. ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁years ▁go ▁by , ▁Jack ▁suff ers ▁some ▁tra um atic ▁experiences , ▁including ▁res cu ing ▁a ▁man ▁from ▁the ▁led ge ▁of ▁a ▁burning ▁high - r ise ▁building ▁in ▁Dow nt own ▁Baltimore , ▁and ▁witness ing ▁another ▁friend ▁and ▁fellow ▁fire fig h ter ▁from ▁Lad der ▁ 4 9 , ▁Tommy ▁Dra ke ▁( Mor ris ▁Ch est nut ), ▁suffer ▁severe ▁burn s ▁following ▁a ▁steam ▁explos ion ▁at ▁an ▁industrial ▁building . ▁He ▁finds ▁the ▁work ▁reward ing , ▁but ▁his ▁wife ▁initially ▁wor ries ▁about ▁his ▁safety ▁and ▁oppos es ▁the ▁change . ▁However , ▁she ▁eventually ▁accepts ▁his ▁new ▁role ▁and ▁even ▁tal ks ▁him ▁out ▁of ▁taking ▁an ▁administrative ▁position ▁that ▁Mike , ▁who ▁has ▁now ▁become ▁a ▁Deput y ▁Chief , ▁offers ▁him . ▁ ▁One ▁Christmas ▁E ve , ▁Jack ▁and ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁Engine ▁ 3 3 ▁and ▁Lad der ▁ 4 9 ▁respond ▁to ▁a ▁burning ▁a partment ▁building . ▁Jack ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁rescue ▁a ▁young ▁girl ▁tra pped ▁in ▁an ▁eng ulf ed ▁a partment , ▁but ▁is ▁briefly ▁tra pped ▁himself ▁before ▁being ▁res cu ed ▁by ▁a ▁fellow ▁Fire fig h ter ▁from ▁Lad der ▁ 4 9 , ▁Leonard ▁" Len ny " ▁Rich ter ▁( Ro bert ▁Patrick ). ▁Both ▁men ▁receive ▁the ▁department ' s ▁Medal ▁of ▁Val or ▁for ▁their ▁actions . ▁ ▁Back ▁at ▁the ▁gra in ▁building ▁fire ▁that ▁opened ▁the ▁film , ▁Jack '