Austin Firefighters Hit the Big Time, Hail Veggie Sandwich

Their motto is, “Fight Fire. Fight Cholesterol. Fight Fat.” They are the five vegans of Team C at Firehouse 2, part of an Austin engine company of firefighters.

And their motivation for turning to the glamour of a life filled with fruits and vegetables? Some broken hearts -- literally.

Specialist James Rae discovered at age 37 that his cholesterol level placed him at risk for heart disease. This shocked him but didn’t necessarily surprise him: all but one of his male relatives had succumbed to it. Naturally (and perhaps organically), fellow firefighter Rip Esseltyn stepped in to resuscitate his health.

A professional triathalete, Esseltyn had sworn in as a vegetarian in 1986 and as a vegan in 2002, demonstrating to his peers that masculinity and strength didn’t need to be exclusively associated with spare ribs and cheeseburgers (though some still remain frozen in Firehouse 2’s refrigerator). The whole Team took the vegan plunge once its other members realized that they, too, could benefit from the VIP treatment of their tickers.

But not all at the Firehouse were convinced, including Team C's carniverous rescue rivals, Team B. Word is, though, they still appreciate the tofu burger leftovers of their more health-conscious brothers.

If you’re interested in the full story, try this New York Times link.

Photo courtesy Deborah Lykins of The New York Times