Burning Down the House: Fighting Fires and Losing Myself

by Russell Wangersky

Eight years as volunteer firefighter can turn following a dream into a nightmare. Physical dangers and psychological costs all add up. The author tried to save strangers in fires, medical calls, and automobile accidents - CPR on a colleague’s father, and a fuel explosion.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Canada, Biography Memoir

320 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

"Raised in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, .. his father was a professor of oceanography at Dalhousie University and his mother, a marine biologist, ran a tight ship.. Predilection for dangerous .. and explosions" led to "rugby at 16 -- gave it up two broken noses, three cracked ribs and six concussions later" at age 32. At Arcadia University, he was also "a volunteer firefighter in Wolfville.

With "wife Barbara Pratt moved to Toronto" in 1984, back to St John's Newfoundland in 1986, five years reporter at Sunday Express and CBC TV. Two sons later, joined The Telegram daily in 1997, became editor by 2002. Now married to Leslie Vryenhoek, lives and works in St John's.

Reviews

[Mesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read... "Fire trucks have a load limit, the amount they can carry without their breaks suddenly failing or else fading on the long downhill grade - and every now and then, their backs loaded with heavy fabric-wrapped hose, you take the fire trucks out to the weight scales, just to make sure you haven't put too much weight on the back axle. The temptation is always to add more equipment... It's the same for people. The problem is that we don't have a handy weight sticker anywhere to look at, and no set of scales to drive over to tell us when we're getting too close." (p.153)

[Malarie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. It was so relatable and kind of nice that someone endures the same thought process while being a fire fighter. No one ever talks about their feelings. Thank you so much for writing this and sharing your experiences!!

[Gabriella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished reading this book and it was enjoyable. Russell Wangersky details going into post-traumatic strees disorder and dealing with it afterwards. He wanted to ba a firefighter ever since he saw a little boy and when he was in his early twenties, the fire department was accepting people to volunteer there, and he decided to take the chance. He describes what it was like to be at scenes of burning buildings and house and car accidents, some of them involved some gruesome fatalaties. Some people can walk away from situations like those that didn't involve any people, Russell couldn't let go of those images in his head. He was having nightmares about them, like where he would be stuck inside a house full of smoke and he wouldn't be able to get out. When he arrived at scenes where people were badly injured in the wreckage, he was always ready and willing to help. He felt though, that what did was never enough and he writes about what it was like to have anxieties before helping them, and also on the way there because he didn't know what to expect and if he was going to react right. I feel though, that he put in a lot of strenuous work and dedication into his job, and that he tried his best. After he finished giving someone treatment, he would think about it over and over again, wondering if he did it right and if he could have done more. He had always been convinced that he could have done more and better. Also, he describes coming close to death in burning house in his career. He says though that he thinks he deserved to die, because he was doing to much at his job and was becoming too attached to it. He says he got a thrill every time his pager went off and he couldn't let go of the lifestyle he had, even though the effects were too much for him to handle. he says that he found a reason to go inside one of the buildings because he wanted to, because he was becoming so addicted to firefighting, and the other time he being to careless. He's being waaaay too harsh on himself. He's contradicting himself too, because before he wasn't doing enough and now he's just doing too much. But I guess those are some of the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. From his accounts, it seems to me like he gave firefighting his all and never gave up, which is what you would like to see in a person who has that job. It was very well-written, and I appreciate him telling his story, sharing his pain with us.

[Steve Wilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent read...

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

A volunteer firefighter writing a book about situations he experienced while on the firefighter job. What I can't understand, why he kept at it when he knew it's not good for him. Aside from that, from the literary point of view, too much repetition (i.e. comparisons, the occasional metaphor in an otherwise bland landscape). The book is needy ....

[Altaix · Rating 5 out of 5]

Memorable book, very vivid description of life as volunteer firefighter.

[Morgan Cox · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was a great book to understand fire fighters better but I didn’t feel there was a solid end to bring it all together

[Trudy Jaskela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it very informative.
Good writing.

[Francesco Marchetti · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed by this memoir from an author that I appreciate. That I enjoyed more the vignette at end of each chapter than the chapter itself, says it all.

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

Russell Wangersky has an amazing talent for whispering haunting descriptions of fires and their devistating aftermath into this book. I burned through this book at breakneck speed, fueled by the fact that at least part of this true story book was set in Wolfville, NS near the town where I grew up.

For more reviews (and some videos too!), check out my Facebook page BELINDA'S BOOK CLUB VLOG.

[Liralen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wangersky spent years as a volunteer firefighter, logging hours battling blazes on top of his 'real' job as a reporter. This is a story about fighting fires, but more than that it's a story about the toll that such work takes on body and, especially, mind.

For reasons I can't explain, I'm drawn to firefighting stories—I know better than to imagine it all as romantic, and frankly I don't think I'd make much of a firefighter myself, but I do like reading about it. To that end I'm not sure this was entirely the book for me, as the classic 'fire' stories are relegated largely to vignettes at the beginning of each chapter. The bigger story gets darker and darker, Wangersky less and less able to successfully compartmentalise. He describes himself stepping away from firefighting but being drawn back; even when he has really and truly turned in the helmet, he feels the call of the siren. It's an important story, seeing the PTSD side of things, and it's not particularly uplifting.

So far the fire memoirs I've read have been largely by people who went on (or simultaneously) had careers in writing, and that's made a huge difference to quality—and yes, this continues the trend. Depressing read, often, but a well-crafted and compelling one.

[Jessie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was hard to finish this book .It kind of reminded me of myself. After having children , I would go over and over in my mind if I should done this with my kids or that . If they were out playing I could see them getting hurt or if i heard a car putting on their brakes I was scared to death .It took me along time to get over this and this book reminded me of this .Only now my kids are older I'm much better .
I always had respect for fire fighters but now even more so . This poor man should have got help along time ago .I hope more people read this book and they will know more of what the fire fighters live with

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was hard to get through. It was a very realistic and well portrayed view of what firefighting does to the men and women who do it. The stories were very sad and tragic but funny and interesting too. Another reason I had trouble getting through this book, is I can relate to the trauma and it was a little too close to home. I really give Russell Wangersky alot of credit for doing such a good job of writing this book. Thanks for creating such a wonderful yet tragic picture of what helping people through trauma can do to a person.

[Cumberland Public Libraries]

An amazing memoir by Russell Wagnersky about his life as a volunteer firefighter in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Wagnersky recounts the toll it took on him and his life (he believes that it was a primary cause in his divorce) and he urges other first responders to get help when they need it. I admire his dedication to saving lives, both others and his own.
Recommended by Denise Corey, Chief Librarian

[Don · Rating 3 out of 5]

I took a "wild stab" at this book having picked it up at a discount book store. I am glad that I gambled with "Burning Down The House". It provides an intimate perspective on PTSD. Wangersky does a fantastic job of creating a picture of what it looks like to live and breathe with disorder. Very well written and i'm certain cathartic for the author.

[Jon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excellent writing and an interesting story. The author gives a good window into his experiences and feelings. Can be a bit slow/dragging at times and there was a bit of repetition, but that doesn't take too much away from the book overall.

[Derek Warwick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good read aside from a few chapters that felt repetitive, stating things that had already been said. Gruesome at times. I felt the writing was very good most of the time.

[Darren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a good read. It was a glimpse into the mind of someone who does a very demanding job and it shows the effects it can have on your personal life and the lives of those around you.