Anthony G. Buono

This exciting book tells the story of the generations of volunteer firefighters in this small village located in upstate New York. The story of the Valatie Fire Department brings to light a broader picture of the history of America's small town volunteer fire service.

According to the National Fire Protection Association two-thirds of all firefighters in the United States are volunteers. That is about 760,000 men and women. Valatie is one of the more than 14,000 small communities in America that rely exclusively on volunteers for its fire protection.

Valatie's volunteers started with an 1837 hand-drawn gooseneck pumper and now operate a fleet of modern apparatus. In the intervening years they used apparatus from Seagrave, Mack, Pirsch, KME, Childs, Quality, Clapp & Jones, Button & Blake and Oren.

This book is illustrated generously with over 200 photographs, period advertisements, drawings, letters and other documents. This is small town American history at its best.