The Central Fire and Rescue Station 2 is the heart of the Gelsenkirchen fire department. For five months, the firefighters were accompanied in their everyday work as they responded to fires, technical assistance and medical emergencies. Firefighters in Gelsenkirchen respond to fires, technical assistance and medical emergencies on around 39,000 missions a year, more than 100 times a day. In order to ensure the greatest possible authenticity, Fire & Flame does not provide comment text. A total of ten of the approximately 100 firefighters from Station 2 have their say during and after their operations. This creates a genuine image of these “everyday heroes” that shows courage and determination as well as thoughtfulness and compassion.

The story of the Gelsenkirchen fire department continues in a total of nine episodes. WDR filmed the second season of FIRE & FLAME at two stations - the already well-known Buer fire and rescue station and the new Heßler station, which the fire department had only put into operation a few months previously. 70 days in a row, 24 hours a day – the FIRE & FLAME production team was once again filming at the fire department in Gelsenkirchen.

In the third season of the documentary series, the firefighters from the Bochum city center station and the main fire and rescue station in Bochum Werne are accompanied for the first time. The complex filming around the clock is made possible using so-called body cameras. The audience experiences first-hand how the protagonists put out fires, save people and live their everyday lives at the guard stations.

Season 4 presents the story of the firefighters of the Bochum professional fire department and the active members of the Bochum volunteer fire department in a total of six episodes. This year, long-time fans and new viewers can look forward to numerous exciting and authentic events, accompanied by impressive and high-quality recordings. The exceptional situation during the corona pandemic is also challenging for everyone: Thanks to a hygiene concept approved by the health department, filming was able to take place from the beginning of October 2020 to the end of November 2020.

In the fifth season, the firefighters and trainees continue to show viewers, in their inimitable way, an emotional and genuine picture of their work, which does not only consist of large-scale operations, but is always carried out with heart and soul. They comment on what is happening full of wisdom, passion and compassion. In the six new episodes, viewers see how the emergency services put out a difficult building fire, among other things. They are there when a fireplace burns that cannot be extinguished with water, and they experience first-hand how those affected have to be rescued from the car and given medical care after a traffic accident. For 50 days in a row, 24 hours a day from mid-April to early June 2021, camera teams accompanied the firefighters in the Ruhr area in their challenging everyday work.