Fighting Fire With Fire

Fighting Fire With Fire

Marked by gleaming brass and nickel, the mechanical monsters belched great columns of smoke from the fire in their bellies with parts moving in constant mesmerizing motion. These were the steam fire engines of the Gold Hill and Virginia Fire Departments, a technological advancement that set the standard for other Nevada fire departments and gave the Comstock's men in the red shirts and leather helmets an advantage over the “Fire beast,” most of the time. Historian and author Steve Frady started his career in the fire service as a member of the University Fire Department at Cal Poly at Pomona where he graduated with a BS Degree in Journalism. He is the retired police and fire public information officer for the City of Reno, and former editor of the Nevada Appeal. He is an exempt member of the Virginia City Fire Department where he served 10 years as chief and was involved in researching and restoring historic Virginia City and Gold Hill firefighting equipment. He is a founding trustee and past vice chairman of the Virginia City Comstock Firemen's Museum and is the author of Red Shirts and Leather Helmets: Volunteer Firefighting on the Comstock Lode, published by UNR and Where Duty Calls: The Story of Warren Engine Co. No. 1 and the Carson City Fire Department. He served as a deputy Nevada state fire marshal, as chief of prevention and enforcement with the Nevada Division of Forestry and is an exempt member of Warren Engine Co. No. 1 where he served as second assistant chief.