Ep 5. Orphans

Tommy and the crew respond to a fire at a family's house, leaving three young children orphaned. As the firefighters try to cope with the tragedy they witness, Tommy becomes obsessed with the idea of adopting the kids, despite his unresolved grief and guilt over his own family's deaths during 9/11. His erratic behavior causes tension within the crew and comes to a head when one of the children goes missing. Meanwhile, Franco becomes a father for the first time and struggles to balance his responsibilities as a parent with his commitment to the job. Lou deals with his own personal demons when he develops a crush on a co-worker who is already in a committed relationship. The episode explores the theme of family, both the ones we are born into and the ones we choose, and how the trauma and stress of the job can affect those relationships.