Many people have a vision of what it is to be a fireman. Without actual experience, they can only be partially correct. This is the inside story of a fireman's life, through the first-person account of a 31-year veteran of the Fire Department New York. The author takes us from his early days when "I had no idea of the adventures I would encounter," through his career, and to the awful days surrounding September 11, 2001. The admiration for his comrades is shown through the terrible Macy's fire where a young fireman loses his life, as well as the collapse at the Brooklyn Waldbaum's store where 10 firemen are missing. On September 11, 2001, 100 of the 343 firefighters killed were friends and people he knew. Sixteen sons of men he knew were killed that day. This book depicts an unusual and dangerous profession and is a tribute to the dedication and courage of all firefighters.