Interview with 'Chicago Fire' star Charlie Barnett

On the NBC drama show Chicago Fire, the character of Henry Mills—along with his fellow firefighters—has seen all sorts of fires and crazy accidents. In many of those situations, Mills helped make daring rescues.

Now, the man who portrays Mills, actor Charlie Barnett, is making a contribution toward preventing real-life fires by teaming up with Shriners Hospitals for Children to promote a fire safety campaign called "Be Burn Aware." The campaign serves to urge people to use extra care with cooking, decorations and other festive traditions during the holiday season, as the number of fires is usually particularly high this time of year—specifically 128,700 residential fires occur on average during December, according to the U.S. Fire Administration.

Holiday cooking accounts for 41 percent of those fires, with heating fires accounting for 28 percent and open flame fires making up 9 percent. Additionally, the number of children who receive burns from holiday-related incidents also increases, as noted in a press release about the campaign.

Through "Be Burn Aware," Charlie Barnett and Shriners Hospitals are sharing safety tips and educational resources to help families reduce their risk of experiencing any kind of house fire or burn injury during the holidays.

Barnett took some time to talk to TheCelebrityCafe.com about the campaign, his work with Shriners and how his role on Chicago Fire influenced his decision to team up with them; He also discussed other aspects of his life and career.

TheCelebrityCafe: In your own words, what are some ways people can reduce fires and burns during the holiday season, especially regarding children?

Charlie Barnett: First and foremost, I mean there's so many easy tips that anyone can take on. They're all listed first and foremost, I should say at beburnaware.org. You'll find them all there easily, but turning pot handles the other way around on the stove, making sure you talk with your family and kids directly about fire safety and about kitchen safety, keeping your tree at least three feet from a heater or any kind of lights or flames, making sure that candles aren't left unattended. It's all things that we should know and we think about initially, but during the holidays, in the commotion it seems to get kind of lost.

TCC: How has your role on Chicago Fire affected you personally in terms of fire-safety awareness?

CB: Oh incredibly—I know that's directly why I joined up with Shriners. I've learned a lot about fire safety, and about the fire life, I guess you could say. More specifically with Shriners, it's taken it to a new level of recovery which is something different and interesting and new for me. I've really enjoyed the whole process but it's made me definitely more aware of fire—in a good way and also a negative. You know, I've seen fires and situations with flames—speaking of Shriners Hospital, taking this holiday situation, anything can turn in a minute, in a second, and it's terrifying. Your life can change directly from it. But there's also the benefit of, I've gotten to know a lot of good people and a lot of good work and seen people—like in a Shriners Hospital situation—seen recovery and life after that, life after burns.

TCC: And since your character has been the resident chef at one point, do you have any real-life cooking ability, or any family holiday food ideas to share?

CB: Yeah, I do. I don't know if I'm good, I'd have to ask some people about that but [laughs], I do. And during the holidays it's like cooking central time so keeping it safe is an important part.

TCC: How did you get involved with Shriners?

CB: It was kind of inevitable. They approached me and when I heard that they wanted to do something, I was super excited—not to mention just for the kids. Shriners Hospital is an incredible hospital. I mean you can find any information about them as well at ShrinersHospitalsForChildren.org, but what they do for pediatrics and specifically for burn unit, it was important to me to try and help, at least get the word out.

TCC: Now about your career, it seems you have had diverse roles and don't shy away from anything, whether it's physically demanding, potentially controversial or otherwise. Where does that openness come from?

CB: Oh man, probably just from my folks, from being raised by incredible people. I was always taught that anybody and everything is worth spending time and interest on and there's no reason to pass over anything. So it led me in a route that was just hyper awareness of human beings and care and love. So it's made me at least more open to trying anything, doing everything and experiencing all that I can in this little bit of life that we have.

TCC: What's been one of your favorite roles so far and why?

CB: That's a hard one and I don't know. Probably Peter Mills, just because it's brought me to places like this—like Shriners Hospital. It's led me to understanding more and more about what the world of fire—it's the most direct part that I've ever played to lead me outside of the world, [to kind of get a better perspective] of what's really going on, at least within that world.

TCC: What's next for you personally:

CB: Geez, I don't know. I know I'm here in Chicago and loving it, really enjoying it. Hopefully going for a lifetime. And Chicago is a great place because you can experience theatre, film, television, anything and everything, so for an actor it's exciting. The doors are kind of open.

TCC: And can you give Chicago Fire fans a hint of what's in store for Peter Mills?

CB: Oh you're gonna figure out some stuff about my dad, which is always gonna be exciting because I'm figuring it out at the same time with you guys. Other than that, we've got some interesting fires, some exciting things coming up. You know, we passed our holiday in this season so we're coming into the other half.

TCC: What's the coolest or craziest thing about fires that you've learned through your role on the show?

CB: Honestly, kind of tying it back in, it's how quickly they can change—how quickly it can take something like a tree from Christmas turns into a flame that can ruin the rest of your life, or change it at least. And seeing from Shriners' tips that there's simpler ways to make things easier for yourself and safer for yourself, and not to mention your children, which is the most important. But just taking the time to look at them and understand them is what everyone needs. Being on the show has really showed me in the long run how terrifying fires can be.

Barnett—whose other acting work includes a starring role in two drama films: 2011's Private Romeo about two military academy students forming a relationship, set to lines from Romeo & Juliet, and 2013's The Happy Sad, about two young couples in New York, one gay and black, one white and heterosexual, who explore their sexuality and relationships—would like to advise people to check out BeBurnAware.org and ShrinersHospitalsForChildren.org for tips and other information on fire safety during the holidays.

You can follow Barnett on Twitter at @_CharlieBarnett.