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| NYC Firefighters 2015 Calendar - 20th Anniversary Special Edition |
On Wednesday, July 23, I attended the launch of the 2015 NYC Firefighters Calendar -- 20th Anniversary Special Edition. The event was held at Sofia Italian Grill on 48th Street. Some of the firefighters featured in the 2014 and 2015 calendars were on hand to greet attendees and sign copies of the both calendars. Also in attendance was Battman of Battman Studios, the photographer of the Firefighter Calendars since 1996. All donations made that evening went to the Staten Island University Hospital Burn Center.
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| From Left to Right: FF Andy Guich, FF Christopher Frazzetta, FF Kievon Harper, FF Conor Moriarty, FF Tom Caruso, FF Jimmy Condit |
Yes, on an evening I'm in a room with fit, attractive heroes, my camera sends me a blaring "corrupted data" message. GAH! You'll just have to make due with photos of their pages in the calendar taken with my trusty Samsung.
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| Firefighters Jimmy Condit and Conor Moriarty sign copies of the 2014 and 2015 NYC Firefighters Calendars |
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| Firefighter Christopher Frazzetta - Mr. July 2015 |
One of the first to sign my calendar was FF Christopher Frazzetta of Engine 202. Mr. July in the 2015 NYC Firefighters Calendar. Fireworks, indeed!
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| Firefighter Kievon Harper -- Mr. November 2014 |
FF Kievon Harper of Ladder 176 (Mr. November 2014). I was very pleased to see a Black firefighter represented in the calendar and at the event. He was awarded the Vincent J. Kane Medal in June 2013 for his work on October 29, 2012, the day Hurricane Sandy hit New York City. Firefighter Harper saved 12 people (a pregnant woman, four children and three infants included) in the Rockaways using a raft made from a wooden fence. Go Kievon! Side note: at the launch event, he ordered a vodka cranberry (that's my go-to drink too!).
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| Firefighter Jimmy Condit -- Mr. January 2014 |
Firefighter Jimmy Condit (also an EMT on Long Island) was a highlight of my evening. He's Mr. January which is also his birthday month. The firefighters don't get to decide which month they'll be featured on it was just a coincidence in his case. He asked where I work and correctly deduced I was a photographer and proceeded to write the message - let's take some real pictures later! - in my calendar. He has no idea. No, I didn't tell him about Bare Men, so no, he has no idea... How. Ever. Being nude is not a requirement to doing a shoot with me. Warning: Don't look directly into his eyes when he smiles, you won't be able to resist.
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| Firefighter Tom Caruso -- Mr. November 2015 |
Highlight number two of the evening, Tom Caruso, silver-haired and yum. Out of the group of firefighters at the event he's been in the most calendars - 1997, 2003 and 2015. "I hear you've been in the most calendars." "Yeah, that means I'm the oldest. It's a catch-22." Those who know me, know I have a thing for men of a certain age (38 to 48, please stand up!) so I let him know there's nothing wrong with being the oldest of the bunch. For my genuine compliment, I was rewarded with a high-five. Then he flips through the calendar and reveals he's Mr. November (Happy Birthday to Me!). He signed my calendar with a risque note and we high-fived again.
Behold three of the other firefighters that were on hand at the event...
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| Firefighter Conor Moriarty -- Mr. September 2014 |
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| Firefighter Andy Guich -- Mr. June 2014 |
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| Firefighter Rob Moore -- Mr. May 2014 |
It was great to be able to chat with a few of the firefighters at the NYC Firefighters Launch and see them "off the clock". The men featured in the calendars are a distinguished group of men. When I think about what those men must see when they go out on a call, it's was comforting to see how relaxed they were. Everyone at the event was a good sport. Wave to the next firefighters you see and give a genuine thank you for their service.
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