By FireRescue1 Staff
OMAHA, Neb. — A fire chief terminated the department’s plan to publish a calendar featuring shirtless firefighters to raise money for the department.
Omaha World-Herald reported that Omaha Fire Department Chief Dan Olsen said the calendar, which raised money for the department last year, did not align with the department’s mission statement of integrity, professionalism and compassion.
“We want you to be able to hang that calendar on the wall at your office or your refrigerator at home,” Chief Olsen said. “That type of calendar doesn’t portray that image.”
Calendar supporters said the money raised in the past benefitted the community.
“From our perspective, it’s not our top priority, but we thought it was a good cause,” fire union treasurer Trevor Towey said. “We thought it was done tastefully.”
Proceeds from the 2017 calendar went to the First Responders Foundation, which supports fire and police departments.
“From an anecdotal standpoint, we sure sold a lot of them,” fire union president Steve LeClair said.
Chief Olsen said he would approve of a calendar that more people would be able to purchase, and said that although he’s come up with some ideas, they have not gone anywhere.
“We want to be able to portray a positive image that all community members could be proud of,” he said.