Summer 2018
BY BRANDON KYLE GOCO
After six years as a 2nd AD on NBC's Chicago Fire, Stefan Rand was tapped to First for the show's sixth-season premiere. "I kind of talked myself into thinking I'm sort of the guest 1st AD," Rand laughs.
For the episode's harrowing high school fire set piece, Rand was stationed inside the Burn Stage—a special soundstage designed for shooting interior fire sequences. The whole set was piped by the FX crew, checked over by the fire department and reviewed by the show's tech advisor and stunt coordinator. "It was kind of nerve-wracking standing there in my fire suit," says Rand. "As soon as the FX department is clear, you yell, 'Fire up!,' and 'Action!' has to come a second after that.
Due to the show's unique nature, safety is on everyone's mind. "We have a meeting every morning," Rand explains. "We always talk about where the exits are and where the fire will be." The Chicago Fire crew has never needed to evacuate the Burn Stage, but that doesn't mean they aren't prepared. Rand ends these meetings by reminding the crew: "Anyone can yell, 'Fire out!' Don't be a hero. If it's too hot, yell, 'Fire out!' and that fire will go out."