Seventeen Stories from the Frederick County Fire Service

Most people think of firefighters as heroes, and indeed they are. These brave men and women risk their lives in the very act of going to work every day. Each call answered has the potential for danger to the firefighters and the citizens they serve. There are many moments, however, that define a firefighter's experience. Not all of them are fraught with danger. Fortunately, many of these calls don't end in injuries or death. Firefighters, like all working people, have widely varying on-the-job experiences. Emotions run the gamut: excitement, fear, boredom, sadness, hilarity, and poignancy. The new memoir "Seventeen Stories from the Frederick County Fire Service" humanizes the work and personal lives of these local heroes.

Author Marshall A. Botkin, PhD, has spent thirty-two years volunteering and working as a paid adjunct firefighter for Frederick County's fire and emergency medical services. He not only has placed himself in the line of fire hundreds of times but also has had the chance to get to know the colorful people of Frederick County, Maryland, a community of sprawling farmland and suburban commuters in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Through Botkin's touching, insightful, and funny memories, readers will explore the personal side of fire and rescue services.