Product Description

What is it like to be right there on the front line of fire fighting and rescue? Called out at a moment's notice, day or night, into the heat of the blazing inferno? The searing flames? The choking smoke? The heartbreaking losses and the miraculous rescues? One man who knows exactly what this means is Allan Grice. A graduate of the old school of hard knocks firefighting, Grice cut his teeth at the sharp end, learning his trade on London's East End mean streets in the 1970s and 1980s, when 'fighting fires and eating smoke' was part and parcel of the firefighter's lot. Looking back on 30 years of service, Grice transports you to the heat of the action and the heart of the drama. Incident after incident is recalled with remarkable clarity. Daring rescues, towering conflagrations, tragic disasters; each episode revealing the extraordinary fortitude, commitment and selfless dedication of the Brigade's finest. Contextualised with a fascinating account of London's fire service across the generations and punctuated with some of the most notorious incidents in its tumultuous history - from the Blitz to Moorgate, from King's Cross to 7/7 - Fighting Fires and Eating Smoke finally puts these silent heroes centre stage for all to witness.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #155254 in Books
• Published on: 2009-05-28
• Binding: Hardcover
• 292 pages

About the Author
Allan Grice first realised his boyhood ambition to become a fireman with the Wakefield City Fire Brigade, West Yorkshire. In the 1970s he transferred to the London Fire Brigade where, over the next 20 years, he served from fireman to Divisional Officer Grade 1. As a fireman and junior officer, he attended numerous fires and rescues as well as non-fire emergencies, including the 1975 Moorgate tube disaster. He has also held the post of Course Director, Recruit Training in Southwark, and Deputy Senior Operations and Fire Safety Officer for North East London. In the latter capacity he had a close involvement with the fire protection schemes for many of the major constructions which formed part of the regeneration of the former docklands, including Canary Wharf Tower and London City Airport. He was principal Fire Safety Officer with Devon Fire and Rescue Service for 7 years, up to his retirement with over 30 years service. Since then he has been a visiting lecturer in fire safety law at the University of Leeds and runs his own independent fire safety advisory consultancy. He now lives in Lincolnshire.

Customer Reviews

Fighting Fires And Eating Smoke
This thrilling,compelling and evocative book held me in its grip from the beginning to the end of its 19 chapters.

It answered the questions I have often pondered about the fire and rescue service within London where I was born and where I spent the first thirty years of my life, often hearing and seeing fire engines racing past the end of my north London street.

The accounts of fire and non fire emergencies gain their authenticity by being written by a man who spent a long time on the front line of rescue work in some of inner Londons highest fire risk and heavily populated districts.This book pulls no punches in its warts and all,sometimes blood and gore descriptions and takes you to the heart of the action painting a vivid picture of what being a fire fighter at the sharp end is all about.Such is the authors powers of description that you can almost taste the smoke and feel the searing heat.

As well as being a most informative and captivating read, the book provides a solid social history of how raw was fire and rescue in the days before health and safety laws came into force leading to a rethink of traditional strategies and tactics and forcing changes, some of which were controversial, in some of the rescue equipment used.

The highly detailed accounts include rescues from blazing flats and tenements in the dead of night,conflagrations withn the huge warehouses of the London Docks to such incidents as the 1975 Moorgate tube disaster, the 1987 Kings Cross fire plus a comprehensive reference to the terrorist outrages of 7th July 2005, not to mention dealing with potential and actual suicides and the carnage of road traffic collisions.

A comprehensive epilogue charts the major changes which have come about within the UK fire service over the subsequent years and the author has been at pains to point out that these have not altered the essential and traditional ethos of all those who consider themselves to be dedicated professionals

Throughout this fascinating book, the authors passion for his calling shines bright and as well as the gripping dramas provides a thoughtful insight into the character and motivation of those who choose to work in this often hazardous profession.