While a certain level of detachment is beneficial, it can be jarring for those seeing first responders in action for the first time. Comments on

videos of firefighters have sometimes criticized their lack of visible urgency, despite the importance of a focused pace. Having once watched paramedics remove a drowned body from my house, the atmosphere was unexpectedly laid-back.

 

 

But what may be an average Tuesday for any experienced firefighter, cop, or paramedic quite often feels like the end of the world for somebody else. Seeing someone like Novak react dramatically invites the viewer to enter a world in which our emergencies are as meaningful to those responding to them as they are to us. And that’s deeply desirable.

 

 

If you’re gruesomely injured and rushed to the hospital, Chicago Fire’s Carver will help take care of your dog. Having already caught the bad guy, Ruzek might not realistically need to check in with social services at the end of Chicago PD’s 2-part “Zoe” arc, but seeing Zoe finally loved and cared for is the real triumph of the story.

 

 

None of this should be taken to imply real first responders never go above and beyond for those they serve. They do that just by showing up. But TV procedurals like Chicago Fire translating emergency workers’ empathy into tangible responses comforts viewers that we won’t suffer alone in our darkest moments of crisis. And that has value beyond mere entertainment.

 

 

This is where some One Chicago fans might be inclined to scratch their heads. After all, even putting aside Chicago Fire’s most harrowing disasters, characters like Lizzie Novak still react dramatically to emergencies on several occasions that don’t technically affect them beyond a professional level. As Martinez rightfully points out, this doesn’t reflect the reality of working in emergency response.

Using one of Fire’s more over-the-top competitors as an example, it’s hard to imagine first responders answering 9-1-1’s most ridiculous emergencies with a straight face. In reality, however, maintaining a reasonable emotional distance helps responders stay objective and keep a steady pace. It doesn’t mean they lack compassion, but they can’t let that stand in the way of their duties.