City firefighters sell ad space to help save jobs

An embroidery company has offered to stitch the ads for free.

By PATRICIA MEADE

Vindicator crime reporter

YOUNGSTOWN — Here’s the sales pitch: For $750,000, two city firefighters will be walking billboards for your ad — think “Eat at Joe’s” — and use the money to save jobs.

The firefighters — Ben Szmara and Kevin Windham — are using eBay, the online auction Web site, to sell ad space on their “turnout gear,” the protective flame-retardant jackets they wear on the job.

Here’s the link: * HELP SAVE OUR JOBS * Firefighters Need Your Support

One photo on the eBay site shows the backs of Szmara and Windham and another has them pointing to their sleeves. Sort of a “picture your ad here” thing.

The enterprising public servants explain to online readers that the Youngstown Fire Department is facing a $750,000 shortfall this year and roughly 36 firefighters might lose their jobs.

“This opportunity is available because firefighters in Youngstown own/purchase their gear,” the eBay ad reads. “The advertisement will run for the lifetime of the gear.” (Firefighters get a $900 clothing allowance each year. The jackets and pants cost $1,600 and last three to 10 years).

The eBay sales pitch goes on to say that the firefighters are assigned to Ladder 24, a truck that covers half the city. “This truck responds to nearly 200 structure fires each year and numerous public events,” the firemen-turned-salesmen wrote. “Your ad will be in the public view [newspapers, 3 local news networks and Web pages].”

A disclaimer notes that the online fundraiser is not connected to the city, Youngstown Fire Department or its union, Local 312.

The Vindicator caught up with the fun-loving firefighters Wednesday. They said the eBay auction is done in good humor and not intended to make anyone angry.

Windham came up with the walking billboard idea. Szmara is a longtime eBay seller.

“Who knows? Stranger things have happened,” Windham said, mentioning corn flakes that sold for big bucks because they look like famous people. “We may get lucky; it’s a shot in the dark.”

A local business ad would be good, Szmara said; a national ad would be great. The possibilities are endless, he said.

Coke? Sure. Budweiser? Yup. First Alert smoke alarms? Naturally.

No profanity. No strip bars. No slander. They’ll stay away from political ads, too.

Windham (6 feet 1 inch) and Szmara (6 feet 4 inches) describe themselves as best friends and the “widest billboards in town.” They both weigh more than 200 pounds, which, according to them, means a lot of “surface space” for ads.

The beefy firefighters boast that they’re First Night Youngstown pirogi-eating champs. Windham won this year, Szmara the year before.

Mayor Jay Williams, in talking about the budget crunch, suggested the union come up with creative ways to save money and make cuts. Windham and Szmara think they did.

The winning amount will go to the city finance department. If more than $750,000 is raised, the extra will be used for YFD training.

As of Wednesday afternoon, no bids had been posted and the 10-day bidding schedule is up Friday. Szmara, who likens the auction to a public awareness forum, said he’ll extend it.

The site, Szmara said, has received more than 600 hits and the e-mail address posted on the site has brought in lots of “good luck” messages.

He said they’ve got an offer from the owner of an embroidery company, a former firefighter, to stitch the winning bidder’s ad logo or slogan for free. Windham said the ad, whether stitched on or made from some other material, would have to meet National Fire Protection Association standards. In other words, it wouldn’t burn off their fire retardant jackets.

“If they cut 36 [firefighter positions], we both lose our jobs,” Windham, 38, said. He was hired in 2001; Szmara, 29, was hired in 2000. The department now has 136 firefighters.

Fire Chief John J. O’Neill Jr. said Wednesday that he finds the fundraiser idea “kind of comical, not disrespectful.” He’d like it if Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates would make a bid.

Windham and Szmara said if they get the minimum bid of $750,000, they’d seek approval from the mayor and chief to accept the offer.

Williams said, “The spirit of contributing to the city’s budget is welcome, but I don’t know enough about the details to condone or decry that practice.”

“I don’t see how we could pass it up,” O’Neill said. “We’d ask how fast could you bring down the check.”

The fire chief said years ago he asked the finance department about selling ad space on firetrucks but got shot down. He also thought about putting ads on a fire station to help pay construction costs but that didn’t fly, either.

Last summer, in an effort to replace its aging fleet, Toledo announced a “patrol vehicle sponsorship program” to sell ads for placement on cruisers, The Toledo Blade reported.

Living billboards are nothing new. NASCAR drivers have long plastered their jumpsuits and hats with corporate ads, slogans and logos.

Windham and Szmara said they’re thinking ads for their backs and sleeves but consider themselves flexible. “We’ll put them wherever the sponsor wants,” Szmara said.

The firefighters, if they’re successful, think their colleagues would go along with the idea of being walking billboards themselves. “Who could turn it down,” Szmara said with a grin.

meade@vindy.com