Raging response

The firefighter and paramedic crew of Chicago Fire take on COVID-19, love and fiery call-outs in brand-new season 9.

- CRAIG FALCK

Being a firefighter and paramedic first responder in action-packed adrenaline series Chicago Fire (2012-now) is hard enough as it is. Long hours, tough working conditions, having to deal with the unexpected each and every time you attend to a call-out, with the potential for injury. And unsurprisingly, for season 9, the crew from Firehouse 51 are now dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic too. “It is heavy going for the characters in this season,” says Taylor Kinney (Perry in drama series Breakout Kings, 2012), who plays Lieutenant Kelly Severide. “When they strap on their gear, they focus on the job at hand and with something like this pandemic, that job is now increased because they are no longer ‘firefighters’ and ‘paramedics’ – they’re one team of lifesavers who’re fighting an enemy that they can’t see.”

CONFRONTING COVID-19