As if it were planned, a message comes in over the intercom. The men lay down their spatulas and knives and rush out the door.

ADAM: We’ll be right back.

Everything shuts off. Twenty minutes later, the A-Shift returns.

ADAM: Medical call. Somebody had chest pain. We have paramedics and can do everything an ambulance can do, except drive you to the hospital.

The kitchen comes back to life. Firefighters move in and out of the room as the smell of melting cheese grows stronger. Soon John is pulling the lasagna out of one oven while Adam grabs the garlic bread from another and Jeremy takes the salad out of the fridge. Everyone sits down at the dining table to eat.

ADAM: We call dinner Family Time. It’s that one time of the day to sit together. On a normal day, we have lots of other things to do, but we make a point of Family Time. The fire service is built on camaraderie: meals are social; meals are bonding. So many of the world’s problems get solved once you step into the kitchen because you’re close; you’re talking.