The risks and almost casual heroism which are integral parts of the firefighters' job have not only created an intense camaraderie among the workforce but also made their union one which inspires enormous loyalty and respect. "Forged in Fire" tells the story of the FBU not through a traditional chronology, but through a series of interlinked essays which highlights the most fascinating aspects of the union's history. They include an account of the role played by women in the fire service and FBU during the war, an analysis of the social composition of a union once largely made up of ex-merchant seamen and an assessment of the bitter national strike in the winter of 1977-78, the only official dispute in the union's history. "Forged in Fire" also contains a number of autobiographical pieces by both former leaders of the union, including John Horner who was its general secretary during the war years, and rank-and-file members with their reminiscences of the 1977-78 strike. Contributors include: John Saville, David Englander, Kenneth Brown and Terry Segars.