The first responders who make up the Tampa Police Department and Tampa Fire Rescue typically spend days and nights fighting crime, helping those in danger and keeping the city safe.
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But starting this week, some may have to make time for signing autographs. Ready or not, their close-up is coming.
Tampa’s first responder units are the stars of Season 3 of the A&E reality series Nightwatch, which chronicles the heroic work being done by police and fire rescue teams between the hours of 8 p.m. and 4 a.m.
There is a free sneak peek of the opening episode on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at Tampa Theatre. It then premieres nationwide on Thursday at 10 p.m. on A&E.
"This is the closest you can get to a ride-along in a dangerous situation," said Jason Penny, spokesman for Tampa Fire Rescue, adding with a chuckle: "Well, without being a perpetrator or a patient."
In the premiere episode, officers Robb Fannin and Bethany Walworth find themselves in an armed standoff with a suspect holed up in an apartment complex. And fire rescue team members Billy Mayville and Eric Stokes must put out a trailer blaze that threatens to incinerate the rest of the residential park.
Future Season 3 episodes — all of which take place in Tampa — are just as exciting, say those who worked with the series.
"It shows our officers and fire rescue doing their jobs under — at times — trying conditions," Tampa Police Department spokesman Stephen Hegarty said. "It shows a lot of heroism."
Still, when it was first announced that Nightwatch would document this area after spending the first two seasons in New Orleans, there was some concern that by focusing on Tampa’s seedier side, it would sully the city’s reputation and drive away potential visitors and new residents.
In the press release, A&E writes, "Known for its beaches and prime Sunshine State location, Tampa also has a dark side."
Not to worry, the police and fire spokesmen said.
Does it show that Tampa has problems? Of course, but nothing that every major metropolitan area doesn’t face, Penny said.
"Until fire is eradicated, firefighters are needed," he said.
And unlike the series Cops, which focuses on criminals, first responders are the starts of Nightwatch.
"This humanizes them," Hegarty said. "It shows their heroism but also their humor, their friendship, their fears. There are some real heartwarming moments."
Those first responders followed in New Orleans during the first two seasons have become celebrities, Hegarty added, and he expects the same for Tampa.
"Once this goes public and is on national TV, it might be a completely different experience for someone used to working in obscurity in the city of Tampa in the middle of the night," Hegarty said.
Those who agreed to be featured in the show were told of this in advance.
"There was a whole audition process," Penny said. "Cameras had to follow them everywhere and they needed to be OK with that. Some people didn’t want to do it and that is understandable."
As for another season set here, Tyler Martinolich, vice president of operations for the Tampa Hillsborough Film and Digital Media Commission, believes that could happen.
"When Nightwatch first approached our community, my immediate thought was ‘How could Tampa be more exciting then New Orleans?’ " he said.
"Having been given a preview of this coming season, there is no doubt in my mind that Tampa is not only more exciting, our first responders are incredible. I think it’s a good bet we will see them back for Season 4."
Contact Paul Guzzo at pguzzo@tampabay.com or (813) 226-3394. Follow @PGuzzoTimes.
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