Chicago Fire television series

If you have read my blog for a while, then you already know I like to give my opinion on various things whether good or bad, just my 2 cents.  No one has to like it.

Last year, I was trying to watch a show called Chicago Fire which is yet another drama revolving around emergency rescue personnel.  Don't get me wrong, I am not bashing these professionals (I am just outlining what happens in the show.  I did not write it, and I certainly did not make it up.), I am just horrified that they are allowed to get away with all they do, if in fact this is true.  Every series like this portraits the same exact things so I would find it extremely hard to believe that writers just make this stuff up, seriously, which brings me to another same-genre-like show called Rescue Me.  I tried to watch that as well but I felt like I would need to be rescued if I continued so I quit watching.  Rescue Me actually had more going on than Chicago Fire but with a higher intensity.

Before I begin my personal, unsolicited opinion I do not believe that all rescue personnel are unsavory characters but there certain does seem to be enough bad apples to spoil the bunch so to speak.

The show has a lot of different scenarios going on at the same time, for example, one of the main rescue characters has a drug problem, a huge drug problem actually.  He apparently was injured and had constant pain and was prescribed pain pills which lead to an addiction.  He began to steal drugs from hospitals and ambulances, he would frequently date pharmaceutical reps and doctors for easier access to the drugs.  He also had one of the paramedics sneak him drugs and cover for him even if it meant losing their own jobs.  He even had another person give a urine specimen and labeled it his own.  I guess that is a very good way to beat a drug test while on the job.  He was frequently caught on camera shooting up in the bathroom or popping pills while at the fire station.  He would use anyone, anytime to get what he wanted.

There, of course, was a lot of infidelity occurring even while on duty in the fire station.  That is certainly a good use of tax dollars.  I am so happy to work and pay taxes so this can happen.

There was a lot of overt lying to cover for each other.  It is like an unwritten code.  They will back each other up with lies if they are called out for any reason.

Then one of the guys has to file bankruptcy and moves his wife and kids into her parent's home.

Can you imagine taking a vow to help others but then leave a "bad guy" in a burning building because he was in a gang and that gang is out to get your brother so what do you do??  Yep!  You look the injured dying man right in the eye, close the door, and announce there is no one in the room.  Nice!

 Did I mention the alcoholic fire fighter?  I almost forgot him.

At first, I thought this is garbage because there is no possible way this could really be going on, right?  I guess sadly much of what is being portrayed is in fact the truth.

Yes, there were fires, and yes, they did rescue a lot of people, and do good things but the fact that an intoxicated, drugged, lying, cheating, cold-hearted EMS worker could show up when you call 911 is just a little more than unsettling to me.

****Disclaimer:  Again, I am only outlining a made up television drama.  I am not saying any of this is a factual account or representation of any emergency service personnel anywhere, and I am not relating this to anything that I have gone through in my own personal experience.