Small Town Fire Chief to Get Big City VIP Treatment on the Set of 'Ladder 49'

Full Coverage: Firehouse.com on the Set of Ladder 49

Baltimore, MD (May 28) -- Robert Apodaca, one of the youngest fire chiefs in Arizona, has won the grand prize in the Firehouse.com 'Ladder 49' VIP Extra Contest.

Chief Apodaca and a guest will be flown to Baltimore June 4-6 for three days and two nights of events related to the filming of the new action drama ‘Ladder 49’ from Touchstone Pictures, Beacon Pictures and Casey Silver Productions. The movie stars Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Jacinda Barrett and Morris Chestnut. The winner recieves VIP access to the set, plus the chance to be an extra in one of the scenes being filmed during his time in Baltimore. The winner and his guest also will meet the stars of the movie.

Apodaca, chief of the 12-man Winkleman Volunteer Fire Department was appointed to his position by the Town in 2001. He is a second generation Firefighter that replaced his father as Chief after serving thirty-eight years. Robert’s brother and two sisters have been active firefighters along with several other relatives. Chief Apodaca is is proud to carry on the firefighting tradition of the Apodaca family.

In addition to the VIP access and chance to be an extra, the prize also includes round-trip airfare, luxurious accomodations at the Marriott Waterfront in Baltimore, limousine transportation by College Park, Md.-based Ace Limousine, and $300 spending cash for the winner and his guest.

The contest is sponsored by leading fire/EMS service industry companies Microflex (www.microflex.com), Emergency Services Insurance Programs (www.esip.com), Firecom (www.firecom.com), TNT Rescue (www.tntrescue.com), and Sutphen Corp. (www.sutphen.com).

The second place prize included a three day vacation package from Ceaser’s Pocono Resorts (caesarspoconoresorts.com) and the third place winner will receive a ‘Baltimore Package' from Code 3 Collectibles (www.code3.net).

Nearly 9,000 people from across the United States entered the contest during the 10 day entry period in May, many firefighters and emergency medical workers who are frequent visitors of the Firehouse.com Web site, the Internet's leading source of news and information for the firefighting, rescue and EMS community. Winners were chosen at random electronically from all entrants.

Firehouse.com is part of the Cygnus Business Media’s Public Safety Group, which includes leading industry publications Firehouse Magazine, Public Safety Product News, Law Enforcement Technology and Law Enforcement Product News. Our leading trade show, Firehouse Expo, is hosted in Baltimore this July. Cygnus also hosts Firehouse World in San Diego annually and a travelling conference series.

For additional information on Firehouse.com's coverage of the Ladder 49 filming, please logon to http://www.firehouse.com/ladder49.