The midseason premiere of 9-1-1 delivered a massive shock to the team at Station 118. In the episode titled “Secrets,” which aired on Thursday, January 8, 2026, on ABC, longtime firefighter and paramedic Hen Wilson was fired by her best friend and new captain, Howard “Chimney” Han, after her secret health crisis endangered lives.
The episode picks up three months after the midseason finale, with Hen continuing to hide a serious but undiagnosed medical condition from her wife, Karen, and the entire 118 team. Her decision to remain silent ultimately forces Chimney into a heartbreaking professional decision, leaving her future with the Los Angeles Fire Department in serious doubt.
Hen’s Health Secret Ends in a Devastating Dismissal
The core drama of the episode revolves around Hen’s deteriorating health and her desperate attempts to conceal it. For months, she has been suffering from a range of debilitating symptoms, including rashes, muscle aches, migraines, nausea, fatigue, and a hand tremor. Despite visiting a medical spa weekly and undergoing numerous inconclusive tests, she has no diagnosis.
Her wife, Karen Wilson, discovers thousands of dollars in suspicious charges and bottles of unexplained pills. After confronting Hen, Karen insists she tell Chimney immediately, threatening to do it herself if Hen refuses. Hen also confesses to Athena Grant, who urges her to be honest, suggesting this could be the start of a new chapter rather than the end of her career.
Hen’s secret becomes a direct threat during emergency calls. While assisting with a risky field delivery of a baby, her hand shakes so violently she is forced to let Eddie Diaz take over the procedure. Later, during a hotel fire, she rescues a young girl but collapses in front of her entire team after exiting the burning building.
In the hospital, a furious and betrayed Chimney confronts her. He states that her actions put her life, the lives of her coworkers, and the public at extreme risk. In a pivotal moment that cuts deep, Chimney suggests she would not have kept this secret from their former captain, Bobby Nash.
“I can’t have someone on the team who puts her life and the lives of her coworkers and the public at risk. You don’t trust me, Hen, and I need to be able to trust you,” Chimney told her in the emotional hospital room scene.
When Hen says she should not receive special treatment, Chimney agrees and delivers the final blow: “You’re done at the 118”. This firing leaves Hen’s professional future uncertain, with possibilities ranging from a desk job within the LAFD to a complete departure from the department.
Buck’s Night Out Leads to a Complicated Love Triangle
A lighter, comedic subplot provided a counterbalance to Hen’s intense storyline. After a call involving a man stuck in a real medieval chastity belt, Buck teases Eddie about his own nonexistent love life, accusing him of wearing a “metaphorical chastity belt”.
Buck and Ravi take Eddie to a club to help him meet someone, but the plan backfires spectacularly. Instead of Eddie, it’s Buck who connects with two people: a woman named Jade and a man named Zane. Buck goes on separate dates with both, which he later describes as “mind-blowing,” marking his first romantic encounters since his relationship with Tommy ended.
The situation turns awkward when Ravi’s social media investigation reveals Jade and Zane appear to be siblings, as they share photos with the same grandmother. In a panic, Buck attempts to break things off, only to learn the stunning truth: Jade and Zane are not siblings but a married couple who practice ethical non-monogamy. They reveal they were “test riding” Buck to see if he’d like to join their relationship as a third partner.
“Sometimes we have to take our ponies for a test ride before they join the herd,” Jade explained to a stunned Buck at the firehouse.
Buck politely declines, telling them he is “still trying to figure out how to be a half” and isn’t ready to be a third. The couple leaves the invitation open, and the episode ends with them briefly considering Ravi and Eddie before the two firefighters quickly walk away.
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Fallout and Future for the 118 Team
The episode sets up significant character conflicts for the second half of Season 9. The firing threatens to rupture the deep, longstanding friendship between Hen and Chimney, with some critics noting the damage to their personal bond may be harder to repair than their professional one. Fans and reviewers have expressed frustration that Hen’s secretive behavior felt out of character for the normally reliable and team-oriented first responder.
Meanwhile, Buck’s storyline marked a notable, if comedic, exploration of his bisexuality since coming out. While he engaged with multiple partners, the show has yet to have Buck explicitly use the term “bisexual” on screen, a point noted by some commentators. The episode also touched on Eddie’s ongoing personal struggles, with Buck pointing out that he hasn’t shown interest in anyone in over a year, a detail some fans believe could be significant for future story development.
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