Rating: 
Summary: Firefighting on the mean streets
Review: This is an extremely well written and easy to read book. The narration draws you in and transports you to the streets to ride along with the author. You can almost smell the smoke...While there are many aspect of this book that are seriously dated (such as the seventies-era street slang and some of the firefighting equipment and procedures), most of this story could still be written today. This is the gritty reality of firefighting in the toughest sections of an urban center. You can feel the exhaustion and exhileration mix together as we ride through the decaying ghetto from one fire alarm to the next. What really stands out in my mind, though, is that Smith never loses his empathy for the people of the South Bronx. Even with all the abuse he and his company endure, he still understands their plight and wishes he could make their world better. Nothing in my experience can compare with the magnitude of serving an area like the South Bronx, but many aspects of this story still reflect my career. The commaraderie of the fire station is the same, as is the sense of duty and willingness to risk everything to save a life. This is a terrific book for anyone looking to understand what it takes to be a firefighter, especially on the busiest city streets in the country.
Rating:
Summary: Firefighting on the mean streets
Review: This is an extremely well written and easy to read book. The narration draws you in and transports you to the streets to ride along with the author. You can almost smell the smoke... While there are many aspect of this book that are seriously dated (such as the seventies-era street slang and some of the firefighting equipment and procedures), most of this story could still be written today. This is the gritty reality of firefighting in the toughest sections of an urban center. You can feel the exhaustion and exhileration mix together as we ride through the decaying ghetto from one fire alarm to the next. What really stands out in my mind, though, is that Smith never loses his empathy for the people of the South Bronx. Even with all the abuse he and his company endure, he still understands their plight and wishes he could make their world better. Nothing in my experience can compare with the magnitude of serving an area like the South Bronx, but many aspects of this story still reflect my career. The commaraderie of the fire station is the same, as is the sense of duty and willingness to risk everything to save a life. This is a terrific book for anyone looking to understand what it takes to be a firefighter, especially on the busiest city streets in the country.
Rating:
Summary: The Bravest
Review: When I first read this book I was in grade school. My dad thought if I wanted to be a firefighter I might want to read this book. I sit here right know and look at the inside of the cover, which is a hardcover and there is a price tag for $4.16 from Boscov's (which is a department store).
This book brings alive the fire service in New York City in the 1960's. This was one of the most challenging times in the New York City. During this time there were riots,a serious drug abuse problem, and politically charged agendas. But through all this the firefighters of New York City still had to provide fire protection to the citizens.
How many people can say that they know how it feels to be going to a fire to only find yourself a target for rocks, bricks and beer bottles. The men of Engine Company 82 and Ladder 31 found themselves in the situation more then once. These men had to deal with the pain and suffering of people that they went to help, and found that children involved made the job even harder.
Every shift they could look forward to arsons, malicious false alarms and the uncertainty of what might happen next. Did these men do this job for the money? I can say no they did not. They did it for the love of the job. That is why most firefighters do it. Most people and even some firefighters today do not realize the history and the changes that have been in the past 40 years.
I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to reads a book that they do not want to put down. Once you pick it up, you will not put it down until you are finished.
Rating:
Summary: La Casa Grande!!!!!!!!
Review: When you are done with this book you will taste the soot, feal the heat and exhaustion and know what it was like to be a grunt firefighter on the streets of the South Bronx with the FDNY during the "WAR Years" of the late 60's and early 70's. Dennis Smith's first hand accounts of the busiest fire engine EVER {over 9,000 runs in just 1 year} will leave you captivated and ready to Take the test........to join Engine 82!!
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