"Trail by Fire" subtitle "A Bucket of Tomato's" Begins by  describing my life growing up in Miami in Fire station Five and fishing with my father a Captain on the Miami Fire Department and follows my life and 28 year career in the Metro Dade County Fire Department.

The book centers around a civil law suit brought against me, Lt. Jim Sharpe and four police officers that handled the rescue call (a Chevrolet suburban with 13 victims trapped in a drainage ditch) in deep south Dade County involving 13 victims and four deaths. The victims family with the help of two Coral Gables attorney's filed four wrongful death law suits against Lt. Sharpe and the four police officers.

The civil law suit could be filed against me and the officers, because the Good Samaritan Law did not go into effect until Feb 1, 1981, two weeks after the accident occurred. After the Good Samaritan Law was passed, negligence would have to be proven before a suit cold be filed against an individual. This suit was prompted my a Mexican Migrant Union, that was pushing for the migrant workers picking tomato's to receive 25 cents more for every bucket of tomato's they picked. There was an impasse because the farmers could use machines to pick the tomato's rather than pay more money to the migrants.

The Mexican Union used the accident to try and bring unity to the migrant workers to support the effort. This explains the sub title "A Bucket of Tomato's". There is considerable drama in the court room between myself, my attorneys and the prosecutions attorneys. There is a great deal of detail about accident investigation, guard rail design, speed limits and the type of injuries sustained by the victims. Lt. Sharpe is one of the leading experts in triage, extrication, medical treatment and transport of multiple accident victims in the world. The book also details the extrication, triage and treatment of multiple high speed accident injuries.

I moved to the Florida Keys just twenty miles from Key West in 1975 and commuted 132 miles (2 1/2 hours) to the fire station in Miami every third day for twenty years and the book contains many of the experiences and friends I made along the Overseas Highway.

My 28 year career in the Fire Department involved many experiences; from being threatened to be shot with a 223 automatic rifle, saving a man being chocked by two 20 foot long anaconda snakes and many more, some funny some sad. The book ends with my retirement a year after Hurricane Andrew ripped thru Miami in 1992 and includes some of my hurricane experiences. 

Available now as e-book, downloaded from my web site (www.seaboots.com) or mailed or emailed after payment $14.99. All pictures are four color.

This book is based on a true story, but the names of the victims have been changed to protect the innocent.