Episode 19: Mike Foley

My guest today is Mike Foley, a retired Boston Firefighter with 25 years of experience on the job. Mike is also the author of Busy As Hell and Busy As Hell 2 — books that cover the history of the Boston Fire Department’s War Years between 1963 and 1983. In this episode we dive into Mike’s family legacy of four generations of Boston Firefighters from his grandfather who was appointed in 1917 to his son who is still serving to this day. Some highlights of the episode include the Foley's Marine Corps heritage, Mike’s very first experience working a fire at 17-years-old, some Boston-specific fire department history, a discussion about bunker gear and cancer, and perhaps my favorite topic — The Liar’s Club. I first met Mike at the Liar’s Club back in September 2020. The Liar’s Club began in 1968 when a bunch of old retired firefighters would meet for coffee every Wednesday at the training academy on Moon Island in Quincy, Massachusetts. The stories from the glory days would take on a life of their own — tall tales, legends, and sometimes, a few lies. As Mike puts it, “The older we get the better we were when we were younger.” Pickup Mike's books on Amazon: Busy as Hell: Stories, Tall Tales, Legends, Yarns, and a Cast of Characters from the Boston Fire Department's Famed War Years --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/late-night-history/support