Dennis Smith (1) (1940–2022)

The anthropologist in me loved that this 1) was a collection of firefighter narratives rather than just capturing a single person's experience and perspective, and 2) that it told these stories in the informants' own words. These qualities are what, I think, gives this particular book an edge over attempts to capture the lives and culture of firefighters.

I would have liked the different passages to be more clearly cited; that is, I would have liked them to be better identified with the informants they had come from, the places where they served, and maybe even other details. But other than that, it was an informative window into a distinctive and admirable community.… (more)

The anthropologist in me loved that this 1) was a collection of firefighter narratives rather than just capturing a single person's experience and perspective, and 2) that it told these stories in the informants' own words. These qualities are what, I think, gives this particular book an edge over attempts to capture the lives and culture of firefighters.

I would have liked the different passages to be more clearly cited; that is, I would have liked them to be better identified with the informants they had come from, the places where they served, and maybe even other details. But other than that, it was an informative window into a distinctive and admirable community.… (more)

A retired fireman, the author felt he had to help when he received work of the 9/11 incident. This is a story told by a seasoned person who had saved many people from burning buildings. This, however, was way beyond the scope of any fire person had ever witnessed.

The author takes us inside the mangled and terribly destroyed exits to escape the twin towers. He relates that elevators where jammed, and the terrible feeling of those above a certain level above where the plane crashed into the buildings who would never escape the terror.

Then, the author carefully describes the aftermath and the people buried beneath the tons of fallen debris. There is one story of a number of men, working round the clock to carefully remove fallen panels that were crushing the legs of a survivor. The man was rescued after a most admirable and grueling effort.… (more)