TY - BOOK ID - 149842395 TI - New York Firefighting & the American Revolution : Saving Colonial Gotham from Incineration. PY - 2022 SN - 1439674744 PB - Chicago : Arcadia Publishing Inc., DB - UniCat KW - Fire departments KW - Fire fighters KW - Great Fire, New York, N.Y., 1776 KW - History. KW - History. KW - New York (N.Y.). KW - History. KW - New York (N.Y.) KW - History KW - BUILDING KW - TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:149842395 AB - Revolutionary-era Manhattan was a chaotic scene of Loyalists, British occupation troops, Patriot spies and thousands of people seeking to live ordinary lives during extraordinary times. In the 1730s, the colonial legislature of New York officially created a fire department, establishing the origins of todays FDNY. As Washington withdrew from the city and the British rushed in, firefighters were forced to choose between joining the cause for independence or helping to protect British interests. Just days later, a fire broke out on September 21st, 1776. By daybreak, it had consumed five hundred buildings and was the most destructive fire in colonial North America. Twickler uncovers the history of New York firefighting as a new nation was forged. ER -