“Soot is sexy” on “Grey’s Anatomy” firefighter spin-off, “Station 19”

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ABC/Mitch Haaseth(LOS ANGELES) —  Things are about the heat up in Shondaland. The new Grey’s Anatomy firefighter spin-off, Station 19, debuts tonight on ABC.

It follows Grey’s character Ben Warren, Miranda Bailey’s husband, who decides to leave his surgical career to fight fires. It also centers on Andrea “Andy” Herrera, the captain’s daughter and herself an ambitious firefighter.

Jaina Lee Ortiz, who plays Andy, says she felt a “big responsibility” to take up the tradition of career-driven lead females on a Shonda Rhimes show.  “You have these women at the front and center and sort of owning their power,” she tells ABC Radio.

Ortiz even got some solid advice from Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo, who told her to get nine hours of sleep so she could bring her A-game to set. Pompeo, as well as Chandra Wilson, who plays Bailey, make cameo appearances in Station 19’s premiere episode, and may pop up in future episodes as well.

Jason George, who plays Ben, says he’s looking forward to his kids seeing the show for its female empowerment messages — though they’ll probably skip the steamier scenes.  “I love how strong and sexy [Andy is],” he says. “They’re not diametrically opposed. Ya know? Soot is sexy.”

But perhaps the most important question is, what’s it really like to slide down that fire pole?

“It’s fun,” George says. “If you do it right, you get a little twist going on…You gotta get that fluid pole work.”

“It’s like I’m back at the club,” he jokes. “What? Can I say that out loud?”

Station 19 airs tonight at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.

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