Firefighter Brian McCaffrey Quotes in Backdraft (1991)

Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale: In a word, Brian, what is this job all about?

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Fire.

Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale: It's a living thing, Brian. It breathes, it eats, and it hates. The only way to beat it is to think like it. To know that this flame will spread this way across the door and up across the ceiling, not because of the physics of flammable liquids, but because it wants to. Some guys on this job, the fire owns them, makes 'em fight it on it's level, but the only way to truly kill it is to love it a little. Just like Ronald.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: You see that glow flashing in the corner of your eye? That's your career dissipation light. It just went into high gear.

Schmidt: Hey, Axe, you know this rug rat?

John 'Axe' Adcox: Know him? I practically raised him.

John 'Axe' Adcox: He never calls. He never writes.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: [introducing himself] I'm Brian.

Grindle: I'm sorry.

Ronald: I sent away for the copy of Life magazine. The one with your picture on the front. It's a collectible.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Who's doing this, Ronald?

Ronald: Wrong question. Who isn't? It's not a spark because there's not enough damage. He wouldn't have had any fun. It's not an insurance scam because there isn't any profit.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Do you know who's doing this?

Ronald: Yes.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Then tell me.

Ronald: You want to know who? I want to know if this kid really wanted to be just like his dad.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: I wanted to be him. I wanted to be him more than anything else in the world.

Ronald: And you loved him?

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Yeah.

Ronald: And you watched him dance with the animal. You saw your dad burn.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Fuck you Ronald. Who's doing this, huh?

Ronald: Did it look at you? Did the fire look at you? It did. Whoa. Wow. Our worlds aren't that far apart after all, are they? So, whoever is doing this knows the animal well, doesn't he? He knows him real well, but he won't let him loose. He won't let him have any fun, so he does not love him. Now who doesn't love fire? And is around trychtichlorate all day long?

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: [realizes who it might be] Oh my God!

Ronald: See... that wasn't such a long trip after all.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: You had to do it, didn't you? Had to be the big Mick Man, taking on the fire bare-handed instead of protecting your probe?

Lt. Steven McCaffrey: I *had it* under control! He just wouldn't listen to me!

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: He's a *candidate*! YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! You shouldn't have had him up there in the *first place*!

[Steven walks away]

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: YOU BURNED HIM, STEVEN!

Lt. Steven McCaffrey: FUCK YOU!

[keeps walking away]

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Don't you walk away from me...

[Steven turns aroung and slugs Brian]

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: [Brian goes after Steven, resulting in a brawl]

Lt. Steven McCaffrey: Who's your brother Brian?

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: You are Steven.

[Rimgale and Brian McCaffrey in the morgue with the medical examiner]

Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale: McCaffrey, come on over and give us a hand.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: No, I don't think so. Not in my contract.

Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale: [Throwing medical gloves at him] I just rewrote your contract. Come give us a hand.

Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale: Let's go.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Where we going?

Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale: Pest control.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: [after looking at the fire station's muddy swamp creature looking dog] You guys got something against Dalmatians?

Lt. Steven McCaffrey: [Steven enters after having saved a child from the fire] Man, that was pretty crazy, huh?

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: I waited. I woulda waited.

Lt. Steven McCaffrey: Come on, don't worry about it.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: But you did it man. You did it all the way Steven, you were really a hero today.

Lt. Steven McCaffrey: Brian... its not about being a hero. I went in because there was a kid up there. You know, I just, I do what I do because that's my way. And it was Dad's way. Maybe it's not everybody's way.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Dad's way? What? Did he tell you that in a fucking séance, Steven? Huh?

Lt. Steven McCaffrey: Who's your brother, Brian?

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: You are, Steven.

[last lines]

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: You're doing it wrong!

[adjusts the probie's collar as Grindle looks on and smiles]

Nervous Probie: Thanks!

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Alright!