Turnout: A Firefighter's Story

by Bill Hall

The word "Firefighter" evokes many images in the minds of people everywhere. They are perceived as low-life's who sit around the fire house playing cards and pool, and shooting the breeze to saving kittens from being stuck in a tree and collecting undeserved paychecks. They are also hailed as heroes who are willing to give it all, including their own lives, to save a life. As a Baltimore City Firefighter for thirty years, now retired, Hall will take readers on a journey from the front seat of a fire engine to the side streets of Baltimore city. Readers will be transported on calls for people trapped in motor vehicles to assisting paramedics rescue a man pinned by a train. They will witness the rage and violence in the streets of Baltimore and the professionals who attend to those victims every day.

Genres: Biography

208 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1991

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm reading this as research for a firefighting movie, which is about what this book is good for: it is simply told anecdotes about calls this Baltimore firefighter and his buddies made. Some are funny, some are tragic, some are heroic. The reason it's a bad book is that it's unabashed propaganda: we firefighters are heroes! We love our job! It's a calling! Thank you wives, for your support! It is totally uncritical or even thoughtful about that thesis. On the other hand firefighters ARE heroes plenty of times, without a doubt. And if you have a sweet tooth for every day heroics, here's some candy.