Cape Cod Firefighting

From the founding of its first fire department in Provincetown in 1836, Cape Cod has had an exciting and unique firefighting history-as told in Cape Cod Firefighting. Rare and recently discovered photographs depict some of the area's largest fires, as well as its many innovations, from Provincetown's first Hunneman hand pumper, known as the "George Washington," to the brush breakers uniquely designed to respond to the Cape's devastating forest fires. Cape Cod fire departments also developed rescue squads that eventually evolved into the first emergency medical service system in Massachusetts to use paramedics. The images in Cape Cod Firefighting offer a tribute to the people and events that have shaped Cape Cod's fire rescue service.

Britton W. Crosby, a firefighter since 1975 and a paramedic, has combined his experiences with his avocations of photography and history to document the stories of the fire departments serving the fifteen towns and numerous villages in Barnstable County. Cape Cod Firefighting grew from the efforts of Crosby and others to preserve the memories of firefighting on Cape Cod for all to enjoy.