Boston Firefighters: Heroes in Our Neighborhoods

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! 

The fire bell rings out at the Back Bay firestation. The firefighters need to go help people right now!Boston firefighters know their city very well. They know the small streets and the big streets. They know every place where people live.

Captain Maria Hernandez and her team run out to the big red fire truck. They race through the old houses of Back Bay as they rush to help.

On the radio, Captain Maria hears other firefighters say that they are coming to help, too.

"We're coming from the North End!" says one voice.

"We're coming from Southie!" says another.

This is how Boston works. When people need help, firefighters come together from all over the city.

The Fire

When they get to the house, Captain Maria sees a big fire. Smoke is coming out of the windows and a family is stuck on the top floor. They cannot get down because of the fire.

"We need the ladder!" Captain Maria shouts. The firefighters work quickly but safely. Firefighter James comes from Brighton's Engine 29 fire station to help. He grew up in the neighborhood. He knows these streets well. Firefighter Anthony comes from the North End's Ladder 1 with his ladder truck. Even though the streets are small, he gets his big truck to the right place. The firefighters work together as a team. While the firefighters work, neighbors come to help. Mrs. Chen brings water to the firefighters. A man helps translate for his neighbor who speaks Spanish.

In Boston, people help each other.

Soon, the family is safe. The fire is put out. The house can be fixed. Everyone is okay! Once they get back to the fire house, Captain Maria thinks about all of the ways Boston fire fighters help people:

In Jamaica Plain, firefighters from Engine 28 visit schools. They teach kids about fire safety and what to do if a fire breaks out. When it snows a lot in Roxbury, firefighters from Engine 14 help people dig out their cars. 

Firefighters from Ladder 2 even saved a cat from a tree last week in East Boston! The cat's owner thanked the firefighters who helped by making them cookies.

Boston has many different neighborhoods. Each one is special:

Back Bay has old, pretty houses that firefighters like Captain Maria protect.

South Boston is by the water. Firefighters there use boats to make water rescues.

Dorchester has three-deckers where families from many countries live. When there is a car accident, firefighters rescue people from danger.

The North End has very old brick streets. Firefighters there protect buildings there are hundreds of years old!

East Boston is near the airport. Many people there speak Spanish, so some firefighters learn Spanish. Each neighborhood is different, but all firefighters do the same job: when they see a fire, they jump in to help. They keep people safe.

"Can I be a firefighter?" asks a little girl named Claire when firefighters visit her school in Hyde Park.

"Yes, you can!" says Captain Patterson. "You need to study hard in school. You need to stay healthy and strong. Then, when you turn 18, you can learn to be a firefighter."

"Boston firefighters come from all different places, says Firefighter Blake. "We speak different languages. But we ALL want to help out neighbors stay safe." Boston's firefighters are always ready to help. They know every street. They know every kind of house. 

Most important, they know the people they help. Next time you see a Boston firefighter, say "Thank you!" They keep all of us safe.