Life of an American Fireman is a silent movie. It was made by Edwin S. Porter. It was shot late in 1902. It was distributed early in 1903. It is one of the earliest American storytelling movies. It is about the rescue of a woman and child from a burning building. It has seven scenes and nine shots. Movie expert Charles Musser points out that this movie shows that the social role of firefighters was changing at the time it was made.