Eugene L. Welischar

The 1960s and 1970s were a a tumultuous time for New York City and the FDNY. Arson was rife as new owners took this shortcut to getting rid of old buildings on prime property; civil disobedience accounted for further fires, greed and ineffectual City government further complicated the picture, and diminishing budgets made it difficult just to keep fire fighting equipment operating.

New York City became a playground for unscrupulous entrepreneurs and predators who picked the bones of a decaying city. And then there was the sexual revolution.

In this book Gene Welischar, a 33-year veteran of the FDNY, tells the inside story of firehouse operations, operating within an impossible environment and of the brotherhood of firemen that made it work.

This book is filled with true stories of fire fighting, crime, diplomacy and the sometimes hilarious solutions the firemen found for getting the job done. It will stir your soul and warm your bones, and renew your belief in the human spirit.