LA Fire & Rescue Season 1 Episode 6 Review: Three Alarm

With LA Fire & Rescue Season 1 Episode 6, “Three Alarm,” the show makes it known that they will be focusing on one particular firefighter’s story with each episode. 

This episode continues to follow around Station 16 but soon adds 125 and 172 to the tally of stations worth focusing on within the large LA County. Because Station 16 continues to be followed, the narrative leans heavily on that of Paco Lomeli and his relationship with fellow firefighters Tony Huynh and Erik Gunn.

While this focus makes the docuseries unique from other shows about first responders, it does make the rest of the episode feel inconsequential or unnecessary. Perhaps in the coming episodes, we will see why some of these other firefighters introduced matter to the overall narrative of the show.

Lomeli’s Personal Woes Don’t Interfere with His Professional Role

The title of the episode makes it seem the main focus of storytelling will be on the three-alarm warehouse fire. However, there is more pronounced attention paid to Paco Lomeli of Station 16.

Focusing a bit more on Station 16, which was one of the first stations to be introduced during the previous episode, gives this docuseries more connectivity. At first, the story just throws us a throwaway moment where Lomeli and Huynh are joking with the guys about the looks they had when they were in 6th grade.

Which turns out to be a perfect setup to show that some of these guys are each other’s family outside of work. Often we hear that if your work becomes your family it’s a problem, but with firefighters, it’s necessary to keep your head on straight.

We get moments where both Huynh and Lomeli tell the interviewers that they’d be lost without the other in their life. In fact, these guys grew up together and followed each other into the academy.

Huynh and Gunn are the guys who keep Lomeli from bringing his personal life into the firehouse when the shift starts. These guys help him work on his car and lament about his strained relationship with his daughters since the divorce. 

By turning the story to these three guys, viewers are able to see that sure they risk their lives every day for the people of Los Angeles, but underneath all that they have similar struggles to everyone else. It brings forth that human factor we got a glimpse of during LA Fire & Rescue Season 1 Episode 1, “Best Job in the World.”

The Diversity of Los Angeles Represented at Station 172

Something that can sometimes go to the wayside when talking about firefighters is acknowledging that these guys need to have the trust of their communities. So, for Station 172 in Inglewood, it is vital that they are firefighters who represent the races and cultures of their community. 

This station is an all-Black station, which gives them the credibility and authority that the people they serve look for. With Inglewood being mostly Black and Latino having white firefighters wouldn’t help during a crisis in the slightest.

Firefighter Anderson speaks to this quite a bit and notes how important it is to him that he be a role model to the kids like him. 

It might seem like pandering to audiences by making sure to put a larger focus on this all-Black station, but in reality, it’s good storytelling. If a show centered on LA’s first responders doesn’t reflect the communities found within LA’s borders, then it’s doing it wrong.

These guys serve a tough neighborhood, and yet they never give up. Anderson has been doing it for 17 years and doesn’t see himself stopping anytime soon — that is passion and dedication.

Out of all the houses shown so far on LA Fire & Rescue, it is safe to say that Station 172 has some of the biggest-hearted individuals who know how to not only serve their neighborhood but also unwind after a hard call.

They have a brotherhood that goes beyond the typical firefighter brotherhood this show has been showing us. For these guys, it’s all about shared culture and experiences. 

Stray Thoughts:

• I appreciate seeing an older woman firefighter sharing her experiences. It gives an idea of how hard it is to be a female firefighter and how great it is to see an influx in recent years.
• Showing the Fire Captains at their homes on their days off is a nice touch that continues to build upon the established human element of the show.
• I wish more focus had been given to the Three Alarm Fire especially considering the episode is named after it. Show more on how exhausting it can be to work on a fire for multiple hours.

 

What did you think of this episode of LA Fire & Rescue? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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LA Fire & Rescue airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC.

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