Nation's Bravest

NEW DAY NORTHWEST: Seattle represents in first national firefighter calendar

admin — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 11:24:08 +0000

by New Day Producers

Posted on August 19, 2011 at 11:24 AM

Nation’s Bravest: Firefighters Unite is the first national firefighter calendar and features 12 firefighters from across the country. Representing Seattle from Seattle Firefighters IAFF Local 27 is Jason Corlett.

The “Nation’s Bravest” firefighter calendar officially comes out August 18th. Visit http://www.nationsbravest.com/ for upcoming events and more info.

You can meet Jason at a pledge event on October 4th from 6-9pm at Pnk Ultra Lounge in Pacific Place. Proceeds from the calendar sales will help support “Seattle’s Bravest Charity”, a terrific organization helping firefighters in our area.

Additional video courtesy of Endlesslove Productions.

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Wall Street Journal: Heard & Scene – Brave, Buff Pose for Charity

admin — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 08:00:00 +0000

On Thursday, 11 firefighters who appear—shirtless—in the first Nation’s Bravest calendar were planning to celebrate with a kickoff party at the club Greenhouse with a few cast members of the “Real Housewives of New Jersey.” But the evening before, they were just starting to get to know each other over wings, tater tots, sliders and beer at the low-key restaurant Little Town in Union Square.

Katherine Kostreva, a 27-year-old Queens-based photographer, became obsessed with firefighters 11 years ago, when she was in a car accident in Fort Myers, Fla.

“I broke both my legs and my arm and I was screaming my head off,” Ms. Kostreva recalled, surround by the strapping fellows she photographed for the calendar. “And a firefighter appeared. I just remember he had the most beautiful blue eyes. No, I didn’t marry him, but that would be a great end to the story, right?”

Instead, she got it in her head to raise money for firefighters and their charities. Over the years, she has organized auctions for dates with firemen in New York City, and now this calendar. Each firefighter featured has chosen a charity among which proceeds from the calendar will be divided. Ms. Kostreva hopes that t$10,000 will be awarded each charity, from the Wounded Warriors (that’s Philip Sylvester’s of Canarsie, Brooklyn) to the Southern Nevada Burn Foundation (that’s Chris Stiles, of Las Vegas).

This week, the firefighters stayed at a hotel in Long Island City; they had been thrown together almost haphazardly but seemed to be old friends. “We’ve known each other for 24 hours but it feels longer,” said Jason Corlett of Seattle.

During a rapid-fire—excuse the pun—conversation in which they discussed their involvement with the calendar, they occasionally referred to each other by their city of origin. Tommy DeFrancisci, for instance, was called “Charlotte,” where he works; the 6-foot-4 Kevin Kuhn, who seemed to have stepped right out of “The Bachelor,” but had actually only appeared briefly (and was eliminated rather quickly) on “Singled Out” with Jenny McCarthy, was referred to as “Frisco,” because he hails from San Francisco.

“Vegas is just as easy to say as Chris is,” said Garon Mosby, of St. Louis, referring to Mr. Stiles. “Hey Vegas, were you working when Siegfried and Roy got attacked by the tiger?” (He wasn’t.)

Mr. DeFrancisci pulled out his telephone and showed off the photo Ms. Kostreva took of him. His abdominal muscles seemed to go on for a very, very long time.

“Tommy, how many years ago was that taken?” joked Mr. Kuhn of the photograph.

“Do you mean how many beers ago?” Mr. DeFrancisci responded. “I’ve lost all that. I’ve been drinking and eating too much. Then, my pants were actually PhotoShopped up higher. They were actually too low in the photograph.”

Ms. Kostreva said that was indeed, true, but explained that nothing else, really, had been doctored on the shirtless images. “The bodies were not enhanced,” she said. “That’s all real stuff.”

It was time for a roundtable question: Was it at all uncomfortable for the firefighters to pose with their shirts off? The answer was pretty much a resounding no.

“It was a no-brainer,” said Jeremy Finney, from Tampa, Fla., who comes from a long line of servicemen and is director of a camp for children with burn injuries. “If they want to pose me in a clown calendar for charity, I’ll do it. Whatever it takes for the kids.”

“I don’t really like clothes,” Mr. Kuhn chimed in. “Sometimes my shirt just magically jumps off my back.”

OK, another question: Are all firefighters really good looking? No, several of those present insisted. “We’re like any business or corporation,” said Mr. Corlett. “There are attractive people and unattractive people.”

“It’s totally dependant on region,” said Ms. Kostreva, who did the casting on her own. “The majority are not stunning.”

“The truth is, you need to be fit to do this job,” said Mr. Stiles. “As a byproduct, we’re in good shape.”

Changing the subject, do they watch “The Real Housewives of New Jersey?” “Tomorrow, I do,” said Mr. Kuhn.

“My mother was a Real Housewife of New Jersey,” said Mr. DeFrancisci. (He grew up in Little Falls, N.J.)

Got it. So, why do women tend to swoon so much over firemen? That turned out to be another easy one.

“Women like men in uniform,” said Mr. Corlett.

“Why does Lois Lane like Superman?” asked Thaddeus Anwar, of San Antonio, Texas. “He saves lives.”

“Winner winner chicken dinner,” said Mr. Mosby. “When everyone’s running away, we’re coming to save you.”

“We’re blue-collar employees,” said Mr. Finney, getting serious for a moment. “We do the best with what we’ve got. We’re never going to drive the Mercedes, but we’re always going to have a job. We’re always going to be needed. That’s the draw for me. It’s not about the money.”

“I don’t think the general population understands,” said Justin Reid, from Minneapolis. “You go ahead and deliver twins at 3 in the morning or go to a fire on the 15th floor of a high-rise building. It’s a very humbling job. You could be in the middle of the best prime rib of your life, or in the shower, but when someone calls 911, you go.”

Written by Marshall Heyman

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NY POST: Hot Stuff!

admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 10:54:42 +0000

The days of the year are about to get even hotter, when the first Nation’s Bravest calendar goes on sale today.Fireman Philip Sylvester from Canarsie, Brooklyn, was shocked when he was chosen for the calendar, which features 12 hunky firefighters from cities coast to coast. “I was so surprised that I was picked. My stomach is only average, at best, but I’m up to the task,” quips Sylvester. To find him, calendar creator Katherine Kostreva, who lives in Astoria, had the tough job of scouring all of the US to locate the most handsome, altruistic and — did we mention? — ripped smoke eaters. In the name of charity, naturally.

Although the 12 men are easy on the eyes, the project came to the 27-year-old after she was involved in a devastating car accident about 11 years ago in Fort Myers, Fla.

“I was rescued by firefighters, and they had to cut me out of the roof with the Jaws of Life,” says Kostreva, who broke numerous limbs in the crash. “It gave me a greater appreciation for the profession, and it serves to honor firefighters,” she adds.

The beefcake models will host a kickoff party tonight at SoHo club Greenhouse at 8 p.m. (Tickets, which start at $25, can be purchased at nationsbravest.com.) Proceeds from the calendar benefit the firemen’s chosen charities.

Written by Kirsten Fleming. Photography by Zandy Mangold

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FOX & FRIENDS: ‘Nation’s Bravest: Firefighters Unite’ Calendar

admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 08:00:16 +0000

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Firefighter calendar featuring Mr. San Francisco Kevin Kuhn debuts

admin — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:12:32 +0000

By: Alexis Terrazas | 08/16/11 11:12 PM
Special To The Examiner

Kevin Kuhn
S.F. native and six-year firefighter Kevin Kuhn was chosen as Mr. San Francisco through Nation’s Bravest, a national firefighter charity calendar event. Kuhn, who will be featured in December, and the firefighters union will donate proceeds to the holiday toy drive. The calendar launches Thursday.

How do you feel about being Mr. San Francisco?
I still laugh about it because I don’t think of myself that way. It’s pretty humbling I guess. I look up to so many other guys in the Fire Department, so it’s really hard for me to see myself as Mr. San Francisco.

Was the toy drive your main motivation?
Definitely … it was 100 percent. I’m not the most outgoing guy in the world. But I like to have fun. Originally, it came about from Local 798, our firefighters union. They decided to participate in the Nation’s Bravest calendar charity event. I sent in an application. I was chosen based on my personality.

When did you decide to be firefighter?
I grew up like most kids admiring fire trucks and I love fire engines still to this day. A huge influence for me was my father, who was also a San Francisco firefighter. So I grew up in the firehouse, going to see Dad at work. I got to go to an award ceremony. He won an award for a courageous act. And around that time I said, this is what I want to do.

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Q102: What’s Going On – August 15, 2011

admin — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 08:00:39 +0000

Loraine Morrill of Q102 welcomed to the show Nation’s Bravest Publisher, Katherine Kostreva, and Mother of “Mr. Philly”, Geraldine Slivinski.

Listen to Q102 Interview Featuring Nation’s Bravest

Las Vegas firefighter Chris Stiles bares his abs for a national fireman’s charity calendar

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 06:31:39 +0000

BY JESSICA FRYMAN
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Aug. 1, 2011 | 6:31 p.m.
Little old ladies love Las Vegas fireman Chris Stiles, who has been known to bring in their mail or put away groceries after helping them up from a fall.

But next year, it’s safe to say the 26-year-old will have a new flock of women calling themselves his fans — and not just for his good deeds.

The Las Vegas native stripped down to his bunker pants, showing off his perfectly sculpted abs for the first-ever national fireman’s calendar.

Nation’s Bravest: Firefighters Unite selected 12 men not only for their chiseled midsections, but for their personalities and extracurricular activities, publisher Katherine Kostreva said.

Each of the firefighters has his own story, she said: Mr. New Orleans was part of rescue efforts after Hurricane Katrina, and Mr. Minneapolis helped after the I-35W bridge collapse.

“I thought that was incredible. It makes the project truly about the nation’s bravest,” Kostreva said.

The calendar supports charities of each fireman’s choosing, including Mr. Las Vegas’ selection, the Firefighters of Southern Nevada Burn Foundation.

The foundation helps burn victims and their families. Stiles said he chose the nonprofit after working with the organization at toy drives and bachelor auctions over the years. He volunteered as a counselor in July for San Diego-based Camp Beyond the Scars, which the burn foundation helps support.

“It was life-changing,” Stiles said of the experience. “We complain about little crap in our daily lives, and then you see kids with severe physical ailments just happy to be alive.”

Stiles also is a volunteer with the Las Vegas Firefighters Local 1285 honor guard, which commemorates those who die in the line of duty. At funeral processions or other events, Stiles plays the tenor drum or carries the ax — noting that’s “the little guy’s job.”

Stiles joined Las Vegas Fire and Rescue six years ago, and he hopes to become a paramedic. The Durango High graduate represents firefighters Local 1285 in the calendar.

“I think it’s really nice that he’s so involved,” Kostreva said. “He has a great attitude.”

Stiles’ easy-going nature is a must, he said, especially because he’s one of the youngest and definitely the shortest on the squad.

“We get to make fun of him. I’ve helped him reach the hose,” joked firefighter-paramedic Matt Ongman, who has known Stiles for 10 years and worked with him for six.

“He’s the little guy. But he’s also hardworking and dedicated,” Ongman said.

Stiles, who is 5 feet 5 inches tall (in his boots), calls the taunting part of firehouse life. The calendar probably will bring even more heckling, he said, laughing, but that’s because the other firemen will be jealous.

And ladies, don’t worry, his crew’s prediction that Stiles will hold the slot for February, the shortest month, is a tease — the shirtless Mr. Las Vegas will be on display for all 31 days in October.

Contact Jessica Fryman at jfryman@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4535.

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Gaston Gazette : Siren’s call on firefighter’s photo shoot

admin — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:31:00 +0000

Tommy DeFrancisci is a member of the Marine Corps, plays hockey and rides a motorcycle. And he’s “Mr. Charlotte” in a national firefighter’s calendar.

DeFrancisci was photographed for the calendar on Friday at a variety of locations including Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, the Queen Charlotte Statue and the Time Warner Cable Arena.

The charity calendar, titled “Nation’s Bravest: Firefighters Unite,” is the first of its kind. It’s the brain child of publisher Katherine Kostreva of New York. Kostreva completed three New York Firefighter calendars, before deciding to go national this year.

Kostreva was highly impressed by the botanical gardens. She described it as “spectacular” and added “My mother would die here.”

While she took photos at numerous locations, Kostreva said the calendar will definitely feature the botanical gardens.

Jim Hoffman, marketing director at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, said they were happy to be a part of the project, especially since the profits will go to charity.

“It seems to be a good cause,” he said.

Prior to his photo shoot, DeFrancisci “pumped up” his muscles by doing push-ups and sit-ups in order to guarantee he would look as muscular as possible in the pictures.

He acknowledged that it was a little weird to be posing shirtless at first, but it got easier as the day went on.

Kostreva felt compelled to give back to the firefighter community after she survived a car wreck, in Florida, when she was 16. She was stuck in the car with two broken legs and a broken arm. The firefighters who responded used the Jaws of Life to remove her from the car.

She credits her ability to walk today with those firefighters.

Now, Kostreva wants to use her calendar to support firefighters and “portray these men as heroes, sans shirts, [I] can’t lie.” The proceeds from the calendar will be donated to 12 charities, one chosen by each of the firefighters featured. Kostreva explained the St. Louis firefighter will be fundraising to purchase more AED machines and the New Orleans representative has decided to work to purchase a thermal image machine to screen buildings on fire.

DeFrancisi chose the Charlotte Firefighter’s Fund, which is the department’s own non-profit. It’s an umbrella organization that promotes fire education in schools, donates to Special Olympics and Purple Heart Homes, and helps to sponsor the Charlotte Observer’s Literacy Program. He’s also interested in starting a Heroes of Tomorrow program in Charlotte, which would offer training and physical therapy for people considering joining the fire or police departments or the military.

As part of their responsibilities, each firefighter will lead a pledge drive for their chosen cause. DeFrancisi hasn’t decided what form that will take yet.

Kostreva interviewed DeFrancisci to represent Charlotte after he was recommended by the Charlotte Firefighter’s Union. She chose him based on his extracurricular activities and why he chose to become a firefighter.

DeFrancisci explained that he began volunteering with his local department, in New Jersey, at the age of 15. When he discovered he could be paid to do something he loved doing for free, he knew it was the job for him. He took a job with the Charlotte Fire Department five years ago and has been there ever since.

DeFrancisci was pleased to be selected to represent Charlotte in the nationwide project.

“I’m really excited for it, to be a part of something so big,” he said.

The calendar will be available for purchase beginning in July from www.nationsbravest.com.

You can reach Elizabeth Held at 704-869-1842.

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Charlotte News 14 : Charlotte firefighter featured in calendar for charity

admin — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 22:26:33 +0000

CHARLOTTE – Charlotte firefighter Tommy DeFrancisci will be featured in a national firefighter calendar that will benefit charity.

He joins 11 other firefighters from all over the country to represent his profession.

DeFrancisci, who is originally from New Jersey, was nominated for the calendar by the Charlotte Firefighters Association, Local 660. Watch the Charlotte News 14 clip below.

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ABC News San Francisco : Local firefighter poses for beefcake calendar

admin — Tue, 24 May 2011 22:21:24 +0000

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