INTO THE FIRE by Edric Macfoy published on 6th September

Edric Kennedy MacFoy’s debut book, Into the Fire  has published with Bantam Press this month.

The former firefighter, born and raised in West London, worked with the London Fire Brigade for nearly 13 years. During his time based with the brigade, he attended some of the most dramatic incidents in London, including the Croydon tram derailment of November 2016, and the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017. Last year, Edric appeared on ITV’s miniseries ‘Inside London Fire Brigade’.

Praised by Tom Marcus, author of Soldier Spy, as ‘deeply personal and blisteringly powerful’, Into the Fire offers an unforgettable insight into the highs and lows of life in the fire service.

Readers can see what it is really like to respond to an emergency call with the knowledge that someone’s life is hanging in the balance and how critical each moment is.

The book takes its reader through Edric’s training days as a new recruit and his first fire; to dealing with everything from trapped swans to chemical spills, through to the horrors of the Croydon tram derailment and the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Despite managing to separate the professional experiences from his personal life, Edric began to suffer from flashbacks after attending the Grenfell Tower fire, which he writes, ‘nothing could have prepared (him) for’. He was consequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as well as anxiety and depression. Edric is now a spokesperson for mental health, a fitness coach and passionate vegan.

Find out more about Edric and Into the Fire here