Harvey Eisner was a classic “fire buff” and a volunteer firefighter/fire chief who, when not working as a crime scene photographer, would likely be found visiting fire stations or chasing fires in New York and New Jersey. A passionate fire photographer, Harvey got his start with Firehouse by sharing his photos with then-Editor-in-Chief Dennis Smith, with the hopes that they would eventually be published in the pages of Firehouse Magazine. Over the years, Harvey’s dedication and hard work paid off, and he had numerous photos—including cover photos—published in print. He eventually began writing for the magazine before taking on the role of editor-in-chief in 1995.
During his tenure as the editor, Harvey made his mark in the fire service by helping lead the magazine while covering some of the most notable events in recent history, including the San Juan DuPont Plaza (December 1986), the Hackensack Ford Dealership fire (July 1988), the World Trade Center bombing (February 1993), the Station Night Club fire (February 2003), Hurricane Sandy (October 2012) and many more. Harvey also served as the editor for “WTC: In Their Own Words,” which was published in 2011. The book delivered a historical account of September 11 through interviews, photos, maps and diagrams.
In recognition for his contributions to Firehouse and our nation’s fire service, Chief Harvey Eisner was inducted into the Firehouse Hall of Fame in July 2015.
