Philadelphia Firefighter's Charity Pose Ignites Departmental Controversy
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A Philadelphia firefighter who struck a pose for a charity calendar is causing a raging controversy within the Philadelphia Fire Department.
In the photo, 31-year-old Jack Slivinski is posing in front of the Logan Circle fountain, smiling and shirtless. Money from the calendars would have benefited widows of Philadelphia firefighters.
Just one small problem: the department doesn't allow it.
"We don't do beefcake. We don't sell sex. We sell safety," says fire commissioner Lloyd Ayers, who has taken Slivinski out of the elite Rescue 1 unit while he investigates.
Firefighters union spokesman Mike Kane calls that unfair punishment.
"This kid is a highly trained, highly motivated young man," says Kane, "and the idea that he got shanghaied out of that spot for simply trying to do something good for the widows is unbelievable to us."
The union says the commissioner should give the firefighter a letter of reprimand and let him get back to work -- with his shirt on.
Reported by Margie Smith, KYW Newsradio 1060
