Uh, I--listen,
I was just, uh--
I was trying to talk to you the other day,
and then back at the hospital.
[alarm beeps]
- Ambulance 61. Person in distress.
- Yeah. - 5542 West Argyle Street.
[siren blaring]
[suspenseful music]
♪
- Hurry! My brother David
was hanging decoration on the Christmas tree,
and he put one of those glass ornaments in his mouth
so he could use both his hands to decorate the tree.
And, well, it's stuck.
- [grunting]
- Oh. Wow.
.
- [grunting]
- Hey, David. David, I need you to calm down
and just breathe evenly through your nose, okay?
Like this. [breathes deeply]
Through your nose.
Okay. You got the Magill forceps?
- If the glass breaks, you could cut him
or he could swallow it.
- Right. I just want to try something.
- [mumbles]
- Stay still.
[tense music]
- [grunting]
Ah, you're right, I can't squeeze and yank.
- We could try the Yankauer suction tip.
Maneuver around the object and hit his gag reflex.
- It's worth a shot. - Okay. Here.
- [grunting]
- Okay.
- [grunts in protest]
- Okay, sir, sir, sir, you need to calm down, okay?
- David, David, listen to them. Slow breaths.
- Okay. Screw it, I'm gonna do the Heimlich maneuver.
Okay. Here we go.
[both grunting]
- [grunts] [glass shatters]
[both panting]
All right. Whew.
Have a seat.
- [gasping]
- Well, merry Christmas to us.
- [panting] Thank you.
- You idiot.
♪
- Hey. Where you been?
- Chief Hawkins wanted me to drive around,
show him the routes Brett and I
have been taking on our paramedicine runs.
Asked about each of our patients.
- Why? - He's nervous
about the oversight panel pitch.
He thinks most of them are just gonna--
- Randall?
- Sandra, I believe.
- Yes. - How's Hugh?
- Well, he insisted that I come and tell you exactly that.
Said the firefighters would want to know.
- So he's recovering, then. - He is.
Completely stitched up and stable.
- Ah, that's great. - Of course he'll have to
take the season off to recuperate,
but that's okay.
I mean, the malls and the department stores--
they have plenty of replacements.
- Still, I'm sure he's gonna miss that.
- Yeah, especially the Boys & Girls Club.
He shows up for free there every year.
- When is that event? - Tomorrow.
Hugh is hoping that he'll be released
from the hospital in time to at least make an appearance.
I mean, if anybody can do it, he can.
[laughs] - Well, give him our best,
and thank you so much for stopping by.
We were just talking about how sometimes we never know
what happens to the people we help.
- Well, I'm glad to bear the good news.
God bless you, Randall.
And thank you both for doing what you do.
Thanks. Bye-bye.
[sentimental music]
♪
- Chief. - Kelly.
- I left several messages, but she went dark on me.
She's never done that before.
I don't know what's going on anymore,
if she cares, if she doesn't.
I can't tell you, because I don't know.
- Then I am very sorry to hear that.
- I am too, Chief.
[somber, atmospheric music]
♪
- I don't know where the term "Nervous Nellie" came from,
but I am so there right now.
- It originated in the 1920s
to describe Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg.
And I realize I'm not helping.
- Look at me.
You've had every kind of sickness and injury
and accident thrown your way,
every shift your whole career, and you never blink.
An oversight panel? I mean, that's nothing
compared to what happens when the bells go off.
- Yes. That's a much better pep speech than I gave.
- Thanks, guys.
Is the presentation at Headquarters?
- It's today at 4:00.
- Mind if I come? I want to be there for you.
- Oh, absolutely. I'll take all the help I can get.
- Lieutenant? - Oh.
- Chief Boden wants to see you in his office before you leave.
- Hey, Chief.
Kylie said you wanted to see me.
- Uh, yeah. Come on in.
I have been impressed with your leadership
on Truck 81 and in the firehouse.
- Like I told Severide, these guys make me look good.
- That right there--
what I'd expect a good leader to say.
And that is why I want to offer you
the full-time lieutenant spot on Truck 81.
- You're serious.
- I am.
[emotional music]
♪
- Then I accept.
Thank you, Chief.
This is, um...
♪
Thank you.
- You're welcome.
.
- And you didn't want to submit your IPA?
Bet you're glad I talked you into it,
'cause who's the brew master now? You.
Every bar in Chicago wants--
what?
- I, um...
I didn't write down the recipe.
- What?
- I was just trying some hops,
and I can't remember what I used.
Magnum or Nugget or Galena.
And then there's the Columbus, which I'm pretty sure--
- What-what-what-what do you-what do you mean?
You didn't write down the recipe?
Even I know to write down the recipe!
- Well, look, I tried to recreate it, but--
[tense music]
♪
- Ugh. No. No.
Oh.
- Get out. - What?
- Get out.
- What Mr. DeWitt is saying is that your brand
is no longer welcome at our facility.
- He said that? - Is that because we broke up?
Because we were barely dating.
- Mr. DeWitt believes your brand no longer meets
the standards of Bare Moon Brewery.
♪
- [scoffs]
[phone vibrates]
- This paramedicine program is working.
I've seen the difference it makes.
We've seen the difference it makes.
And like its success in San Diego,
which is noted in the binders I provided you on page five,
you can see that our program will succeed here in Chicago.
But only if you support it.
Thank you for your time.
- Ms. Brett.
I appreciate your enthusiasm for the program,
but I don't think this is the right time
for the Chicago Fire Department to be incurring--
- Chief Jensen.
So sorry I'm late. I'd appreciate it
if you could give me just five more minutes of your time.
[clears throat] Uh...
I'd like to say, as paramedic field chief,
that I've seen the benefits
of Sylvie Brett's program firsthand.
And as I'm sure she laid out for you,
she's reducing non-emergency calls,
but more importantly, she's spending more time
with her patients and promoting wellness
and mental health awareness while she's there.
I could go on for hours about it,
but rather than hear from me,
why not hear about the difference this program
makes from the patients whom it benefits?
- Hello. My name is Cheryl Reddings,
and I'm a flagship patient in the paramedicine program.
Before this program came into my life,
I called 911 two or three times a week.
I don't know where I'd be without this program.
It has changed my life.
So please, consider keeping it on.
- It went really well. At least I think it did.
And I love you, and I miss you,
and I'll call you when I hear a verdict.
- No matter what happens-- and with the CFD bureaucracy,
you really never know--
you did an absolutely terrific job, Brett.
- Hear, hear.
- Your program is smart and effective
and forward-thinking.
And they heard that today.
- Well, I appreciate you both being there.
It meant a lot to me.
- What's going on? - Disaster.
Mouch, can we store our equipment here?
- Uh, yeah.
- Well, they voted unanimously.
You're fully funded.
- Oh! - Ahh!
- [chuckles] - Hey!
[emotional music]
♪
- That was really amazing what you did for Brett.
- She's a great paramedic. - Yeah.
- And it wasn't lost on me that you were there,
off shift, backing her up.
- Oh, I wouldn't have missed it.
[phone dings] - Oh. That's right. I gotta go.
Congrats, Sylvie. I'm so proud of you.
Help yourself to any of the good champagne back there.
That's for everyone.
Uh, stay as long as you like.
- Hey, we cleared it with Chief,
so third shift is using the spare rig
for a few hours, we're taking 81.
We got to scoot if we're gonna make it.
- Yep. Load up.
[light, upbeat music]
♪
- Okay, do you have a ride,
or do you need me to have someone drive you?
[horn honks]
- Hugh, Sandra.
Think you can ride on a fire truck?
- What do you got in mind? [chuckles]
[siren blares]
- Over there! Ho ho ho ho ho!
[children screaming with glee] Ho ho ho ho ho!
Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!
- Hey, look who we got! - Ho ho ho!
Merry Christmas! Ho ho ho!
- Who wants a fire truck? All right.
There you go. I'm gonna make you all happy.
Who else wants one? What do you want?
All right, hang on.
- Merry Christmas! - All right, who wants this?
There you go. - Here's an action figure.
Oh, way back. Way back.
You're next. What do we got? Oh, yeah!
[calling out toys]
[children screaming]
See Santa Claus? Oh, yeah!
Hey, Santa! - Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!
Ho ho ho ho ho!
[sentimental music]
♪
- Hi, Kelly.
[somber music]
♪
[wolf howls]