An unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the men who protect us from the most frightening prospect of life in the age of terrorism "In my mind it's all business; I don't worry about my family, I don't worry about a function that I'm doing after work, I just worry about what's at hand. And what's at hand is that package." -- Detective First Grade Joe Putkowski, NYPD Bomb Squad The New York City Police Department Bomb Squad is the oldest such squad in the nation, founded in 1903. Each year its thirty-three members make more than two hundred stress-filled "bomb runs," in which they check suspicious briefcases, defuse hand grenades, and even respond to "art" projects constructed with real explosives. The public rarely sees these men--and when they do, it's usually from a distance, telephoto pictures of helmeted figures in ninety-pound suits of Kevlar armor. Starting on December 31, 2003, in the heart of the New Year's Eve action in Times Square, journalists Richard Esposito and Ted Gerstein had exclusive access to the nation's most elite police unit for an entire year. Their often chilling, never-before-told tales from the front line provide an extraordinary view of the domestic war on terrorism.
As a military Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician, I recommend BOMB SQUAD. The authors spent a year in the field with the NYPD BOMB SQUAD. The result is a narrative that strikes the right balance between history, human interest, and blowing stuff up. By the time I finished BOMB SQUAD I understood what it means to be a disposaleer in the Big Apple. I am particularly impressed and amazed with the number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) that New York's Finest face on a regular basis. This book is a must read for anyone interested in EOD, police work, and homeland security. Thank you, Messrs. Esposito and Gerstein.
day to day
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
great book as an emergency first responder in a haz mat specialty position I really enjoyed the story and could identify with the team in many ways.
A "must read" that's as important as it is informative
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
I knew this book was going to be a good read but I must admit I was greatly surprised to realize how important this book is. Not only is it a great history and peak inside the daily working of the NYPD Bomb Squad, but the fact, figures and observations of the many bomb technicians interviewed make you see the terrorism that has engulfed us for so long with fresh eyes. It's more informative than any Congressional hearing and I would wager that anyone reading this book is not only going to have an exciting read - my heart was racing - but is going to feel that reading this book was time and money well spent. I wish there were more books and authors like "Bomb Squad" and Richard Esposito and Ted Gerstein.
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