This book is dedicated to memory of Capt. Richard McCurley.  Capt. McCurley was a member of the New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD), Engine 4.  Capt. McCurley was stationed at the Bell South Building in New Orleans East along with 32 of his fellow firefighters as Katrina struck.  He survived Katrina and the difficult days and months that followed.  On December 2, 2005, while being dispatched on a call related to a gas leak, the engine truck McCurley was riding was involved in an accident.  Capt. McCurley died at the scene.  It was reported that his last act was to secure the radio and make the call for aid for his injured men.  He is missed by all who knew him.

This book also is also dedicated to the New Orleans Fire Department firefighters, the St. Bernard Parish firefighters, the many different Fire Departments from the across the country and the FEMA volunteer firefighters to arrived to help lift the Gulf Coast out of the clutches of chaos, desperation and destruction.

The men and women of the New Orleans Fire Department were deployed at 18 “Last Resort” locations throughout the city.  Before the winds of Katrina had stopped blowing, many of these firefighters were setting up search grids, and rescuing people, getting them to dry areas for later evacuation.  They worked for days with no communication to loved ones, very little communication between the various units, improvising, and saving people.  Doing their jobs with dread in their hearts knowing they had probably lost their own homes as well.  It is estimated that in the first few days after the storm they had rescued over up to 18000 people.

You came to help, you gave of yourselves, and you spent long periods of time away from loved ones and family, in the name of helping your fellow citizens in their time of need.  This book would not have been possible without your input, guidance, suggestions, and support.