September 11, 2001 changed the lives of everyone in the country. The horror of that day changed the life of Capt. Charles Sinclair of the FDNY. His wife Josie fears for his safety and believes there is more danger in fighting fires in New York. She didn't want him to give up his career, but she didn't want him doing it in New York either. Unknown to Sinclair, she uses his name and applies for the position of fire chief in the small town of Nettles, Mississippi. To her surprise, he is one of the final candidates for the position. Sinclair reluctantly agrees to talk to the selection committee, and against his expectations, he is offered the job. After the telephone interview, he agrees to the move because he has a sincere desire to help the small department overcome their poor reputation and train them to become a cohesive, highly trained, working team. Unknown to the city of Nettles, Charles Sinclair is black. He is about to enter a world of political intrigue, racism and arson.