•“Much has been written about firefighters, some of it by people who actually fight fires. Few of the books I have any knowledge of show the mindset of the firefighters with as much insight and candor as this book...” —from the foreword by Hugh Downs •“Every so often a writer of substantive talent appears through the smokey background to perk up our interest in firefighters and firefighting. George Pickett is just such a man.... In The Brave you will come to know him and a valiant group of men as they speed from alarm to alarm in downtown New York, where the buildings are tall and for the most part old, where bums and drug addicts populate the streets, and where the fire companies hardly ever rest. You will begin to feel that you too are a member of Engine 33, Ladder 9, and, after George’s promotion to lieutenant, of some of Brooklyn’s busiest fire companies. It is an empowering feeling, until you suddenly realize that these are among the very first fire companies who will arrive one fateful day in their future at the World Trade Center, providing our city with more courage, determination, and selflessness that we ever knew we had. You will then thank George Pickett for letting you into their lives.” —Dennis Smith, New York Times’ bestselling author

Fire Department City of New York honors the department's 137 years of dedicated service to the City of New York by chronicling its history of the department with a updated listing of all the firefighters that have been killed in the line of duty. This book features 272 pages of which 67 are full-color pages. It has been updated to include the photos of all 343 individuals that so bravely lost their lives on September 11, 2001.

A first responder’s harrowing account of 9/11—the inspirational true story of an American hero who gave nearly everything for others during one of New York City’s darkest hours. On September 11, 2001, FDNY Battalion Chief Richard “Pitch” Picciotto answered the call heard around the world. In minutes, he was at Ground Zero of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center began to burn—and then to buckle. A veteran of the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, Picciotto was eerily familiar with the inside of the North Tower. And it was there that he concentrated his rescue efforts. It was in its smoky stairwells where he heard and felt the South Tower collapse. He made the call for firemen and rescue workers to evacuate, while he stayed behind with a skeleton team of men to help evacuate a group of disabled and infirm civilians. And it was in the rubble of the North Tower where Picciotto found himself buried—for more than four hours after the building’s collapse.

A warehouse in a large city catches fire late at night. The flames spread to every floor, and nearby buildings are in danger of being caught up in the blaze. Suddenly, ear-piercing sirens fill the air. Trucks speed down a busy street. They stop in front of the warehouse, and firefighters rush out to contain the deadly blaze before anyone gets hurt. In City Firefighters, dramatic, true stories will keep readers turning the pages as they learn firsthand how these tough, brave firefighters use their strength, quick thinking, and expert skills to battle deadly blazes. In addition, readers will go behind the scenes to learn how city firefighters train for their job so that they are ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice.

Whether jumping out of a plane to help stop a deadly wildfire from destroying a forest or racing in an ambulance to rescue a family from a burning building, it's all in a day's work for these brave heroes who have dedicated their careers to saving people's lives. In this gripping new book, children will meet the firefighters who are first on the scene when people need help the most. Dramatic true stories will keep readers turning the pages as they learn first-hand how these courageous workers use their quick thinking and expert emergency skills to come to the aid of people at a moment's notice. In addition, they will go behind the scenes to learn how these everyday heroes prepare and train for their job so that they are always ready to spring into action—even when they least expect it.

The story of Rescue 1 FDNY.