Amidst the danger and decay of the impoverished South Bronx, the firemen of Engine Company 82 fight fires which occur at an alarming rate in the area's numerous abandoned buildings. In between alarms, the firemen discuss the routines of their profession, the uneasy relationship they have with the community they are mandated to serve and the sense of dedication they feel in the face of extreme peril. The camera follows the company as they battle fires often set by arsonists. Firefighter Dennis Smith, the author of Report from Engine Company 82, discusses the physical and psychological pressures of the job.

In the 1970s, the Bronx was on fire. Abandoned by city government, nearly a half-million people were displaced as their close-knit, multi-ethnic neighborhood burned to the ground. While insidious government policies caused the devastation, Black and Puerto Rican residents bore the blame.

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