New Book Tells Story of Fire Fighters’ Response to Hurricane Katrina

October 27, 2008 – Three years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, a new book – The St. Bernard Fire Department in Hurricane Katrina – recounts the experiences of St. Bernard Parish fire fighters in the days following the storm.

In St. Bernard Parish, where major levees failed and lines of communication were destroyed, Parish fire fighters ignored their own losses and focused on saving the lives and property of others, including 6,000 stranded residents.

Through the storm’s destructive winds and rain and ensuing floods, St. Bernard Parish fire fighters became the region’s EMTs, rescue and recovery workers, mechanics, social workers and provisions providers. The St. Bernard Fire Department in Hurricane Katrina tells the amazing and often harrowing stories of the men and women who performed their jobs under extremely dangerous and stressful circumstances.

Written by Michelle Mahl Buuck, whose father and son were both members of the St. Bernard Parish Fire Department during Hurricane Katrina, the book serves as a record of the area’s hardships and of the first responders whose stories are often forgotten.

IAFF 14th District Vice President Danny Todd praises the book for depicting the “dedication, compassion, ingenuity and selflessness” of St. Bernard Parish Local 1468 fire fighters in the days following the storm. “These fire fighters rescued and assisted residents knowing that they had lost everything while facing uncertainty about their own families. That they operated under such stress makes these stories even more remarkable.”

Proceeds from the sales of The St. Bernard Fire Department in Hurricane Katrina benefit the St. Bernard Parish Local 1468. To order copies, click here or contact Pelican Publishing Company at (800) 843-1724.