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‘The Academy: Orange County Fire’ debuts on Fox Reality on Saturday
October 23rd, 2009, 12:47 pm · 23 Comments · posted by PETER LARSEN, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
It’s not easy to earn a spot in the Orange County Fire Authority’s training academy. Out of 2,800 who apply, only 28 made the cut for the most recent class of recruits.
And once in, well, then it only gets tougher, as “The Academy: Orange County Fire” makes clear as the series premieres at 6 and 9 p.m. Saturday on Fox Reality Channel.
The series that follows recruits through 18 weeks of training opens with images of Southern California firefighters battling scary wildland fires as the announcer says of the newbies, “They will learn they either have it or they don’t.”
Seems pretty obvious, but as the training begins, it’s likely most viewers will see what’s expected of the 28 men — no women in this year’s class — and think, “OK, I don’t have it.”
Which is why it’s fun to watch a show like this: You can imagine yourself going through the training, without having to actually break a sweat as you watch from the comfort of your home.
“The Academy” is in its third season now on Fox Reality, moving to the OCFA after two seasons at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Academy, and can we all agree right away that this season will be a lot more visually fun to watch? Flames, people, flames, and lots of ‘em!
The characters that start emerge in the first episode also promise a decent level of interesting back stories:
Recruit Adelman was a corporate VP who decided to give it up for the public service of firefighter, though he still drives a Porsche to play beach volleyball with his pals. “My friends are proud of me,” he says. ”They question what I’m doing monetarily.”
Recruit Bennett was a Santa Margarita High School footballer who played professionally in the NFL Europe league after college at Villanova. A biceps injury puts his firefighting career in jeopardy after just two days of training, though, leaving viewers wondering about his fate as the episode ends. “This is by far and away the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he says of the physical grind.
Recruit Lefebvre is an OCFA dispatcher who wanted to get out into the field with the firefighters. As much as he wants it, you also sense that his decision is stressful for his wife, with whom he has five kids, as the show follows him on a family outing to the beach. ”I want to be that face of the OCFA that says, ‘I’m here to help,’” he says.
Guiding them along through the academy are the instructors known collectively as the Cadre, lead by OCFA Fire Capt. Mike Contreras, who alternately scolds them (Run faster! Score higher on those quizzes or else!) or acts as a father figure, giving support and advice.
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Hey Pedro, which is it - what night is it premiering? The headline says Saturday but the content says 9:00 p.m. tonight.
Sorry for the mix-up. The show airs at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Saturday.
“9pm tonight” or “Saturday”?
Great job! as for those that are confused - check your local listings or TV guide - don’t bust the writer! good grief….
This is probably one of the few good ideas of reality shows that are made. Even though it sounds like not many viewers get or watch the Fox Reality channel. The channel ends broadcasting next year on March 31.
So is it gonna show how they go to the gym for 2 hours a day and than BBQ every night. Let’s be freaking real Firefighters are some of the most worthless people in this world. Don’t let them fool you into thinking it is a hard job. Because it isn’t! Take there pay and bring it into reality and see if there is 2800 people applying for this job. Fire dept’s days of high pay are coming to an end. Honestly when was the last time you needed a fireman. Paramedic’s yes. But firemen no.
Now 25 firemen will get on here and defend how great they are. You know why? Because there all sitting at the station doing nothing except surfing the internet. Biggest blow hard job I have ever seen in my life.
Joe…
WOW…you are a bitter man Joe. Eating donuts everyday must have gotten to you! I am sure you are sporting a “gut” otherwise you would not have enough time to post on these blogs. And…going to the gym usually helps people not hurts them. I am sure firefighters will be “worthless” to you when your house is on fire. California seems to have been lucky these past few years when wildfires were everywhere! I doubt it was the LAPD who put them out! Just because you couldn’t make it as a fireman is no reason to put them down. And…just to clarify for you (since you don’t seem to know MUCH about fighting fire) PARAMEDICS are FIREMAN!
Have a great day Joe! Its probably a good thing you are retired…you probably wouldn’t do society much good right now.
Didn’t take long for one of you lazy firemen to respond. I worked the Malibu fires and numerous others. What a load of crap big city or county fire has pulled on people. Prison fire crews and Dept of Forestry do most if not all the work at these forest fires. You guys do crap!
Also my house in Yorba LInda did burn down. You want to know what the great all mighty Orange county Fire department did. Nothing! Oh wait I was there and they werent. Hmm. Maybe they were working out at the L.A. fitness on Imperial hwy. Or maybe they were at the store hitting on some guys wife! All while on duty.
Also I know paramedics are firemen. But at least in L.A. the medics work in Rescue Ambulances. Firemen just sit around and polish there trucks and surf the internet.
Hey I got an idea let’s put Flags on our trucks after 9-11 and call those poor bastards in New York Our brothers. You know were all up for a pay raise next year. Maybe we can work this to our benefit. You guys don’t care about anyone except your own asses.
Just a small example of how worthless you guys are. My partner was shot down in Southeast division. 22 minute response time. When they arrived it took almost 5 minute for them to get out of there trucks and walk to the back of the alley. They were carrying 3 boxes and a stretcher. They looked like they were going for a walk in the freaking park. Jesus Christ I thought about shooting all 3 of them right there. I could sit here for days and give examples of how worthless they are but I am old and tired.
Son, in 33 years working the worst divisions in Los Angeles I can name on one hand how many times I needed the fire department. So when I say firemen are the laziest most overpaid crybabies of any career. I mean it.
I almost became a cop, but after months and months of long classes, and training, I ultimately failed the physical agility. I just couldn’t get down a dozen donuts in less than a minute.
Well I can see why you are so bitter, nice of the LAPD to take you after failing which ever fire academy you were booted out of. At least LAPD is a better place with you retired. By the way, yes I am a firefighter.
Thanks for fielding the questions, Watcher, I should have caught that myself!
As soon as folks know that the cameras are there, it’s no longer a “reality” show. The cameras influence behavior.
Now, hidden cameras that no one knows are there; THAT’S reality.
Many segments of “Candid Camera” and “Jackass” were truly “reality” TV.
Will there be another season? How do I apply?
Cassandra, I’m not sure yet whether there will be a second season, but they did do two seasons at the LA Sheriff’s Academy, so if the ratings are good, quite likely. As for applying, you don’t apply to the show, you apply to the OC Fire Authority, and you can find out how to do that at http://www.ocfa.org, then click on “human resources.”
See what a full service pop culture and TV blog we are here?
Pedro
LACSO - as per a close ranking friend and senior member if the union - the show was cancelled due to internal problems - possible law suit - not ratings.
Joe…
First of all…I AM NOT A FIREMAN! I am concerned citizen. I think there is a reason you are not a cop anymore. You are way to bitter and jealous to be of help to anyone. And…Southeast Division in not in Orange County so, why you blame them is a mystery to me. I am sorry that your partner got shot though…but, you must not have “had his back” that day.
Also, what goes around comes around (it is called KARMA) and maybe that is why your house burned down. If fireman are “useless” then why would they want to help you and why would GOD send them your way? By the way…were you carry a “hose” the day of those fires? I doubt it. Yes…the Department of Foresty and Prison Inmates do help (bless them) but, fire departments are there too Joe. I know…a friend of ours died fighting fire…actually 2 friends. I am sure you have NO sympathy though. You probably think they deserved it.
It is very sad that you are so bitter and jealous. You must be a very lonely person considering you don’t seem to care much about anyone but yourself and what a GREAT job you did as a cop and “fighting fire”.
Take care Joe,
M
PS…My dad was a cop for 30 years and I respect them as much as I do fireman. They put their lives on the line as much as fireman. Maybe you should try to understand that. I am sure you spent MUCH time hanging out in firestations like most cops and sheriffs do.
Joe…
PS… Tha fact that you would “consider” shooting an innocent person is very disturbing. Whether you think they are “useless” or not is no reason to want to kill someone. Isn’t that what your job was…to protect????
I am a retired police officer (NYPD) and never once in my 20 years did I ever hang around FD houses. Our differences with FD are vast - unless you’re fd or pd you will not understand. My nephew is FDNY, and my wife is in the fire academy down here in FL. My nephew and I both served on the 9/11 WTC recovery teams. That aside - I still have significant labor and political
differences with all FD’s - you don’t have to like it but that’s the way it is. Why do you think cops become firemen and not the other way around? Think about that with an analytical, not childish mindset. It will start to make sense to you.
“…but, you must not have “had his back” that day.”
Impeached your rant and credibility with that one statement - you dismissed any significant argument or condemnation you presented.
Grow up - if you’re going to criticize someones post in the manner that you did to what someone feels is a legitiment argument based on experience respond to it accordingly - i.e. My humorous post to LSU after his humorous post about cops.
Joe policeman,
I don’t care for the fire service in california or most the west coast for that matter, no action and mostly medical. depressing for guys that want to be firemen. theres also a real lack of blue collar work ethic out there in the land of fruit and nuts. your statement falls devestatingly short when you travel out of your bubble however…
the real fire service will always be the northeast, where it all started.
FDNY fought 27,000 occupied structure fires last year. these were real deal occupied building fires. 3000 of those were all hands fires.
these fires would make most grown men crap their pants, you’ll never have a clue what it’s like to be many stories up in endless mazes of blazing fire and zero visibility, literal hell with a constant working environment of 200-1000 degrees, it leaves you breathless, yet you can’t stop. just to plop you into our working environment for one minute. i’ll guarantee at the least you’d never make this blanket statement again, irrefutable. engine 290 in east brooklyn new york had almost 800 working fires last year. and thats just for fires. no sitting around. thats not even the majority of there emergency calls. it takes a special man to work here and do what most consider absolutely impossible and insane.
no room for lazy men here, truly the bravest. you don’t even have a leg to stand on if you attempt to keep up this blanket statement. indisputable.
To all who have posted these you have your point of view and have stated them, some have good points some off target.
Joe
I speak as one who has “Been There Done that”!
I started as a volunteer in 1960 I retired in 1989 with a knee injury, that took away my ability to “Be there and Do that”!
In my time I fought some of the biggest structure fires in Riverside County history, was stationed at Orange County Airport for three years,
as a Foreman/Crew Supervisor/Fire Captain(B) I supervised and trained inmate firefighters for 13 years!
In my first burn wild land fire burn over I had a experienced fire truck driver, who gathered us all in the cab and pulled the truck between two cut banks on the Jack Rabbit Trail in 1967.
My second WLFBO was in San Diego county with my Inmate crew of eighteen, at the top of a chimney, none lost three injured one second degree burns on back of neck, one cuts from a barbed wire fence and first degree burn on one hand, the third was hospitalized with claims of injury None found!
Third was in Riverside County,s Ritchey Canyon area, beside a bulldozer as the flames of a fast moving grass fire flashed over, no injuries, just frayed nerves.
I wanted to be successful in what ever I became in life, and I guess iI was as I can still tell what happened in each of these burn overs.
I have great respect for anyone who wears the uniform that represents service to their fellow man no matter what the department.
I have known Fire Fighters who represent what you speak of just as I have known Police Officers who represent the same thing.
I think we all joined for good reasons, however the ones who done the job and learned the real reason to (Protect and Serve our fellow man) did so with a far more rewarding life>
May God be with all who serve in this manner, and especially with the Family’s of the ones who have been lost in this noble effort.
There is one similarity between cops and fireman and that is that they both wanted to be firemen!
yea like the saying “IF YOU CANT TAKE THE HEAT BECOME A COP!!!!!!!!!”