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Dennis Smith has been called "the Poet Laureate of Firefighters" by the New York Post, and when his book "Report from Engine Company 82" was published it was hailed for being by a working fireman on the front line of a South Bronx firehouse that was the world's busiest at that time. When disaster struck in downtown Manhattan on September 11th, 2001, Dennis Smith was among the first to arrive on the scene, and in spite of being 60 years old and long retired, he was an active participant in the do...

Beyond an adrenaline ride or a chronicle of bravura heroics, this unflinching view of a Minneapolis firefighter reveals the significant toll of emergency response In this remarkable memoir, Jeremy Norton marshals twenty-two years of professional experience to offer, with compassion and critique, an extraordinary portrayal of emergency responders. Trauma Sponges captures in arresting detail the personal and social toll the job exacts, as well as the unique perspective afforded by sustained direct...

The role of the modern firefighter has evolved beyond purely fighting fires, and the fire service has become one of the rescue services. This fascinating Manual, written by an experienced firefighter, begins with a look at the history of firefighting, and provides details of entry requirements, training, personal equipment, fire and rescue vehicles, incident control and how the rescue services are coordinated, along with case studies of various incidents. The engaging text provides an overview o...

A captivating memoir of trailblazing and firefighting from a pioneering woman in a male-dominated fieldWhen Clare Frank was 17 years old, she became a firefighter in Northern California. Clare was five foot two and officially too young to join the service—she left her birthdate blank on her paperwork, hoping no one would notice. And she didn’t look like her peers, who sported an Adam’s apple and a mustache. But her brother was a firefighter and loved it, so she thought she’d try it out, too. Ver...

From Diana Darke, the acclaimed author of My House in Damascus and The Merchant of Syria, comes the extraordinary true story of a heroic ambulance driver who created a cat sanctuary in the midst of war-torn Aleppo."I'll stay with them no matter what happens. Someone who has mercy in his heart for humans has mercy for every living thing."When war came to Alaa Aljaleel's hometown, he made a remarkable decision to stay behind, caring for the people and animals caught in the crossfire. While thousan...

'Hilarious' Russell Brand'Fascinating, funny, moving' Richard Herring'Totally engaging, highly inspiring and impossible to put down' Nazir Afzal OBELeigh Hosy-Pickett has seen it all in his twenty-five years as a firefighter. He's battled infernos and pulled people from the wreckage of twisted metal but the closest he ever came to death was at the hands of a confused hen do. Now he's here to tell us the funniest, most eye-opening and moving stories from a life lived amongst the smoke.From blazes...

'Frog', a term of endearment for intensive care paramedics, derives from the notion that everything they touch croaks. Sally Gould delivers a gripping and heartfelt memoir that dives into the unpredictable, often absurd, and sometimes heartbreaking reality of life as a paramedic. Life as a paramedic, writes Sally Gould in this candid, witty memoir, can be traumatic, gross, dull, hilarious, magical. To make the cut, you need to be able to think outside the square, keep calm in the midst of chao...

The remarkable 200-year history of The RNLI and their invaluable role in British Maritime history. A beautiful book of kindness, courage, and community to treasure for years to come. This beautiful book from one of the UK’s best-loved charities will span their impressive 200-year history. Throughout this time, The RNLI has seen many huge cultural and societal shifts as well as significant historical moments, and they have been actively involved in so many – from the first female lifebo...

She has to be OK, I pleaded silently to myself. She has to be. ‘We’ve alerted the RNLI and they’re sending a lifeboat out.’ ‘The RNLI?’ I said, surprised. ‘They do that?’ Saved from the Waves is a heart-warming collection of first-hand accounts from RNLI volunteers of the myriad dangers they face during each mission to save beloved pets, wildlife and livestock. This remarkable...

The dramatic story of hundreds of senior citizens left in the path of a ferocious firestorm and what the quest for accountability reveals about the increasing risks to our most vulnerable population. Just after midnight on October 9, 2017, as one of the nation’s deadliest and most destructive firestorms swept over California’s Wine Country, hundreds of elderly residents from two posh senior living facilities were caught in its path. The frailest were blind, in wheelchairs, or diagnosed with dem...

One of the most enduring images of the Ethiopian famine that shocked the world in 1984 was that of the young International Red Cross nurse who, surrounded by thousands of starving people and with limited supplies, had the terrible task of choosing which children to feed, knowing that those she turned away might not last the night. That nurse was Claire Bertschinger, and those pictures inspired Live Aid, the biggest relief programme the world had ever seen. 'In her was vested the power of life an...

Bobbie Scopa spent close to five decades working through nearly every challenge a firefighter can face. Scopa was a strike team leader for the Dude Fire in 1990, where six firefighters were tragically killed, and she served at Ground Zero immediately after 9/11. She’s worked mountain rescues, city fires, mega-wildfires, and everything in between. While battling conditions and harsh flames on the outside, she also found herself waging a tougher battle on the inside. Scopa was torn between how...