INTO THE LINE OF FIRE – THE TUMULTUOUS YEARAS OF NEW ZEALAND FIRE BRIGADES FROM 1947 TO 2009 by Allan Bruce. Larger format (19cm x25cm) with card covers, 489 pages and a selection of monochrome photos. Published by the author in 2009. This is a dedicated copy signed by the author.

When he left the New Zealand Fire Service in 1982, author of INTO THE LINE OF FIRE, Allan Bruce, believed the recently fledged nationalised fire service was heading down a 'righteous' path. Having observed emerging developments in the New Zealand Fire Service, the scope and magnitude of these changes raised red flags... Now in retirement, he began an investigation to understand what had gone wrong and, even more importantly, why...

The book title, INTO THE LINE OF FIRE, has two distinct meanings. The first is obvious But while the second meaning is less apparent, it soon becomes clear just how much in the political line of fire frontline firefighters have been - and how significantly it affects morale and efficiency...

Allan joined the Wellington Brigade in 1947 before serving with the London Fire Brigade. On his return to NZ in 1957 he was appointed Officer at the new Fire Service Training School at Island Bay. He came to Auckland as Deputy Chief on the North Shore until appointed to the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board, as Fourth Officer, then promoted to Deputy in 1963. He was subsequently appointed Chief in 1976 and Regional Commander a year later...

Early in 1982 Allan Bruce was appointed Chief Officer of the newly formed SA Metropolitan Fire Service where he re-organised brigades.

He retired in 1989. In 2009 he published his book "Into the Line of Fire" which, as he wrote "sets out to find the source of the trouble in the 1990s that almost destroyed a first-class fire service in New Zealand...

This local hard to find book is in excellent shop-shelf condition and comes from a smoke-free home.