Continuity mistake: When Roy and Johnny are on the roof with Harriet, we can see the shadow being cast by the utility pole on the street down below, and when the police car shows up moments later that shadow has changed significantly. (00:12:40)
Continuity mistake: When the guy (Michael Conrad) with the gunshot wound is being wheeled out of the treatment room there is nothing on his face, but in the shot from the hallway as they exit the room suddenly he has a tube inserted into his nostril with tape holding it in place.
Visible crew/equipment: When Johnny and Roy are leaning on the old fire engine talking about how it's not just some old car, and then when Johnny bends over and lays the mechanic's creeper on the ground, the outlines of the mic transmitter and wire are visible on the back of Johnny's shirt.
Other mistake: When the dispatcher sends Squad 51 on the probable overdose run, the address given is 2267 West Hill, apt 6, but when Roy and Johnny are at the door, both entering and exiting, the house number above the stairs is 11044.
Visible crew/equipment: When Engine 51 arrives at the scrap yard fire, just before Captain Stanley opens his door and steps out in the closeup, the reflection of a crew member/cameraman, wearing a white, short-sleeved shirt is visible on the engine's red surface.
Other mistake: When the dispatcher drops tones for the structure fire, he calls on Station 51, Engine 27, Engine 32, and Truck 105. Once there, Captain Stanley tells the dispatcher to send a second alarm, then hear him call on Station 19, Truck 98, Truck 34, and Battalion 43. However, the only ones at the fire with 51 are Engine 9, Engine 17, Truck 17, and two men with helmets from 20, even though dispatch did not call on any of them, and of all the companies that were called to the fire, none were there, except for 51.
Visible crew/equipment: When Roy and Johnny are with Dixie, they see the new unit and scanner at the base station, and when Roy walks over to it, the actor's white tape mark is visible on the floor where he stands.
Visible crew/equipment: When Johnny chases Harriet down the street, behind Johnny we see Roy backing up the squad to follow them, with nobody around, then when it cuts to the view from within the squad, the reflection of crew is visible in the driver's side mirror.
Other mistake: On the first run of the Ward LaFrance we hear the dispatcher say, "Wrecking yard fire," but subtitles read, "Working yard fire," and as soon as Engine 51 rolls up on scene Mike turns to Captain Stanley and asks, "Light water?" but subtitles read, "Do we got water?" Then we hear the dispatcher say, "Repair 3, call Station 8," but subtitles read "Return 3..." Subtitles from Universal Studios 2010 DVD.
Visible crew/equipment: During the structure fire, when Captain Stanley uses the HT and says "Engine 17, you can pump to Engine 51," in the next shot a second cameraman carrying a handheld camera is visible between Engine 17 and Engine 9, as he's shooting footage. He's visible again three shots later, standing beside Engine 17, and once again right after they lower the ladder through the hole in the roof.
Other mistake: At the structure fire, Roy and Johnny rescue 17's Captain Harmell, as seen on his helmet after he fell through the roof, but when Truck 17 sends its snorkel to the roof, 51's Captain Stanley and Captain Watson, whose helmet also shows 17, both assist with the rescue of the other Captain of 17.
Continuity mistake: While Squad 51 is out on the run (quite literally) with the female OD, Johnny gets a cut on his elbow which he keeps fidgeting with even after it's bandaged. When Roy and Johnny get back to the station and see The Old Engine, Johnny's cut has vanished.
Continuity mistake: When Johnny starts chasing Harriet down the street, in Johnny's closeup when he passes the white house (right after the yellow house), there is a light colored wagon-style car parked in the driveway, but in shots from other angles there is a green 2-door parked in that driveway.
Continuity mistake: When the squad rolls up on the OD victim's residence Roy drives the squad over the little fence and bends it. When he takes off the gate is back in its original position.
Visible crew/equipment: At the structure fire, when Squad 51 stops at the hydrant to lay the dual lines, as Engine 51 drives past the squad, the reflections of array lighting and the reflector screen are briefly visible. Then when Engine 51 rolls up to the fire, as Captain Stanley tells dispatch to send a second alarm and approach from the west, we can see the reflection of a crew member wearing a long sleeved white shirt and dark slacks, in the window behind Captain Stanley. He's still visible when Squad 51 pulls up alongside Engine 51, and also when Cap tells Engine 9 to lay duals.
Visible crew/equipment: During the structure fire, in the shot after Johnny runs up the ladder to the roof to get to Captain Harmell, a crouching crew member can be seen under the open passenger side door of Engine 17.
Revealing mistake: At the structure fire, when Engine 9 and Engine 17 roll up, we can see the large, red, rectangular vinyl material that is adhered to the front of the engines, with their company numbers printed on it. Additionally, the red vinyl material adhered to the top of 9's and 17's cabs, which cover their real company numbers, flap up in the wind.
Continuity mistake: After 17's Captain Harmell has fallen through the warehouse roof, when Roy wraps the tape around Harmell's leg splint, the entire splint is covered by tape when they lift him up the ladder, but when Harmell is carried out of the snorkel, there is much less tape - it's wrapped around the splint only 5-6 times.
Continuity mistake: When 51's guys are at the back of the station with The Old Engine, Johnny tries cranking it and his watch reads 5:20. Then after Squad 51 is dispatched to the heart attack, when Johnny's on the line with Rampart after defibrillating the patient his watch reads 11:15, then after administering atropine, his watch reads 2:30.
Continuity mistake: When Johnny and Roy walk into Councilman Wilby's home, Wilby's wearing a buttoned up shirt and tie, and they place the O2 tank near his feet, but in Wilby's first three closeups the O2 tank is already behind the couch by his head and his shirt is unbuttoned with no tie, but in the wide shots Roy and Johnny haven't even made those changes yet.
Answer: It is standard practice to wet down driveways so that they stand out in a long shot.
stiiggy