Hype about men in uniform is a trend that has stood the test of time. From generation to generation, women have swooned at the sight of a man fresh out of combat, sporting a badge or, better yet, behind the wheel of a big, red truck.
The topic of our nation’s addiction to firefighters has been at the forefront of numerous studies (both social and scientific) for decades. Yet the culture of firefighting was not truly set ablaze until 1993 -- when the Firefighter Calendar made its debut.
Since then, the calendar is released annually and features 12 months-worth of sultry firemen. The best part? Every dollar made off the dimes raises funds for the burn units of pediatric hospitals, and so far the profit is at over 1.3 million dollars.
But according to real-life guys in the fire industry, the only authentic aspect of the calendar is the charity.
Firefighters are more than just local studs.
They are our family, our neighbors and our friends who risk their lives on their own time and deserve more acclaim than a calendar of sweaty, half-naked men. Because the photos don't speak for themselves.
Matt Hamilton and Alex Baron are not your average firefighters. Their balancing act between college life at Monmouth University and saving lives is a feat not many of us can compete with. They explain it as simply, “People call us on a really bad day, and it feels great to help out.”
For the people closest to this breed of first responders, life does have its perks: a 24/7 sense of pride, safety and sometimes even a "promposal" complete with a big, red truck. Matt’s girlfriend, Kelly, says that dating a firefighter is kind of awesome.
“I look at Ham (Matt) and sometimes think, ‘This man runs into fires.’ And I cannot help but feel uncontrollably proud of him.”
She does admit that the “firefighter wifey” lifestyle takes a certain type of girl to accept the spontaneity of it all, because firefighters literally live off the thrill of expecting the unexpected.
And as for the Firefighter Calendar? In reality, the guys said it’s not the uniform that makes the job – it’s the tools, the training, the adrenaline and the heart behind it.
"Forget about the whole stud thing. If you're in it to be a stud, then you shouldn't be a firefighter."
