What do you think?
Rate this book
Report from Engine Co. 82.
A New York City fireman describes his work in the South Bronx, a community plagued by crime and corruption, providing insight into the hazards of this profession
215 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1972
About the author
Dennis Smith
22 books60 followersDuring his 18 years as a New York City firefighter, Dennis Smith developed a profound respect for the professionalism of the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and nurses with whom he worked in the more than 40 alarms his engine company responded to every day. He witnessed their willingness to give of themselves in the course of their duty. His experiences in the fire service have been immortalized in his books, most notably "Report from Engine Co. 82," which became an immediate New York Times bestseller, sold 3 million copies, and was translated into 13 languages.
In 2001, Dennis responded to the attack on the World Trade Center, arriving there just as the second building fell. He stayed for 57 consecutive days, first in rescue work and then in recovery. The following year, he wrote “Report from Ground Zero,” which also rose to the top of the bestseller lists.
Dennis has spent half of his life in the emergency service and the other half writing books. His experience and reputation make him powerfully and uniquely able to represent the interests and needs of emergency professionals and departments. His career as firefighter, best-selling author, magazine publisher, business leader, and director of important youth service and emergency-service not-for-profit organizations provides him with a sound point of view about what is needed to make the world better and more connected.
Dennis Smith most recently founded an international social media website: www.wavepeg.com.
In 2001, Dennis responded to the attack on the World Trade Center, arriving there just as the second building fell. He stayed for 57 consecutive days, first in rescue work and then in recovery. The following year, he wrote “Report from Ground Zero,” which also rose to the top of the bestseller lists.
Dennis has spent half of his life in the emergency service and the other half writing books. His experience and reputation make him powerfully and uniquely able to represent the interests and needs of emergency professionals and departments. His career as firefighter, best-selling author, magazine publisher, business leader, and director of important youth service and emergency-service not-for-profit organizations provides him with a sound point of view about what is needed to make the world better and more connected.
Dennis Smith most recently founded an international social media website: www.wavepeg.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
June 25, 2023
A solid book, that’s how I remember it, and the part I remember the most is his friend being killed tumbling off their fire truck as it raced towards a blaze that didn’t exist. It had been, as I recall, someone simply triggering an alarm, aware it was false.
Recommended.
Recommended.
April 25, 2019
I have to thank my Goodreads friend, "Brother Skip" for getting me interested in this book after reading his review of it.
Do you realize, that unlike incidents with the police, whenever there is a fire there is a great deal of focus on the fire, with little or no mention of the firemen fighting it. (a gender neutral word for this profession is firefighters, though women make up less than 20% of the force in western countries).
This lack of focus is a shame. We hardly hear of these heroes. For better or worse, we hear of cops, and we are aware of soldiers in combat, but rarely think of fire fighters, who fight fires, not people, and who are known to risk their lives to save others. They deserve to be admired.
This book is an account of what it was like to be in a fire company in one of the worst neighborhoods in the US, so it is doubly educational. I learned quite a few things, most of them unpleasant. Here are some:
Fire fighting is the most hazardous profession in the world.
An average of 8 firemen each year die in the line of duty in New York City alone
Fire fighters are called for a variety of emergencies, not just fires: car accidents, drug overdoses and other medical emergencies, even shootings.
The number of malicious false alarms is just incredible, averaging over 100,000 per year in the US.
While this book was an eye-opening account of the experiences of a fire fighter, it was somewhat tainted with parts reflecting on poverty and behavior of people in the ghetto, which while sympathetic, at times seemed stilted and insincere. Also, I did not appreciate a few snide remarks concerning protests against the Vietnam war (I admit, I'm overly sensitive on that issue).
Notwithstanding these minor points, the book was a great way to gain insight into what it takes to work in this noble profession.
I might try some other accounts, such as Gutter Medicine: Twenty-six Years as a Firefighter Paramedic, and 38 Years a Detroit Firefighter's Story
Do you realize, that unlike incidents with the police, whenever there is a fire there is a great deal of focus on the fire, with little or no mention of the firemen fighting it. (a gender neutral word for this profession is firefighters, though women make up less than 20% of the force in western countries).
This lack of focus is a shame. We hardly hear of these heroes. For better or worse, we hear of cops, and we are aware of soldiers in combat, but rarely think of fire fighters, who fight fires, not people, and who are known to risk their lives to save others. They deserve to be admired.
This book is an account of what it was like to be in a fire company in one of the worst neighborhoods in the US, so it is doubly educational. I learned quite a few things, most of them unpleasant. Here are some:
Fire fighting is the most hazardous profession in the world.
An average of 8 firemen each year die in the line of duty in New York City alone
Fire fighters are called for a variety of emergencies, not just fires: car accidents, drug overdoses and other medical emergencies, even shootings.
The number of malicious false alarms is just incredible, averaging over 100,000 per year in the US.
While this book was an eye-opening account of the experiences of a fire fighter, it was somewhat tainted with parts reflecting on poverty and behavior of people in the ghetto, which while sympathetic, at times seemed stilted and insincere. Also, I did not appreciate a few snide remarks concerning protests against the Vietnam war (I admit, I'm overly sensitive on that issue).
Notwithstanding these minor points, the book was a great way to gain insight into what it takes to work in this noble profession.
I might try some other accounts, such as Gutter Medicine: Twenty-six Years as a Firefighter Paramedic, and 38 Years a Detroit Firefighter's Story
November 29, 2008
Dennis Smith’s Report from Engine Co. 82 is not simply a memoir about firefighting—it is an unfiltered immersion into a world where danger, exhaustion, and moral ambiguity are constants. From its opening pages, the book establishes a stark contrast between ordinary life and the reality faced by firefighters. “Firemen are never sure” if they will return home, Smith writes, immediately grounding the narrative in uncertainty and risk . This simple statement becomes the emotional core of the book, echoing through every fire, accident, and quiet moment in the firehouse.
What makes Smith’s account so compelling is its immediacy. The writing does not feel retrospective or polished; it feels lived. Fires are described in real time, with suffocating smoke, collapsing structures, and frantic decision-making. In one early scene, firefighters crawl through a burning apartment while victims lie scattered in the darkness, one man declaring flatly, “He’s as dead as a board,” only to be met with the grim insistence, “Yeah… but we have to try” . That exchange captures the ethos of the book: a refusal to surrender even when hope is nearly gone. Smith does not romanticize heroism; instead, he shows it as routine, messy, and often futile.
The South Bronx setting is essential to understanding the narrative. Smith emphasizes that the fires are not isolated tragedies but symptoms of broader social collapse. Poverty, arson, neglect, and desperation all feed into the relentless stream of emergencies. In one devastating reflection, he notes that what appears to be “ironic justice” in a fatal fire is not justice at all, because “the real devil gets away without a burn, and the children… are the victims” . This insight elevates the book beyond a simple chronicle of firefighting; it becomes a commentary on systemic inequality and urban decay.
Smith also exposes the emotional toll of the job, though often indirectly. Firefighters rarely speak openly about fear or grief, yet these feelings surface in moments of silence, dark humor, or sudden breakdown. After the death of a fellow firefighter, the men continue their routines, unable or unwilling to articulate their loss. When one of the toughest firefighters breaks down during a television interview, admitting, “I’m sorry—I just can’t do this,” the façade of toughness collapses . These moments reveal a deep humanity beneath the hardened exterior, suggesting that emotional suppression is a necessary survival mechanism.
Another recurring theme is the randomness and injustice of death. A firefighter dies responding to a false alarm pulled by a child; victims perish in fires set by landlords or criminals; bystanders become casualties of accidents or violence. Smith recounts how one man’s death leads to the bitter reflection that thousands of false alarms waste time and endanger lives, yet few perpetrators are punished. The frustration is palpable, and it underscores a system that seems indifferent to both the firefighters’ sacrifices and the communities they serve.
Despite the bleakness, the book is not devoid of warmth or camaraderie. The firehouse itself functions as a refuge, a place where humor, routine, and shared experience create a sense of stability. The men joke, cook meals, and tease one another, forging bonds that are as essential as their equipment. This brotherhood, Smith suggests, is what allows them to endure the constant तनाव of their work. It is “a combination of brotherhood and love,” formed through shared danger and dependence . Without it, the job would be unbearable.
Smith’s prose style is deceptively simple, but it is precisely this straightforwardness that gives the book its power. He avoids elaborate metaphors or moralizing commentary, allowing the events themselves to convey meaning. The result is a narrative that feels authentic and immediate, drawing the reader into the chaos and forcing them to confront its implications. The lack of distance between the reader and the events creates a sense of urgency that mirrors the firefighters’ own experiences.
Ultimately, Report from Engine Co. 82 is as much about survival as it is about service. It portrays firefighters not as larger-than-life heroes but as ordinary men navigating extraordinary परिस्थितियाँ. They face physical danger, emotional strain, and moral ambiguity, yet they continue to respond to every alarm, whether it is a life-threatening blaze or a meaningless false call. The repetition of these calls—hundreds each month—reinforces the relentless nature of their work and the resilience required to sustain it.
By the end of the book, the reader is left with a profound respect for firefighters and a sobering awareness of the world they inhabit. Smith does not offer easy answers or comforting conclusions. Instead, he presents a reality in which courage is routine, tragedy is common, and survival is never guaranteed. His account lingers because it refuses to simplify or sanitize; it insists on showing life—and death—as it truly is.
edited 4/12/26 for a couple typos
What makes Smith’s account so compelling is its immediacy. The writing does not feel retrospective or polished; it feels lived. Fires are described in real time, with suffocating smoke, collapsing structures, and frantic decision-making. In one early scene, firefighters crawl through a burning apartment while victims lie scattered in the darkness, one man declaring flatly, “He’s as dead as a board,” only to be met with the grim insistence, “Yeah… but we have to try” . That exchange captures the ethos of the book: a refusal to surrender even when hope is nearly gone. Smith does not romanticize heroism; instead, he shows it as routine, messy, and often futile.
The South Bronx setting is essential to understanding the narrative. Smith emphasizes that the fires are not isolated tragedies but symptoms of broader social collapse. Poverty, arson, neglect, and desperation all feed into the relentless stream of emergencies. In one devastating reflection, he notes that what appears to be “ironic justice” in a fatal fire is not justice at all, because “the real devil gets away without a burn, and the children… are the victims” . This insight elevates the book beyond a simple chronicle of firefighting; it becomes a commentary on systemic inequality and urban decay.
Smith also exposes the emotional toll of the job, though often indirectly. Firefighters rarely speak openly about fear or grief, yet these feelings surface in moments of silence, dark humor, or sudden breakdown. After the death of a fellow firefighter, the men continue their routines, unable or unwilling to articulate their loss. When one of the toughest firefighters breaks down during a television interview, admitting, “I’m sorry—I just can’t do this,” the façade of toughness collapses . These moments reveal a deep humanity beneath the hardened exterior, suggesting that emotional suppression is a necessary survival mechanism.
Another recurring theme is the randomness and injustice of death. A firefighter dies responding to a false alarm pulled by a child; victims perish in fires set by landlords or criminals; bystanders become casualties of accidents or violence. Smith recounts how one man’s death leads to the bitter reflection that thousands of false alarms waste time and endanger lives, yet few perpetrators are punished. The frustration is palpable, and it underscores a system that seems indifferent to both the firefighters’ sacrifices and the communities they serve.
Despite the bleakness, the book is not devoid of warmth or camaraderie. The firehouse itself functions as a refuge, a place where humor, routine, and shared experience create a sense of stability. The men joke, cook meals, and tease one another, forging bonds that are as essential as their equipment. This brotherhood, Smith suggests, is what allows them to endure the constant तनाव of their work. It is “a combination of brotherhood and love,” formed through shared danger and dependence . Without it, the job would be unbearable.
Smith’s prose style is deceptively simple, but it is precisely this straightforwardness that gives the book its power. He avoids elaborate metaphors or moralizing commentary, allowing the events themselves to convey meaning. The result is a narrative that feels authentic and immediate, drawing the reader into the chaos and forcing them to confront its implications. The lack of distance between the reader and the events creates a sense of urgency that mirrors the firefighters’ own experiences.
Ultimately, Report from Engine Co. 82 is as much about survival as it is about service. It portrays firefighters not as larger-than-life heroes but as ordinary men navigating extraordinary परिस्थितियाँ. They face physical danger, emotional strain, and moral ambiguity, yet they continue to respond to every alarm, whether it is a life-threatening blaze or a meaningless false call. The repetition of these calls—hundreds each month—reinforces the relentless nature of their work and the resilience required to sustain it.
By the end of the book, the reader is left with a profound respect for firefighters and a sobering awareness of the world they inhabit. Smith does not offer easy answers or comforting conclusions. Instead, he presents a reality in which courage is routine, tragedy is common, and survival is never guaranteed. His account lingers because it refuses to simplify or sanitize; it insists on showing life—and death—as it truly is.
edited 4/12/26 for a couple typos
May 27, 2021
Incredible. It's like a report from war zone. When we remember what a mess was Bronx in the time period this book pertains to, this is probably accurate description. The author has real writing talent and reveals himself as multi faceted human being, and I suspect from the tone there might be some kind of highly developed spirituality in play. Because, what I hear reading is book is enormous amount of understanding for unprivileged masses that, for some unimaginable reason, work so hard to make fireman's job even harder. False calls, that make the whole crews run into one part of the city, while the real fire is devouring properties and live on the other, with no one to attend to. How about throwing bricks at fire vehicles and firemen? The amount of third-world insanity is unbelievable, and I have to say, quite unexpected. But there it is. And still, it didn't prevent the author to keep showing up for the work each and every day. Kudos to you bro, you're better human being than I am that's for sure.
August 20, 2011
Contrary to the stereotype, firefighters do not sit around the firehouse playing cards all day. I first read this book in the early 1980's after I joined the volunteer fire department. I found Dennis Smith's description of the duties and problems firefighters face to be most accurate. Company 82 is situated in New York City and was written in the 70's but it's still a fast paced and hysterical read. My sister, who is not interested in the fire service, also loved the book and screamed with laughter at some of the pranks recounted. For anyone who works in public safety, especially the fire service, this book is a classic and worth hunting down
August 21, 2012
The best book about the life of a firefighter ever written! When you get done reading this, you will understand what it was like being an FDNY fireman when the Bronx was burning in the early 70's.
April 3, 2024
This was a really well written book by a well respected member of the FDNY. This was a detailed firsthand account of life in the 70’s and 80’s as a first responder in NY City. You will have to take this book as a product of the time it was written language wise, however, I think it is an important piece of the history of the FDNY during this time period. It is amazing both how far we have come in 50 years as well as how much has remained the same. If you have any interest in the fire service this should be considered a must read.
July 30, 2022
Third time I've read this book. Still one of the best!
April 14, 2018
In the city that never sleeps, New York City is the microcosm of the world, an urban population of eight million people with endless troubles, experiences and stories to tell. In one of the biggest and busiest metropolis’ on earth, there’s a litany of emergencies and hazards for an elite few to contend with on a 24-hour basis. Meet the courageous first responders of the “Big Apple,” preferably the venerable smoke eaters of the FDNY’s Firehouse 82. Known throughout the department as “The Big House,” Firehouse 82 is home to one of the busiest fire companies in the world: Engine 82, Ladder 31, Battalion 27 along with two other engine and ladder companies that respond to more than ten thousand emergency calls a year; making Firehouse 82 one of the most active firehouses in the world.
Engine 82’s harrowing exploits are not shared with outsiders. Only a rare few are privy to the heart-stopping drama, dark humor within the firehouse kitchen and horrendous tragedy that these hardened band of brothers experience during someone’s worst day. Now, one of New York’s Bravest takes the reader beyond the red tape of urban firefighting and shares his most intimate thoughts and trials of serving in a district of New York that mirrors a war zone more than a thriving community of promise and potential. Enter the South Bronx, once home to Irish and Puerto Rican immigrants in the 1950’s, now, is a chaotic and disgraced slum of impoverished blacks, rival gangs, drug dealers, disadvantaged youths and homeless squatters. In a place where apathy and degradation abound, the Bronx is a combustible powder keg of inner-city violence and disastrous conflagrations that stretch even the toughest firefighters to the breaking point.
Walking a thin line between civilization and oblivion is veteran Firefighter Dennis Smith and his eclectic brothers-in-arms headquartered at Firehouse 82. In “Report from Engine 82” he recounts his time in the FDNY’s “Big House” confronting a myriad of challenging and deadly structure fires and the many complexities of lost souls who often find an out lit for their frustrations and woes by setting buildings and vehicles ablaze. While the iconic action hero exploits of New York’s Bravest might seem exhilarating for some to watch and idolize as a sick form of entertainment at the expense of others lives, slaying the Red Devil is not without tremendous human cost on the fireground. Dennis Smith illustrates the sobering task of listening to the FDNY Radio and hearing the dreaded message “SIGNAL 5-5-5-5 HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED.” Announcing the sudden passing of one of New York’s Bravest, be it a seasoned veteran in an apartment fire or Probie on the job for a few weeks, Dennis Smith and his crew all feel the same way... deeply saddened and humbled at the thought that it could have just as easily been them answering their final run for the last time.
Amid the firehouse flags lowered to “Half Mast” and solemn funerals honoring the life of a fallen brother, the physical and emotional toll of running in when everyone else is running out of a scene straight from Dante’s Inferno can play a key role in one’s personal life at home as well. Working 24-hour shifts every third day of the week takes a great strain on the eloquently honest firefighter-author. One can only ride the roller coaster of excitement and sorrow for so long until the years of super-human endurance and skill start to wain on a battered and emotionally-numbed first responder.
Author Dennis Smith does an exemplary job chronicling the hardships and the satisfaction of working as one of America’s Bravest in what is arguably one of the roughest and most active beats for any firefighter to operate in. Having seen Mr. Smith interviewed in a BBC Documentary and British firefighter author Allan Grice of “Call the Fire Brigade” giving “Report from Engine 82” high marks, I wanted to check it out on Audible. After listening to it, no one delivers the visceral drama, firehouse banter and humanity better than Dennis Smith. If you’re a fan of the first responder series “Third Watch” or firefighting in general, then “Report from Engine 82” is a must-have for you. Well worth the time to read or listen!
Engine 82’s harrowing exploits are not shared with outsiders. Only a rare few are privy to the heart-stopping drama, dark humor within the firehouse kitchen and horrendous tragedy that these hardened band of brothers experience during someone’s worst day. Now, one of New York’s Bravest takes the reader beyond the red tape of urban firefighting and shares his most intimate thoughts and trials of serving in a district of New York that mirrors a war zone more than a thriving community of promise and potential. Enter the South Bronx, once home to Irish and Puerto Rican immigrants in the 1950’s, now, is a chaotic and disgraced slum of impoverished blacks, rival gangs, drug dealers, disadvantaged youths and homeless squatters. In a place where apathy and degradation abound, the Bronx is a combustible powder keg of inner-city violence and disastrous conflagrations that stretch even the toughest firefighters to the breaking point.
Walking a thin line between civilization and oblivion is veteran Firefighter Dennis Smith and his eclectic brothers-in-arms headquartered at Firehouse 82. In “Report from Engine 82” he recounts his time in the FDNY’s “Big House” confronting a myriad of challenging and deadly structure fires and the many complexities of lost souls who often find an out lit for their frustrations and woes by setting buildings and vehicles ablaze. While the iconic action hero exploits of New York’s Bravest might seem exhilarating for some to watch and idolize as a sick form of entertainment at the expense of others lives, slaying the Red Devil is not without tremendous human cost on the fireground. Dennis Smith illustrates the sobering task of listening to the FDNY Radio and hearing the dreaded message “SIGNAL 5-5-5-5 HAS BEEN TRANSMITTED.” Announcing the sudden passing of one of New York’s Bravest, be it a seasoned veteran in an apartment fire or Probie on the job for a few weeks, Dennis Smith and his crew all feel the same way... deeply saddened and humbled at the thought that it could have just as easily been them answering their final run for the last time.
Amid the firehouse flags lowered to “Half Mast” and solemn funerals honoring the life of a fallen brother, the physical and emotional toll of running in when everyone else is running out of a scene straight from Dante’s Inferno can play a key role in one’s personal life at home as well. Working 24-hour shifts every third day of the week takes a great strain on the eloquently honest firefighter-author. One can only ride the roller coaster of excitement and sorrow for so long until the years of super-human endurance and skill start to wain on a battered and emotionally-numbed first responder.
Author Dennis Smith does an exemplary job chronicling the hardships and the satisfaction of working as one of America’s Bravest in what is arguably one of the roughest and most active beats for any firefighter to operate in. Having seen Mr. Smith interviewed in a BBC Documentary and British firefighter author Allan Grice of “Call the Fire Brigade” giving “Report from Engine 82” high marks, I wanted to check it out on Audible. After listening to it, no one delivers the visceral drama, firehouse banter and humanity better than Dennis Smith. If you’re a fan of the first responder series “Third Watch” or firefighting in general, then “Report from Engine 82” is a must-have for you. Well worth the time to read or listen!
February 24, 2018
Wow. I’ve always wanted to read this and now I have. Being a firefighter who has spent a large part of my career working in a socioeconomically depressed area, even today I can relate. His projection of humanity and humility are very accurate and for me, moving. Brought back many amenities and buried feelings. Thank you Dennis Smith and the courageous men and women of the service.
February 18, 2019
The excitement of firefighting, and the wisdom of a sociologist. Two things that mixed well. I did not want this one to end and though I read it in ebook format, I will be buying a paperback copy soon.
July 27, 2023
Good book. Read in two sittings. Fun to read and kept me entertained. Fun to see how relaxed firefighting was then. These days there are so many regulations at you have to wear a SCBA to enter a burning building.
August 7, 2021
A raw and uncensored look into firefighting in urban America when air masks were shared between members, gear was made of rubber, and the idea of tools we consider fundamental today wasn't even formed. I have a whole new respect for this profession and where people who came before me started. Because of them, we have less fires and more survivors than the 60's and 70's when this book takes place.
April 5, 2026
3.5 stars
January 25, 2022
Just learned that Dennis Smith has been taken from us by covid. Smith was a young firefighter with the FDNY when he wrote Report From Engine Company 82, a diary that took readers into the dangerous heart of firefighting in the dangerous and deeply impoverished South Bronx. It is a story of heroes who encounter not only the horror of fire but the pain and anger of people trapped not only by fire but poverty and racism. Smith wrote with skill and compassion, vividly capturing the life of firemen and the people they could die to save. RIP Dennis.
January 6, 2025
You can’t consider yourself a Fireman until you read this book! I read it first when I was in my early teens and I’ve been a fan of the FDNY since. I needed to have this book again and reread it. Dennis Smith (RIP) gave us all something to aspire to be.
December 3, 2022
Here's a stat that was quite arresting - in 1972, when the book was written, Engine Company 82 responded to 9,000 alarms. Think about this - in one year there are 8,760 hours - This means that this engine company left the station on average slightly more than once an hour 24x7. By way of contrast , in 2020, my home town did a total of 8,504 calls across seven stations(7) some with multiple units
A third of Engine Company's calls were fires (say, 3,000 p.a.). In my home town, only 260 calls were for fires in 2020.
What explains the difference? Engine Company 82 operated in the South Bronx where fires were regularly set for entertainment, for insurance arson, and of course, bad safety infrastructure in impoverished tenements. A third of the calls were false alarms (again, mostly to generate entertainment or just sheer maliciousness). My hometown had 700 false alarms across 2020.
This book is a memoir of one year's duty by the author as a six year veteran. It is a mix of fire alarm responding runs, fire fighting battles, paramedic-type calls, firehouse banter, and a bit of work-life balance. The men (all men back then) were a dedicated, professional bunch though cynical about the community they served given how often they were called out to risk their lives at fires caused by bad actors. Yet they did it time and time again, suffering many injuries along the way. They served with pride and honor. They served with little support (budget-wise) from the city.
As you read this book, you wonder how after even a year, there were any buildings still standing in the South Bronx given how many fires (including multi-alarm fires) they battled. Smoke inhalation, crashing ceilings, collapsing floors, and intense physical labor to lift heavy hoses up multiple flights of stairs were just "routine".
OK, so why only 3 stars?
Partly it was because it took place 50 years ago and the author admits that in the years since (when he wrote the foreword to another edition in 1999), things improved in the South Bronx. As such, it is not a "ripped from the headlines" type book. (It did sell 3 million copies when published, so if I had read it in 1973, I might have given this more stars).
Partly it is because there are so many incidents that the book got somewhat repetitive.
Partly that even in the chapters on specific fires, the firefighters did their job and put out the fires. Not easily, but not gripping narrative either. There's a ton of material here for the basis of a thrilling novel - but, that is not what we have here.
For readers who are firefighters or have family that are firefighters, I imagine this book would be insightful and would spark many a conversation. Sadly, I do not have such connections.
After I finished the book, I did a bit of research into whether things have changed for the better in the South Bronx and the answer appears to be yes. Some different scourges to be sure but the bleakness of 1972 and Engine Co. 82 keeping it from getting worse seems to have ameliorated.
One quibble - there should have been a map of the various streets and fire boxes relative to the station so the reader can see how far away the first responders had to go on those 9,000 calls. A heat map would have also been useful.
A third of Engine Company's calls were fires (say, 3,000 p.a.). In my home town, only 260 calls were for fires in 2020.
What explains the difference? Engine Company 82 operated in the South Bronx where fires were regularly set for entertainment, for insurance arson, and of course, bad safety infrastructure in impoverished tenements. A third of the calls were false alarms (again, mostly to generate entertainment or just sheer maliciousness). My hometown had 700 false alarms across 2020.
This book is a memoir of one year's duty by the author as a six year veteran. It is a mix of fire alarm responding runs, fire fighting battles, paramedic-type calls, firehouse banter, and a bit of work-life balance. The men (all men back then) were a dedicated, professional bunch though cynical about the community they served given how often they were called out to risk their lives at fires caused by bad actors. Yet they did it time and time again, suffering many injuries along the way. They served with pride and honor. They served with little support (budget-wise) from the city.
As you read this book, you wonder how after even a year, there were any buildings still standing in the South Bronx given how many fires (including multi-alarm fires) they battled. Smoke inhalation, crashing ceilings, collapsing floors, and intense physical labor to lift heavy hoses up multiple flights of stairs were just "routine".
OK, so why only 3 stars?
Partly it was because it took place 50 years ago and the author admits that in the years since (when he wrote the foreword to another edition in 1999), things improved in the South Bronx. As such, it is not a "ripped from the headlines" type book. (It did sell 3 million copies when published, so if I had read it in 1973, I might have given this more stars).
Partly it is because there are so many incidents that the book got somewhat repetitive.
Partly that even in the chapters on specific fires, the firefighters did their job and put out the fires. Not easily, but not gripping narrative either. There's a ton of material here for the basis of a thrilling novel - but, that is not what we have here.
For readers who are firefighters or have family that are firefighters, I imagine this book would be insightful and would spark many a conversation. Sadly, I do not have such connections.
After I finished the book, I did a bit of research into whether things have changed for the better in the South Bronx and the answer appears to be yes. Some different scourges to be sure but the bleakness of 1972 and Engine Co. 82 keeping it from getting worse seems to have ameliorated.
One quibble - there should have been a map of the various streets and fire boxes relative to the station so the reader can see how far away the first responders had to go on those 9,000 calls. A heat map would have also been useful.
January 13, 2013
Firemen have one of the most thank less jobs imaginable, nobody really cares about them until all hell breaks loose and they don't know who to turn to.in this book this is something Firefighter Dennis Smith deals with everyday he walked through those big gleaming bay doors of the firehouse.Smith is a very well respected New York City fireman he spent over 18 years with the department in one of the worst boroughs of the city,the south Bronx,Smith did not only write this book, he is writing about his riveting experiences accumulated over the years.
with great consideration Smith shares his opinions and thoughts as he has done with all of his other books in particular,"REPORT FROM GROUND ZERO". Smith goes into grave detail recalling one incident where a man was speeding and accidentally struck a young boy.they boy sustained multiple injuries,however,the whole neighborhood took part in removing the driver from his vehicle and beating him half to death.Another gut wrenching recollection of Smiths occurs on one shift when engine 82 is called to a structure fire,shortly after smith and his men enter the building and begin putting water on the fire,the smoke becomes so thick that none of the men can breath and begin to vomit on each other from smoke inhalation(bare in mind this novel takes place in the 70's and although breathing apparatus's,scott packs,where in use by the department you were considered less of a man for using one).
It is smith's goal to educate the public on what happens on a day to day basis in the New York City Fire Department.
with great consideration Smith shares his opinions and thoughts as he has done with all of his other books in particular,"REPORT FROM GROUND ZERO". Smith goes into grave detail recalling one incident where a man was speeding and accidentally struck a young boy.they boy sustained multiple injuries,however,the whole neighborhood took part in removing the driver from his vehicle and beating him half to death.Another gut wrenching recollection of Smiths occurs on one shift when engine 82 is called to a structure fire,shortly after smith and his men enter the building and begin putting water on the fire,the smoke becomes so thick that none of the men can breath and begin to vomit on each other from smoke inhalation(bare in mind this novel takes place in the 70's and although breathing apparatus's,scott packs,where in use by the department you were considered less of a man for using one).
It is smith's goal to educate the public on what happens on a day to day basis in the New York City Fire Department.
May 8, 2022
This book is so highly rated, I was expecting fireworks- I did not receive such. The narrator relays the stories of being a firefighter in The Bronx in the 60’s at the busiest station, but the stories were kinda flat. I was probably expecting station 19 or Chicago fire type storylines. Maybe I’m so used to my husband coming home with lively animated versions of his fire stories. Either way this book didn’t really hold my attention.
June 24, 2023
FIRE OF AN UNKNOW ORIGIN. No, we're not talking Dennis Leary and RESQUE ME here. Dennis Smith with REPORT FROM COMPANY 82 inaugurated a new genre in American literature, or at least resurrected one deliberately forgotten by the public and publishers, and that is the non-fiction proletarian saga. The prole has been a figure of American fiction arguably from Melville (hey, whaleboat sailors are working men too!) to John Steinbeck and James T. Farrell. First person accounts of American working class life was left to the newspapers, who reported either on heroes or bums, or oral historians whom few read. Smith's book is high on heroics, of course, but also the drudgery of everyday life in the fire station and the bane of all workers, bureaucrats. Plus, the public only cares about firefighters so long as they make the news (or, these days, pose for cheesecake calendars for zesty ladies). Whereas prole fiction includes the blue-collar home life, friends outside the profession and a portrait of our hero's neighborhood the non-fiction variety sticks close to the job site, in as much vivid detail as possible. In America, that means making the producer the hero, without casting him as a member of some alleged "working-class", as that would make the author/subject a Marxist. Why did prole lit flourish in the 1970s, peaking with WORKING by Studs Terkel? One reason may be that in the tumultuous 1960s everybody got their say, from hippies and other dropouts to Blacks, Chicanos, women (middle-class, not working class or pink collar) and gays but not straight white men who stayed at their post and kept the country running. This decade they got their chance to speak without sounding either radical, what did they have to rebel about?, or reactionary---the Nixon hard hats. Odd as it may sound to foreign ears books like REPORT FROM COMPANY 82 were proletarian without being political, at least overtly. Grace note: During the era of detente American prole non-fiction writers, such as Smith, received an invitation to meet their Soviet counterparts and swap on-the-job stories. A summit of Russian and American firefighters! REPORT was a huge best-seller and deserves a read today. What's your job?
March 20, 2025
One of the formative experiences in my life was serving as a firefighter while a college student in the 1980s. The department has long relied on students to reside full-time in the station houses, operate the equipment, and serve as the city's first responders. The program is highly-competitive, relatively small, and provides a rare opportunity for young men and women to learn and grow.
Dennis Smith's 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤. 𝟴𝟮 was one of the first books I read after being issued my turnouts, a well-worn paperback that found its way around the department. In the book, Smith - a member of the New York City Fire Department - provided a raw and poignant glimpse into the life of a firefighter in the South Bronx during the 1970s.
Smith details his experiences with unflinching and brutal honesty, from the adrenaline rush of responding to a call to the grim reality of witnessing loss and suffering. His prose paints a portrait of the firefighter's life that cuts to the soul. Through his eyes, readers experience not only the physical dangers of the job but also the psychological toll.
Fair warning, though. If you've ever read a combat memoir, 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤. 𝟴𝟮 is cut from the same cloth. The book is undeniably powerful, and its unrelenting intensity can be overwhelming for some readers. The graphic descriptions of fires and their aftermath, coupled with the harrowing accounts of human suffering, can be emotionally shocking to the uninitiated. However, these elements are integral to the book’s authenticity and its ability to convey the gravity of the fire service profession.
Dennis Smith's 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤. 𝟴𝟮 was one of the first books I read after being issued my turnouts, a well-worn paperback that found its way around the department. In the book, Smith - a member of the New York City Fire Department - provided a raw and poignant glimpse into the life of a firefighter in the South Bronx during the 1970s.
Smith details his experiences with unflinching and brutal honesty, from the adrenaline rush of responding to a call to the grim reality of witnessing loss and suffering. His prose paints a portrait of the firefighter's life that cuts to the soul. Through his eyes, readers experience not only the physical dangers of the job but also the psychological toll.
Fair warning, though. If you've ever read a combat memoir, 𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙀𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤. 𝟴𝟮 is cut from the same cloth. The book is undeniably powerful, and its unrelenting intensity can be overwhelming for some readers. The graphic descriptions of fires and their aftermath, coupled with the harrowing accounts of human suffering, can be emotionally shocking to the uninitiated. However, these elements are integral to the book’s authenticity and its ability to convey the gravity of the fire service profession.
December 3, 2025
This book has done a beautiful job of highlighting some of the worst parts of one of the most idealized careers. Through his descriptions, Dennis Smith tells the very real story of underappreciated sacrifice in a place where service and sacrifice is perhaps most needed. In very brief summary, Engine Co. 82 is stationed in the Southern Bronx; an impoverished and unhappy place at best. This is made especially clear when looked at through the perspective of someone who has seen the worst of it first hand. Through Smith’s eyes, we see the few individuals willing to sacrifice everything for an impoverished people, abused and attacked by the very same people they are there to protect. Multiple examples are seen in the book, from false alarms, to outright attacks and murder.
What makes this book touching is this portrayal of the grit of life in this part of New York. Smith does not focus on the worst of the city, rather he shows that it exists. In counterbalance, we also see examples of good. The heroism, the lives saved, the heartfelt gratitude from those who do appreciate the sacrifice and service. These things–both the good and the bad– go into the overarching question of the book. Was the service given worth the sacrifice? And in my personal opinion, Smith's answer to this question is the highlight of the entire book. If a gritty but touching book is what you want, I would highly recommend this particular work.
What makes this book touching is this portrayal of the grit of life in this part of New York. Smith does not focus on the worst of the city, rather he shows that it exists. In counterbalance, we also see examples of good. The heroism, the lives saved, the heartfelt gratitude from those who do appreciate the sacrifice and service. These things–both the good and the bad– go into the overarching question of the book. Was the service given worth the sacrifice? And in my personal opinion, Smith's answer to this question is the highlight of the entire book. If a gritty but touching book is what you want, I would highly recommend this particular work.
March 3, 2021
Ok, I read this the first time as I started in the fire service in 1991. It was good then. Even though St Louis is a big city fire department, it has no real comparison with what this guy saw in the 60s in New York City. It is a pretty amazing story that reads like a war novel in the steady account of amazing events. I saw some stuff in my career that was as tough as a lot of what he talks about, just not near as much as he did. Being a firefighter sure can beat you up, that is sure. This book conveys that idea very well.
I borrowed this from the library. There must not be a lot of copies floating around because even used are priced high. It is not a long book and the writing is clear and closer to journalistic than literature. Dennis Smith went on to create a great Industry Magazine "Firehouse" and his style in this book is like what he went on to do a lot of in his magazine. Firefighters should go to the trouble of reading this, it is important.
I borrowed this from the library. There must not be a lot of copies floating around because even used are priced high. It is not a long book and the writing is clear and closer to journalistic than literature. Dennis Smith went on to create a great Industry Magazine "Firehouse" and his style in this book is like what he went on to do a lot of in his magazine. Firefighters should go to the trouble of reading this, it is important.
February 11, 2022
50 years, much and little have changed
I first read this book as a teenager because the author's name is the same as mine. I didn't understand much of the social commentary Smith wrote, but enough to know the people in the South Bronx had a completely different life than my own. We lived outside the city then and would drive through the South Bronx on our way to Manhattan, I would see the large public housing buildings and envision the people in Smith's book.
Rereading Engine Company 82 years later, it strikes me of how much of Smith's description of the poor in urban environments has not changed as much as it should have, despite trillions of dollars and myriad of well intended government programs. Why?
This book is a great first hand look into the late 1960's early '70's and the socioeconomics of the era.
I first read this book as a teenager because the author's name is the same as mine. I didn't understand much of the social commentary Smith wrote, but enough to know the people in the South Bronx had a completely different life than my own. We lived outside the city then and would drive through the South Bronx on our way to Manhattan, I would see the large public housing buildings and envision the people in Smith's book.
Rereading Engine Company 82 years later, it strikes me of how much of Smith's description of the poor in urban environments has not changed as much as it should have, despite trillions of dollars and myriad of well intended government programs. Why?
This book is a great first hand look into the late 1960's early '70's and the socioeconomics of the era.
February 2, 2025
If you're a firefighter, read this. Whether you're from New York, Maine, Kansas, or California, this is the gold standard for firefighting memoirs in the United States. Dennis Smith was a firefighter for the FDNY in the South Bronx from the 1960s-1970s, at a time of extreme poverty, crime, and urban decay. New York City was in a deep financial crisis, and the South Bronx was hit the worst.
"The War Years" as those times were commonly called, Smith responded to more working fires (almost all arson) in a single shift than most of us would respond to in a year. In addition to being a good firefighting read, this book provides a grim, but accurate, picture of the South Bronx during this time. Poverty can lead to crime, and high crime and poverty rates, coupled with poor housing maintenance, low funding of law enforcement, and urban renewal projects led to this arson epidemic.
"The War Years" as those times were commonly called, Smith responded to more working fires (almost all arson) in a single shift than most of us would respond to in a year. In addition to being a good firefighting read, this book provides a grim, but accurate, picture of the South Bronx during this time. Poverty can lead to crime, and high crime and poverty rates, coupled with poor housing maintenance, low funding of law enforcement, and urban renewal projects led to this arson epidemic.
May 15, 2019
This is a very interesting true story about the work-life of a fireman in New York in the 1960s. It covers the equipment, the fires, the people in the Bronx that start the fires and pull the fire alarm for just for fun. It reads like a novel, which makes it all the more interesting - nothing stilted. It always seemed like dangerous work, but I wasn't aware of how often firemen are hurt - falling thru ceilings and floors, getting firebrands down their boots or back of their jackets.
The author paints a picture of New York - the tensions and frustrations - just the way it is today.
Totally recommended and wish some current firemen would put out another book of stories like this one.
The author paints a picture of New York - the tensions and frustrations - just the way it is today.
Totally recommended and wish some current firemen would put out another book of stories like this one.
July 18, 2020
This book started my career.
Report from Engine Company 82 was the first book that I read cover to cover as a youngster. I learned so much about the career that I came to love. It was a kick-start to my firefighter training. I learned about the tools of the job and the brotherhood and lifestyle of the firehouse.
Now that I am retired after nearly 40 years on the line (28 years in inner city Atlanta), I truly appreciate Smith's writing and really miss the job.
I have followed Dennis Smith through the years and it was a highlight of my life to get a chance to meet him in 1985.
This book should be required reading for anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in the fire service.
Report from Engine Company 82 was the first book that I read cover to cover as a youngster. I learned so much about the career that I came to love. It was a kick-start to my firefighter training. I learned about the tools of the job and the brotherhood and lifestyle of the firehouse.
Now that I am retired after nearly 40 years on the line (28 years in inner city Atlanta), I truly appreciate Smith's writing and really miss the job.
I have followed Dennis Smith through the years and it was a highlight of my life to get a chance to meet him in 1985.
This book should be required reading for anyone who is interested in pursuing a career in the fire service.
December 5, 2017
A great book, despite being a little dated now. It covers the life and experiences of a New York firefighter working in South Bronx, Engine Company 82 - at the time it was written - the 1960s - it was the busiest fire station in the country, with more than 5,000 calls a year - 30-40 per shift.
Obviously, firefighting techniques have changed radically since then, as have procedures and equipment, but the basic level of professional and personal integrity a firefighter must maintain remains the same.
A book about real heroes.
Obviously, firefighting techniques have changed radically since then, as have procedures and equipment, but the basic level of professional and personal integrity a firefighter must maintain remains the same.
A book about real heroes.
March 26, 2021
Dennis Smith describes his experience during the FDNY’s “war years” and “when the Bronx was burning”. Every Firefighter should read this book. He goes in to detail about engine company 82, ladder 31 and the TCU unit that battled many arsonists and slumlords for the arson for profit crisis back in the 1970’s. I myself enjoy engine company work and after reading this, the fireman inside always hoped for a “job”. If you are a firefighter who enjoys engine company work or just looking for a historical perspective back in those days in the Bronx, this is the book for you.
October 27, 2017
I am old enough to remember when firefighters wore rubber coats and boots, entered burning buildings without a mask and road on the outside of the trucks. This book will take you back to another time and into the midst of New York City firefighting with the busiest station.
Written in a time when alarm boxes were on every corner and the fire department had no idea what they were responding to. It will give you a real appreciation for what we have today.
Written in a time when alarm boxes were on every corner and the fire department had no idea what they were responding to. It will give you a real appreciation for what we have today.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews