Any Good Firefighting books?

[Jon1]

Hi everyone, i plan on taking a drive to chapters tommorow to buy a book on firefighting (http://www.annexbookstore.com/fire-fighting-books.html). I was just wondering if there are any really good books any of you recommend. I don't need a book that discusses the exams, it's mainly for an introduction to firefighting. I need a book that will tell me everything about the job, the tools and apperatus used, tips, and so on. Thanks for any feedback!!

[hrecruit]

The only books I know about at chapters for FF are books to help you take exams. The best thing I could tell you is go to the Annex Bookstore (http://www.annexbookstore.com/) or some other fire site (http://www.firefightingincanada.com) and order the Essentials of Firefighting (http://www.annexbookstore.com/36538/5th-essentials-of-fire-fighting-basic.html) edition 4 that has everything you need and more form polices and procedures, laddders, building constructions, PPE, overhaul like I said everything. Hope that helps a little. :)

[FireEMTGuy]

I agree with the book hrecruit suggested. They also sell it at fire etc. There is a study guide that you can buy also, the text is about 70$ CDN and the Study Guide is about $30.

Good luck... it can be hard to find in Canada.

[LtBlondie]

Ask for TO SLEEP WITH ANGELS, written by Cowan it's a great book.
Also First in Last Out but Batt.Chief Salka in FDNY Also great reading

[Jon1]

Thanks for all of the help everyone!!

[telesquirt]

You can also try e-bay---I think one of our guys seen some cd-rom copies there for a good price.

[colin911]

I read the book "3000 degrees F" about the 6 firefighters that died in Worcester, MA. Pretty simple book, but describes how FF's interact with each other, how we become "families", and also about what actually happened that night and gives the reader an idea of what the job could entail.
It was the one the IAFF boycotted into being made into a movie.
I totally disagreed with that, but that's another thread altogether.

[scoop422]

3000 degrees is a great book. Why do you disagree with the movie not being made? The FAMILIES didn't want it made and that's why it was boycotted.

[colin911]

Number one ... it's called censorship! Number two ... I believe it was only 2 of the 6 families that didn't want it made. Number 3 ... there are sooooo many movies out there that people did not want produced but you see them in the theatres (Passion of the Christ comes to mind). Number 4 and certainly less importantly, I would've personally liked to have seen it produced and made into a movie. What is the IAFF going to tell us not to watch, read, participate in next????

[bestcoast]

As long as the movie was done in a way that respect's the Families and FF's that were there that day. We all know how Hollywood can be when it comes to doing movies based on "True Stories", the actual truth seem's to get lost along the way in favour of what the "public" would pay to see. I can kinda see both sides of the arguement but I gotta go along with the Worchester local, and respect their wishes of boycotting the production............BC.....

[MFDFF33]

As long as the movie was done in a way that respect's the Families and FF's that were there that day. We all know how Hollywood can be when it comes to doing movies based on "True Stories", the actual truth seem's to get lost along the way in favour of what the "public" would pay to see. I can kinda see both sides of the arguement but I gotta go along with the Worchester local, and respect their wishes of boycotting the production............BC.....

I hear you there BC

[smoke286]

I read the book "3000 degrees F" about the 6 firefighters that died in Worcester, MA. Pretty simple book, but describes how FF's interact with each other, how we become "families", and also about what actually happened that night and gives the reader an idea of what the job could entail.
It was the one the IAFF boycotted into being made into a movie.
I totally disagreed with that, but that's another thread altogether.

Colin, the IAFF onlt supported the wishes of the Worchester Firefighters and the families, in that respect I agree with their move.

And yes, the book was excellent.

[jeffhubb]

Had this recommended to me.....anyone read it?


http://www.gsph.com/gsph/index.php?ID=405&Lang=En

STANDING AGAINST FIRE

CHECK FOR OTHER TITLES BY THIS AUTHOR

Chronicling the history of the Fire Service that has served within Canada's military for the better part of a century.

By Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Lorne MacLean, OMM, CD

ISBN 1-897113-28-5

Standing Against Fire chronicles the history of the Fire Service that has served within Canada's military for the better part of a century.

Today, the Fire Service is a cohesive organization with its members qualified to stringent international standards. However, for years after its tentative beginnings during World War I, the Fire Service led a nomadic existence, first as part of one military branch then another, before settling in as a component of the Military Engineers.

Drawing on archival documents, personal memoirs, contemporary accounts, and military records, Standing Against Fire gathers together for the first time a comprehensive account of the Fire Service's legacy and accomplishments. Embarrassments, humorous tales and outstanding achievements by both fire crews and individual firefighters are recounted. Approximately 200 visuals complement the text.

Standing Against Fire is a tribute to the men and women who have proudly and honourably served Canada in the Fire Service.

About the Author

LCol Lorne MacLean was born and raised in rural PEI. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1951 and was trained as a firefighter. Over the thirty-six years that followed, he has served in virtually all positions inherent in the Fire Service, including nine years as Fire Chief; three in Val d'Or, QC, four in Lahr, Germany and two in Comox, BC. He also served fifteen years in Fire Marshal positions; four in CFE, three in Air Command, and eight as Canadian Forces Fire Marshal.

During these years, he also served terms as Present of the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, President of the Association of Canadian Fire Marshals and Fire Commissioners, as Chairman of the NATO committee on standardizing fire fighting equipment and materials and on the Fire Council of both the Canadian Standards Association and Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada.

Shortly after his release from the Forces in 1987 he formed Fire Cross Consultants Inc. which was to include six consultants, all highly experienced in the broad field of fire protection. He served as President of the company for thirteen years. As well, for the past fourteen years, he has served as Chairman of Underwriters' Laboratories of Canada Committee on Research for the Fire Service.

In 1975, the author received a Chief of Defence Staff Commendation and in 1985 was appointed to the Order of Military Merit.

Lorne and his wife Lois have two sons; Roy (Geety) and Mark (Gita) and four grandchildren. They reside in Ottawa.

[fireman-911]

The last Firefighter book that I read was "Fire lover". It was about this Arson Investigator in California who used to start fires and then investigate how they started.

From the Publisher

On an October evening in South Pasadena, a horrifying wave of flame swept through a large home improvement center, snuffing out the lives of four innocent people, including a two-year-old boy. Firefighters rushed to the scene, even as a pair of equally suspicious fires broke out in two nearby stores. Silently watching the raging inferno in the midst of the heat, smoke, and chaos was a man respected as one of California’s foremost arson investigators, a captain in the Glendale Fire Department ...

It's really intense & made me want to look into arson investigations! This was also made into a movie.

[Iceman26]

This maybe a little late since it's almost 2 years after your trip to Chapters but there is one book out there that I found good. It's called becoming firefighter and includes a lifetime membership to his web site. You can go to the site and order the book if you want. He also does resume reviews as well. He did mine and on my next recruitment I got shortlisted! I ordered the book over the web and had no troubles. I expected the book to be bigger, but was pleased with the contents anyway. The site to check is www.becomingfirefighter.com. Once you buy the book the rest is free!

[DeputyMikey]

A Firefitghters Life, by retired Ottawa Fire Captain Jimmy Allen. It was a really good book! I bought it on this site on the firehall store with my gift certificate from my pic of the week back in March.

Mike

[cynical22]

I'd like to recommend "Heat: A firefighter's story" by Jon Wells.

Its a story revolving around the Plastimet fire in Hamilton Ontario, one of the worst enviroment disasters in Ontario, if not Canada.

It discusses the events leading up, and focuses on the life and subsiquent death of one of the firefighters involved in fighting this fire. It spends a lot of time getting into the health effects that firefighters suffered from, and really gets into the fellowship of firefighters.

A real easy read.

Tim

[nocomment]

A retired Vancouver FF just had a book published. Not sure if its in stores or not yet.

http://www.hancockhouse.com/products/vanbra.htm

[TVFDFF]

Burning Down The House - Fighting Fires and Losing Myself by Russel Wangersky is a really good book as well. Its about Russel's time spent in the Fire Service and all the things he seen and not dealing with it the right way.

Would recommend this to anyone.

[OzzyOsmond]

Fighting Fire
http://www.carolinepaul.com/other_books.htm

A San Francisco female firefighter's story of coming into the fire service. She's a journalism major in college, who joined the fire service after investigating claims of racism within the SFFD, and it being called an old boy's club.

At times she gets too "arty" with her storytelling, but overall a good read.