Johnson City Firefighting

With compelling photographs dating from 1889 to the present, Johnson City Firefighting portrays not only the spectacular fires that this south-central New York State city has experienced over the years but also the founding, growth, and personnel of the Johnson City Fire Department. This fire history is notable because of the man for whom the community is named: shoe manufacturer George F. Johnson. To keep his factories safe, Johnson paid for fire stations, equipment, advanced alarm systems, and even early sprinkler systems.

Robert G. Blakeslee is the recently retired fire marshal of the Johnson City Fire Department, where he served for more than 30 years. He conceived, created, and maintained the Johnson City Fire Department Web site, www.jcfd.org, and has written articles for Firehouse Magazine and Fire Command. A member of the Broome County Historical Society and an appointed village historian, Blakeslee belongs to two Civil War organizations and has a Civil War Web site. Michael J. McCann is a veteran firefighter of the Johnson City Fire Department, with over 11 years on the job. He coauthored two previous Arcadia Publications: Baseball in Broome County and Hockey in Broome County. He is well known throughout the community, having taught schoolchildren the Stop, Drop and Roll program with the aid of his dog, Daisy.