Old Men and Fire: Parables from a Volunteer Firehouse

At the age most folks collect social security, preacher and popular author Gary Kowalski became a volunteer with his local Fire & Rescue. Being a first responder, he discovered, involves more than driving a big red truck. It means facing grief, fear, and addiction, as well as coping with physical limitations, but also offers glimpses of altruism, courage and teamwork that show people at their finest. This book is a collection of life lessons learned from the end of high pressure nozzle. How a friend found grace after seeing his home go up in smoke, for example. Why some people risk their lives for others. Identifying a personal mission. Being grateful for false alarms and the emergencies that never happen. Why the biggest disasters sometimes make the best stories. Neither aging nor fighting fires, you will learn, are for sissies. The sirens are blaring, the lights are flashing, the engine’s leaving the station. Riding with this rookie on his trip to certified Firefighter will make you chuckle or moan but will never be dull. You'll see ordinary men and women do extraordinary things and witness a few nasty scrapes you'd just as soon forget. If you are ready to roll, come climb aboard. (All proceeds will benefit Hondo Volunteer Fire & Rescue of the Santa Fe County Fire Department.)