Alarm in the Firehouse: A Memoir of America's First Openly Gay Professional Firefighter

By: R. Kevin Mallinson

In the early 1980s, Kevin joined the Key West Fire Department. His dream of being a professional firefighter had come true. He hadn't imagined how being gay would threaten his fellow firefighters. Kevin became the target of fierce and unrelenting homophobic assaults intended to force him out of the department. His story highlights the importance of personal values and a sense of humor when facing adversity. Against a backdrop of the emerging AIDS epidemic, Kevin relays a narrative of conflict, resilience, and triumph over his several years as America's first openly gay professional firefighter. This honest account invites the reader to contemplate the nature of masculinity and consider what it means to be one of America's Bravest.