Book excerpt: This fascinating pictorial history chronicles the vibrant development of the largest and most colorful fire service in the country -- the Fire Department of New York (FDNY). Beautifully illustrated, Badges of the Bravest tells the nostalgic story of the fire departments in New York City through a lavish collection of more than 900 badges -- the most time-honored of firefighters' symbols -- along with intriguing photographs and historical documents sure to captivate history buffs, firefighting enthusiasts, and collectors of fire memorabilia. Badges of the Bravest takes the reader through a vivid journey, from the early volunteer companies to the paid uniformed force, from bucket brigades to steam fire engines, from the hand-drawn to the horse-drawn to the motorized era! Badges punctuate the many important milestones in the FDNY's history and capture its most poignant events, including the tragic fires at the Brooklyn Theater, Triangle Shirtwaist factory and the Happyland Social Club. Often overlooked in other published histories of New York firefighting, Badges of the Bravest documents the important role of many specialized fire brigades protecting New York City's landmarks, including the World's Fair, United Nations, Grand Central Terminal, Brooklyn Navy Yard, Coney Island amusement parks, and the World Trade Center. Badges of the Bravest is the saga of a great city... of firefighting and firefighters... and the glorious badges that celebrate and pay fitting tribute to the bravest of American heroes. Book jacket.