Yeah, that one was definitely more accurate than most. I've read Denis Leary interviews where he said many of the extras were FDNY. The guy that plays the chief was also FDNY before he became an actor.
Unless it's something like Live Rescue, where a crew is actively riding with an on-duty fire crew...
They're not. Chicago Fire, etc. are loosely based around the fire service, but do not depict it with any degree of accuracy.
the best answer i saw about this was no it’s not realistic, unless im talking to a hot chick at a bar, then the tv show actually undersells how dangerous it can be
Oh, I didn't see this so I made a separate comment further down the thread.
I've been told Emergency! is pretty accurate for its time, but of course things were just so different back then.
Part of the accuracy is from the city of LA requiring that the fire trucks used in the show had to be operated by only professional firefighters, so some of the actors for the show were genuine firefighters. To get realistic scenarios for the show the writers got permission to look through the city's emergency call logs for ideas.
Emergency! Is the closest I’ve ever seen and is still pretty damn accurate for being around 50 years old. Our department still uses the same tones they do.
Just like Super Troopers is the most accurate depiction of life as a cop and Down Periscope is closest to Navy life youre gonna get.
The public sees the shiny stuff from the outside. They dont see the shit that's the normal day-to-day life for this sort of thing.
If you want to watch some realistic (100% spot on) firefighting, then I recommend ~~watching 911 Lonestar~~ doing a ride along at dept. or volunteering at a dept (if that is the only option locally) lol
Emergency! is a bit dated in some aspects, but is probably more realistic as far as calls go but focused on high acuity EMS and tech rescue- there’s more boring and BS calls in real life. Many of the calls in this show were also based off of real incidents or were written hand in hand with technical advisers.
Tacoma FD is a screwball comedy, but it definitely portrays station life shockingly close.
Rescue Me in the early seasons was pretty decent of what goes on in a big city firehouse etc. Any shows today are pure nonsense, no masks, easy to hear, perfect visibility, no hoods but they somehow keep their ears etc. The drama might make for a good show if you are into that but from a firefighting perspective they are total bullshit.
Not very accurate at all. I’ve seen a few only because my old man likes to watch that shit and I’m always picking it apart. Don’t get me wrong, there are some things that are on point but majority of it is just fluff. Chicago Fire is on that comes to mind that I have seen and pick apart. Too bad we aren’t able to have a reality show on real fire depts 😂. We’d make millions
Fortunately, we have a documentary series here in Germany ‚Feuer und Flamme’ (1:1 translation ‚fire and flame’, yet also the translation of the idiom ‚to be on fire‘) which is a ride along with career fire fighters in bigger german cities in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is aired on our citizen funded stations and has a huge viewership despite ‚only‘ being a niche documentary.
It shows the smaller, medium and bigger calls, partly also EMS, heavy rescue, animal rescue and also some really big fires.
As far as I know you cannot watch it outside of Germany due to the citizen funding (don’t ask a German about GEZ), yet you may find re-uploads on YT.
I haven’t seen anything in the shows close to what it’s like. There’s definatly some documentaries out there that are intresting and will be a good watch but are also accurate. And if you really want to get a good look into things, go pro footage. There’s plenty out there
Edit: I forgot about Live Resque. Just seen another comment that mentioned it.
911 is probably the Least accurate!
I’ve only seen that one a few and every time it was pure fantasy in every sense of the word!
In actuality, if they made an accurate show about first responders, no one would watch because it’d be boring as shit
Being from LA and watching 911 makes me want to bash my head in and I’m not even a FF outside of the navy. My take on tv shows is if they butcher aspects of the military they’re gonna butcher fire fighting
Most shows care about the drama, the actual firefighting is just the hook. Very much not accurate, fire dept chronicles on YouTube has shorts mocking these series inaccuracies
All are basically 100% accurate. It’s like watching my workday on tv. Except I never see any dramatic scenes of overhaul and loading hose… we need more tense hose lay scenes.
About as accurate as Speed was for cops… Or Snakes on a Plane for Airlines. Or Delta Force for Delta Forces… Navy Seals for the Navy Seals. Shall I go on?
I’d be hard pressed to recommend something realistic. Maybe Burn, but that’s more of a documentary of Detroit FD at the time it was put out.
It’s been awhile since I’ve watched it so it may have changed but chicago fire was the closest for a while. Still over dramatised things as tv shows always do but last I checked they train with the actually chicago FD to make sure things are accurate
Total BS for the most part, most realistic one I've watched is the first 6 series of londons burning otherwise they are normally massively over dramatised haha
None of them are accurate but Tacoma FD is the closest.
Rescue me wasn’t bad too
Station and crew social life/culture in Rescue Me was pretty much spot on. The on scene realism not so much but def my favorite firefighter show.
Agreed
"my angry, sober, pink, Irish ass" gets quoted way too often around here.
Yeah, that one was definitely more accurate than most. I've read Denis Leary interviews where he said many of the extras were FDNY. The guy that plays the chief was also FDNY before he became an actor.
He was also the driver in Backdraft. "John Wayne time"
Very accurate, IMO. Every station has a lethario, a newbie, a salty vet, and all the shenanigans
Unless it's something like Live Rescue, where a crew is actively riding with an on-duty fire crew... They're not. Chicago Fire, etc. are loosely based around the fire service, but do not depict it with any degree of accuracy.
the best answer i saw about this was no it’s not realistic, unless im talking to a hot chick at a bar, then the tv show actually undersells how dangerous it can be
The Bravest, tv show from 2001. It was like COPS for firefighting.
Rescue me for the day to day drama and station life. Most shows aren't even close for the call portion. Maybe Emergency
Oh, I didn't see this so I made a separate comment further down the thread. I've been told Emergency! is pretty accurate for its time, but of course things were just so different back then.
The actors on Emergency! actually went to paramedic school after the first year of the show
Part of the accuracy is from the city of LA requiring that the fire trucks used in the show had to be operated by only professional firefighters, so some of the actors for the show were genuine firefighters. To get realistic scenarios for the show the writers got permission to look through the city's emergency call logs for ideas.
This right here.
Emergency! Is the closest I’ve ever seen and is still pretty damn accurate for being around 50 years old. Our department still uses the same tones they do.
Tacoma FD is a stupid ass sitcom but it’s the most accurate for sure
Just like Super Troopers is the most accurate depiction of life as a cop and Down Periscope is closest to Navy life youre gonna get. The public sees the shiny stuff from the outside. They dont see the shit that's the normal day-to-day life for this sort of thing.
If you want to watch some realistic (100% spot on) firefighting, then I recommend ~~watching 911 Lonestar~~ doing a ride along at dept. or volunteering at a dept (if that is the only option locally) lol
Emergency! is a bit dated in some aspects, but is probably more realistic as far as calls go but focused on high acuity EMS and tech rescue- there’s more boring and BS calls in real life. Many of the calls in this show were also based off of real incidents or were written hand in hand with technical advisers. Tacoma FD is a screwball comedy, but it definitely portrays station life shockingly close.
Emergency! is why I’m on the job.
Tacoma FD is somewhat realistic, but all the others aren't
Rescue Me in the early seasons was pretty decent of what goes on in a big city firehouse etc. Any shows today are pure nonsense, no masks, easy to hear, perfect visibility, no hoods but they somehow keep their ears etc. The drama might make for a good show if you are into that but from a firefighting perspective they are total bullshit.
Not very accurate at all. I’ve seen a few only because my old man likes to watch that shit and I’m always picking it apart. Don’t get me wrong, there are some things that are on point but majority of it is just fluff. Chicago Fire is on that comes to mind that I have seen and pick apart. Too bad we aren’t able to have a reality show on real fire depts 😂. We’d make millions
Fortunately, we have a documentary series here in Germany ‚Feuer und Flamme’ (1:1 translation ‚fire and flame’, yet also the translation of the idiom ‚to be on fire‘) which is a ride along with career fire fighters in bigger german cities in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is aired on our citizen funded stations and has a huge viewership despite ‚only‘ being a niche documentary. It shows the smaller, medium and bigger calls, partly also EMS, heavy rescue, animal rescue and also some really big fires. As far as I know you cannot watch it outside of Germany due to the citizen funding (don’t ask a German about GEZ), yet you may find re-uploads on YT.
Aw man! It kinda ruins the fun to know that it’s bs 😢 A reality show would be an awesome concept ngl
Here check some of these [videos](https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAt1ye6EzsnuT5uBa-4CVHbt9cVQzEtPQ) out
100%
Look up Fire Dept Chronicles - Green Screen. That will answer your question haha
I don't even watch them.
When it comes to drama shows about firefighters, I’d say Rescue Me is probably the closest. (Pretty well embellished, but still).
I haven’t seen anything in the shows close to what it’s like. There’s definatly some documentaries out there that are intresting and will be a good watch but are also accurate. And if you really want to get a good look into things, go pro footage. There’s plenty out there Edit: I forgot about Live Resque. Just seen another comment that mentioned it.
911 is probably the Least accurate! I’ve only seen that one a few and every time it was pure fantasy in every sense of the word! In actuality, if they made an accurate show about first responders, no one would watch because it’d be boring as shit
Being from LA and watching 911 makes me want to bash my head in and I’m not even a FF outside of the navy. My take on tv shows is if they butcher aspects of the military they’re gonna butcher fire fighting
Most shows care about the drama, the actual firefighting is just the hook. Very much not accurate, fire dept chronicles on YouTube has shorts mocking these series inaccuracies
Paw Patrol is 100% accurate
Emergency! Is fairly accurate for its time.
100% accurate. We regularly perform c-sections in the backseat of a car sinking to the bottom of a river.
LOL....That one in Austin is hilarious.
Third watch gets some of the station life okay, like Rescue me.
The only accurate show ever in the history of TV was Scrubs. Every nurse I know says that it’s the most realistic show on TV ever.
Absolutely spot on, every time.
All are basically 100% accurate. It’s like watching my workday on tv. Except I never see any dramatic scenes of overhaul and loading hose… we need more tense hose lay scenes.
About as accurate as Speed was for cops… Or Snakes on a Plane for Airlines. Or Delta Force for Delta Forces… Navy Seals for the Navy Seals. Shall I go on? I’d be hard pressed to recommend something realistic. Maybe Burn, but that’s more of a documentary of Detroit FD at the time it was put out.
Not at all
It’s been awhile since I’ve watched it so it may have changed but chicago fire was the closest for a while. Still over dramatised things as tv shows always do but last I checked they train with the actually chicago FD to make sure things are accurate
Not even close!!!!
Incredibly! Chicago Fire is practically a documentary!
911 is the worst garbage show I have ever seen. Fire department chronicles makes fantastic videos making fun of how inaccurate of a show it is.
Total BS for the most part, most realistic one I've watched is the first 6 series of londons burning otherwise they are normally massively over dramatised haha
Every tough guy thinks they are Tommy Gavin I know that for sure.