Firehouse 118: Three Assignments, A Transfer and A Recruit
After rewatching the "Chimney Begins", "Hen Begins" and "Bobby Begins Again" episodes, I noticed how Chimney, Hen and Buck were all assigned to the 118 while Bobby was transferred in and Eddie was recruited by Bobby to work there.
All five of their stories of becoming LAFD firefighters are important and unique and it doesn’t matter if they were assigned, transferred or recruited because they're all essential and needed for the team to work seamlessly the way that it does. Also, they’re all exceptional at what they do and their contributions to the team are extraordinary.
Captain Robert "Bobby" Wade Nash
Bobby’s a great captain and he has a great team. He transferred to the 118 after he asked his chief to send him somewhere following his completion of 6 months of AA while he was in Minnesota. Sal DeLuca was bad mouthing him to the team and none of them knew Bobby was already there sitting inside of the firetruck listening to them place their bets on how long he'd be at the station.
In 7x2, after Norman was shot and they carried him to the casino so he could be assisted by the cruise ship doctor (who only had sea sick pills 🙄 and got woozy at the sight of blood), Athena asked Bobby what he needed and he replied, “My team!”, then the camera cut to the 118 responding to the car accident with the drunk driver.
Firefighter/Paramedic Howard "Chimney" Han
Chimney’s been at the 118 longer than anyone on Bobby's team, in fact he was there before Bobby was transferred. He’s the heart of the place and Buck said so in 5x5 after he left to find Maddie. His absence for the majority of the season was noticeable and it was great when he returned during 5B. Being a paramedic comes naturally to him, he loves what he does and it shows. Reminder, he saved Tommy from a gas explosion during one of Chimney's flashbacks in 2x12. Also, he wants to help anyone he can even that guy who was being belligerent with him in 7x2 after he caused that accident.
Firefighter/Paramedic Henrietta "Hen" Wilson
Hen is a great leader; she has the temperament and the know how to handle difficult situations. Reminder, she’s the one who always speaks up for Buck whenever the rest of the team or Bobby need to be reminded about the way he doesn’t have anything outside of firefighting like she did in 3x1 and 3x6. Additionally, she was in medical school for three years until she decided in 6x6 that her dream was to remain a paramedic.
OAN: In 7x2, Hen was interim captain and the 118 was working together and handling the scene of an accident with a drunk driver but the driver died after refusing treatment and it was followed by an investigation. She was told by the chief to “Go home firefighter” and it pissed me off because she GRADUATED from the academy as a firefighter/paramedic so for him to be dismissive and call her a firefighter instead of a paramedic, which she earned, was not ok.
Chimney and Hen are partners and they ride or die for each other but reminder, Chimney didn’t become a paramedic until after he had a conversation with Eli. That doesn’t make one better than the other, it’s just an observation to illustrate how rude the chief was. Where’s Chief Miranda Williams when she’s needed because it appears this new chief doesn’t listen?
Firefighter/EMT Evan "Buck" Buckley
Buck goes harder than anyone else when it comes to firefighting and Bobby said so himself in 6x1 after Buck tried to impress him so he would consider him to be the interim captain. He thinks outside of the box like he did in 3x13 at the bowling alley and he knows the job like the back of his hand. His personal life aside, he loves being a firefighter and after he stopped being reckless and stealing firetrucks to have sex in them and Bobby fired him, he got his act together.
Firefighter/EMT Edmundo "Eddie" Diaz
Eddie wasn't assigned to the 118 and he didn't transfer in because he was recruited by Bobby. I’ve always known Bobby convinced him to join his firehouse instead of him going to station 6 but IIRC, Eddie was the first person Bobby hired instead of him being assigned or transferred. He graduated at the top of his academy class and he already had experience because he was an Army medic and he did multiple tours in Afghanistan. One thing to note is of all their introductions to the 118, Eddie’s was on another level and it was evident since he had his own theme song, “Whatta Man” by Salt -N- Pepa. Additionally, Eddie was NEVER treated like a “probie” and IIRC he was never hazed but that could be because Bobby runs his firehouse differently than Gerard did. Finally, Eddie was already in the firehouse when the camera panned to him instead of him walking in like Chimney, Hen and Buck did. Bobby was the only other person on the team who was already there when he was introduced.
Buck and Eddie are partners and they work seamlessly together the same way Hen and Chimney do but there's a difference between the two partnerships (related post linked here). Hen and Chimney are best friends but Buck and Eddie have built a family together with their Eddie's son, Chris that's outside of their found family.
The point of this post is to highlight how great Bobby’s team is and how they all need each other along with the way the 118 wouldn’t be what it is without all five of them.
Buck: I think something's wrong with me, I've just been getting so nauseous lately...
Chimney: Maybe you're pregnant.
Buck: ...
Chimney: ...
Hen, sighs: Buck, he was just joking -
Buck, abruptly gets up: Sorry, can't talk! I've gotta tell Eddie the good news!
Hen: Wha - Buck, no...! Chim!
Chimney: What? I wouldn't even be surprised if it did turn out to be true knowing how Buck is. More importantly, did you hear the other part?
Hen: ...Okay, fine. Now let's see who had pregnancy announcement in the betting pool.
Honestly this is mostly for me, I had completely forgotten about a lot of Hens near deaths and I keep bringing the conversation up with my brother so I wanted to make a list, enjoy :)
Eddie: Sometimes I look at my boyfriend, and I'm like, damn I got the biggest crush on this man and then remember that we're dating, and I just squeal a little.
Chim: For him though?
*Buck in the background doing bicep curls but using Ravi and Albert as dumbbells*