9.0
Notes from the Firehouse by D.E. McCourt
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9.0 Good: A great read about the life of a firefighter and everything that comes with it!
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9.8 (6 votes)
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Notes from the Firehouse
Author: D.E. McCourt
McCourt Movers
ISBN-10:1452872392
213 pages
Notes from the Firehouse follows the career of Doug McCourt, a retired firefighter from the Melrose (MA) Fire Department.
The thing that sets the book apart from others is that it isn’t about the worst calls, the biggest fires, the most gore. Doug gives us a pretty decent and unique snapshot of firefighting…the daily life, the calls that we remember, the lessons learned, the politics, and even some of the boring stuff. The great part is that he delivers it in a way that makes it easy to read and keeps you involved in the story until it is complete. He details each emergency he writes about with a style that ensures the reader will feel like they are on scene. This detail holds true even for those readers who are not firefighters.
Doug also writes about his father and his fathers influence in his life. His father was a retired captain. His brother is a firefighter as well.
Probably some of the funnier parts were the golf course brush fire fiasco and the dog that was extricated from the snow blower! Both stories will have you laughing out loud!
Doug has a refreshing storytelling ability that rivals Will Wyatt’s “And a Paycheck Too!”. Both focused on the humanity of the firefighting lifestyle instead of the testosterone filled “biggest fire stories” you see in other books. This adaptation of firefighting in book form lends itself to explaining what firefighters do better than anyone else could in fewer pages. It seems as though our thoughts and feelings are rarely seen or heard except in the firehouse, Doug does an amazing job of offering his thoughts, opinions, and experiences in this book.
About the Author:
Doug McCourt is retired form the Melrose (MA) Fire Department. He is a Marine Corps vet who also ran a piano-moving business, McCourt Movers, for thirty years. His father, Edward, retired as a captain in the Medford (MA) Fire Department. His brother, David, is a captain and active member of the Medford Fire Department. Doug currently lives in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, with his wife, Joan, and vacations at their summer home in Jonesport, Maine. They have two children, Edward and Leah.
Notes from the Firehouse by D.E. McCourt,
Notes from the Firehouse is an amazing read — gritty, detailed, heart-wrenching, and funny! If you’ve ever wanted the inside scoop on what it’s like to be a firefighter or grow up in a family of firefighters, this book is for you! For anyone else who loves stories about HEROES, this book is also for you!
Loved it! Highly recommended!
I found this book to be highly entertaining, enlightening, and educational. It was entertaining because it engages your emotions from laughter (hilarious tales), to loyalty (the camaraderie), to deep & raw sympathy that fuels firefighters’ emotional adrenaline. It was enlightening because it shed light on what the job actually entails – the good, the bad, the ugly, the shocking, the mundane, the culture – both on calls and at the firehouse. It was educational because it included some practical things that one could to do help those who help us (leave an outside light on if it’s dark out, etc.).
The stories and characters confirm what I’ve always thought about first responders, that these are everyday heroes who thrive in chaos, but know how to exercise their senses of humor. They are able to calm victims, witnesses, or families by showing patience, kindness, and confidence. Their ability to react and keep calm in chaos proves they are blessed people, and furthers my appreciation for those in this field. I also love reading about the camaraderie and the loyalty among the men, as well as the pranks and the “gotcha’s” on the rookies!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the author’s conversational style. All throughout, I found myself tearing up, then laughing out loud, and cringing as I turned the pages. The stories really stick with you! I was very sad when I finished it; I hope to see another book from D.E. McCourt in the coming years.