Rescue Me is an American dramedy television series that premiered on the FX Network on July 21, 2004 and concluded on September 7, 2011. The series focuses on the professional and personal lives of a group of New York City firefighters in the fictitious Engine 99/Ladder 62 Harlem Firehouse.
The show follows veteran firefighter Tommy Gavin (Denis Leary) and his troubled family as they deal with real life issues, either with post 9/11 trauma or domestic problems. Tommy has to struggle with the loss of his cousin and best friend Jimmy Keefe, who died on September 11, 2001, and frequently visits Tommy in visions. In the pilot episode, Tommy and his wife have already separated and Tommy has moved across the street. He is ill-tempered, self-destructive, hypocritical, manipulative, a relapsed alcoholic, and suffers with survivor guilt and posttraumatic stress disorder. Although he has a poor grasp on his personal life, most of his actions are well intentioned and despite his devotion and care for others (and for the job), he is viewed by various family members and his fellow firefighters as self-centered.