Check out Engine 2, a group of veggie-lovin’ firemen in Austin, TX. Jimmy John’s, the local sandwich joint, has named a vegan sandwich after the firefighters, and PETA has awarded them “Animal-Friendly Firehouse of the Year.”

The group began eating a vegan diet when one of the men, Specialist James Rae, became aware he had high cholesterol. However, Firefighter Rip Esselstyn, son of famed nutritionist Caldwell Esselstyn said, “Seventy percent of our calls are medical. Every day we see the ravages of people eating to their heart’s content.” If not for Specialist Rae’s cholesterol, he said, “there would have been someone else, someone prediabetic or obese who would have prompted us.”

Engine 2 was profiled yesterday in the NY Times (login required).

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