Aftermath: A Firefighter's Life

by Bryan Ratushniak

Who doesn't rush to the window when a fire truck rushes by? Bryan Ratushniak, has spent a thirty-two-year career working on the busiest fire trucks in Canada and has detailed his adventures in this witty and gripping memoir.

Detailing the emotional damage inflicted by the horrors of the job and how the author came out the other side more or less in one piece, Ratushniak shares the ups and downs of balancing home and professional life while trying to hold onto his sanity.

Aftermath: A Firefighter's Life is filled with candid, humorous, tragic, and hopeful stories from behind the "big red doors."

280 pages, Paperback

Published May 26, 2020

Reviews

[Bella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall this book was really good and worth the read, especially since it was written by a Canadian!
I really appreciated how vulnerable Bryan was about everything he went through and how he showed a side of fire fighting that Hollywood doesn’t. He showed the good, the bad, the ugly and helped shined light on mental illness and non physical injuries from the job. In the book he says that he isn’t a hero however I believe anyone willing to risk their life each and everyday to help save others most definitely is. So grateful for his service!

[Kirstin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to get into the head of my firefighter brother a bit better. It worked. It's brutal and blunt, with a lot of dark humour, but also a lot of humility and empathy. A good read.

[Kaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though there is a healthy dose of foreshadowing in this book, I wasn’t really sure how it was going to go. It’s a fairly straightforward tale- small town kid becomes big town firefighter, with some side quests.
I watch/have watched several firefighter TV shows; this definitely showed the impact of the human inside the uniform more than any entertainment TV show.
This book doesn’t shy away from describing some of the more awful tragedies that a firefighter can experience so if you’re not a fan of such things, this book may not be for you.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best autobiographies are the ones that don't sugar-coat the lives of their authors. This book definitely, thankfully, fits that description. Good, bad, highlights, anguish.... It's all there. Thank you, Bryan.

[Sean Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent memoir and insight into first responders and the trauma they have. Bryan really opens up and shares all of his trauma and ailments that are a result of life and work. If the topic interests you then it's a must read.