Things You Save in a Fire

 Shirley J.                     Adult Fiction                     Lady Firefighter in an old boys network    

Things You Save in a Fire by Catherine Center 368 pages

Cassie Hanwell was enjoying life as a female firefighter in her Texas firehouse.   She is good friends with the other firefighters in her unit and gets along well enough with her commander, who is also female.  Cassie isn't close to her mother, but when her mother gets sick and on the brink of death, Cassie gives up her life in Texas and asks for a transfer to Boston so she can work and care for her.  Cassie's commander gives her a pep talk and tells her to take notes because she will be in for a rude awakening.  The Boston firehouse is all men.  All old school men who absolutely do not want a female on the premises.   They make her life as hard as they can, they haze her and the new rookie mercilessly.   The only way she proves herself is to compete in horrendously difficult exercises, taking challenges during training drills, etc.  She endures cruel treatment from all of her coworkers except the rookie whom she is starting to have feelings for.   A good story with lots of information to glean about firefighters.   I recommend this for middle schoolers on up.   An eye opener on how woman are still being treated today in some careers.