Dennis Smith

During his 18 years as a New York City firefighter, Dennis Smith developed a profound respect for the professionalism of the firefighters, police officers, EMTs, and nurses with whom he worked in the more than 40 alarms his engine company responded to every day. He witnessed their willingness to give of themselves in the course of their duty. The most important lesson about this dangerous occupation is to know that you can go one way and save a life, or you can go the other way and possibly lose your own. Prudence, experience and instinct guide the way. His experiences in the fire service have been immortalized in his books, most notably "Report from Engine Co. 82."

In 2001, Dennis responded to the attack on the World Trade Center, arriving there just as the second building fell. He stayed for 57 consecutive days, first in rescue work and then in recovery. The following year, he wrote “Report from Ground Zero,” which rose to the top of the bestseller lists.

Dennis has spent half of his life in the emergency service and the other half writing books. His experience and reputation make him powerfully and uniquely able to represent the interests and needs of emergency professionals and departments. His career as firefighter, best-selling author, magazine publisher, business leader, and director of important youth service and emergency-service not-for-profit organizations provides him with a sound point of view about what is needed to make the world better and more connected.

Dennis Smith most recently founded an international social media website: www.wavepeg.com.

"Of Love and Courage," a story set in New York and Manila, is Dennis Smith's 17th book.