Title: Last Alarm: The Charleston 9
Author: Thomas A. Woodley
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 978-1663243881
Pages: 250
Genre: General History
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda
Pacific Book Review
Last Alarm: The Charleston 9 is a book penned by Thomas A. Woodley, which serves as an enduring legacy to the nine firefighters who lost their lives in the infamous Charleston tragedy.
June 18, 2007, was a day that began like any other in the quiet city of Charleston, the second-largest city in Southern Carolina. This tranquility would later be disrupted after a deadly fire began at Charleston Sofa Super Store. It was to be the deadliest firefighter disaster in the US since the 9/11 attacks and the last call of alarm for nine brave firefighters who lost their lives in the tragedy.
Thomas A. Woodley begins by giving a striking introduction of what his illuminating text is about followed by an informative prelude that provides a preliminary analysis of the intricacies of the Charleston Fire Department. Invoking quiet reflection, Woodley captures the harrowing scale of the disaster, providing first-hand details of the response of the Charleston firefighters to the accident, the life-threatening conditions in the fuel-encumbered furniture store, the aftermath of the disaster, and the procedural changes which followed thereafter.
He does not stop there, but delves deeper into the possible causes of the fire, even shedding light on the glaring shortcomings of a fire department ill-equipped at the time due to understaffing and poor fire management standards. The writer has employed rigorous research and his vast forty years of experience as a labor litigation lawyer who represented many firefighters and medical personnel in writing this valuable treatise. Further, the book provides reports from extensive investigative reports, media articles, and details of interviews with CFD firefighters, a worthy feature that proves its accuracy and authenticity.
Last Alarm: The Charleston 9 by Thomas A. Woodley will have you appreciate the dedication, sacrifice, and enormous bravery of firefighters. I appreciate the author for taking his time to honor these fallen heroes through his meticulous work. The text is well-written and professionally organized and is bound to hold your attention until it draws to its conclusion. It is a fitting tribute to the Charleston 9, and an important contribution to our society so that the living can remember their selfless sacrifice.
