INTO THE FIRE
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ doctor trades scalpel for fire hose in ‘Station 19’
STATION 19 Thursday, 9 p.m., ABC
THINGS will heat up — in more ways than one — for Dr. Ben Warren (Jason George) on the new Shonda Rhimes drama “Station 19.” The “Grey’s Anatomy” spinoff, premiering Thursday with back-to-back episodes, follows the former Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital surgeon as he joins the Seattle Fire Department as a firefighter/ paramedic. Warren’s ego gets in the way when, as a rookie starting out on the bottom rung of the fire truck ladder, he realizes he’s not above menial tasks like organiz- ing hoses and doing the station’s laundry. And in contrast to his operating room expertise, he has a lot to learn about treating patients in the field. The ensemble cast includes Jaina Lee Ortiz, Grey Damon, Miguel Sandoval and Alberto Frezza, and “Grey’s” fans will see both shows’ casts cross over between the two series.
George, 46, recently spoke with The Post by phone from LA, where both shows are filmed.
How does the show differ from “Grey’s Anatomy”?
On “Grey’s,” if you have a bad day as a doctor, you lose a patient. But what’s crazy about “Station 19” is if you have a bad day as a firefighter, the patient dies, or you die, or your partner dies. It’s a whole other level of stakes.
What’s the biggest job adjustment for Ben?
He understands how the body works, but now one hand and a leg are tied behind [his] back because [he’s] not in an operating room. His instincts are immediately to call for things he needs because they’re [normally] there. They’re like, “Nope! Think again, new guy.” It’s humbling in a great way.
Does it affect him and his wife, Bailey (Chandra Wilson)?
Ben is in danger; he has to watch the person he loves be afraid. What do you share, what don’t you share? Secrets are unhealthy in a relationship; it’s a common thing in any first-responder household that I don’t know that any family gets rid of. You just learn how to deal with living on a fault line.
The cast initially attended a firefighting boot camp, but do you continue to train?
They still put us through drills. We have an entire stage dedicated to creating sets and [burning] them up. When you first walk in, your brain goes, “This room is engulfed in fire. Why are we here?” Your instincts want you to run. But you get that surge those [actual firefighters] get. Then [the directors] yell “Cut!” and the fire will die down tremendously. Real firefighters don’t get that. The respect level shot through the roof the more they trained us.
What’s the hardest part of doing the new show?
They won’t let me do everything I want to do [laughs]. The truck with the 100-foot ladder, I’d see how fast and far I could get. When you’re about 75 feet up and it starts bouncing, it gets a little nerve-wracking. I love that stuff, but they’re like, “Uh, you can get hurt. Let’s get down for a while.” I’ve been slapped on the wrist for not obeying insurance rules.