By Associated Press - Wednesday, January 15, 2014

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (AP) - The Cape Coral Fire Department is about to hit prime time - in Germany.

The News-Press of Fort Myers (https://newspr.es/1anT5GR ) reports a two-man crew is following Juergen Schmidt, 51, a firefighter from Germany, for a show called “Achtung Kontrolle!” The show is one of the most popular reality shows aired on Kabel 1 in Germany. The segment could air in March.

The hour-long show features 15-minute segments on people who work in either law enforcement or other high-risk professions.

A crew arrived in southwest Florida last week to follow Schmidt as he goes about his work as a first responder. They got a close-up look during a 24-hour shift as the firefighters aided a woman who had fallen and injured herself to saving the life of a small child who was not breathing.

Schmidt speaks fluent German. He explained on camera what the firefighters experienced, as long as patients give their permission.

It’s actually the second time Schmidt has been featured. He said the department has received over 100 emails a week from fans of the show asking questions.

“A lot of Germans have a house here or live here or they come on vacation,” said editor Thomas Luecke. “When they can, they move into the warmth. They love Cape Coral, they love reports from Florida and they love to see Juergen sweat in the sun and work.”

Michael Heeder, a spokesman for the fire department, said the show has been good for the city, too.

“That same dedication (firefighters) show this moment is the same they show seven days a week, 52 weeks out of the year,” Heeder said. “It’s great for the residents to know that the city is working hard.”

Schmidt was a police officer in Germany before switching to the fire department. He moved to Cape Coral in 2001.

He said his co-workers make fun of his “German hillbilly” accent and recently have been asking for his autograph.

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Information from: The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press, https://www.news-press.com

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