Fisher-Price Rescue Heroes FDNY Billy Blazes: Real-Life Heroes Meet Action Figures
Written: Jan 15 '05
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Pros: FDNY benefit, Billy as a real-life hero
Cons: mean mama isn't letting the boys play with them
The Bottom Line: The Bottom Line likes it too. Enough said.
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| pippadaisy's Full Review: Fisher Price Rescue Heroes FDNY Billy Blazes |
Very rarely will you see me write about toys being left in the box, since I debox everything from Barbies to pet rocks. But my boys each received a Fisher-Price Rescue Heroes FDNY Billy Blazes for Christmas from my sister, and, for once, they will remain in the packaging for the boys to put away. They have enough Billys to play with for now, and the message on this box I feel is important.
::: The History of FDNY Billy :::
The FDNY Rescue Heroes were actually in the works before 9/11. According to the packaging, Fisher-Price and Toys 'R Us wanted to do a special exclusive FDNY line to honor the fire department of the City of New York. Then 9/11 came, and the toys were already in the works. Fisher-Price and Toys 'R Us made the decision to go ahead with the release, but donate all proceeds from the sales of these figures to the FDNY's Fire Safety Education Fund. The figures were released in November, 2001. My sister got two for her boys, and something made her buy two more at the time. Little did I know that she saved them, and I was shocked to the point of tears when Buster and Bug received them this Christmas.
::: FDNY Billy :::
Fisher-Price Rescue Heroes FDNY Billy Blazes comes in standard Rescue Heroes packaging, with FDNY above the Rescue Heroes logo. On the plastic is a bannder that says "Special FDNY Edition" and then a clear plastic add-on sticker notes that "ALL proceeds to benefit the FDNY's Education Fund." The FDNY emblem is also on the front of the packaging. Another sticker on the side includes a note from the FDNY Fire Commissioner telling the history of the FDNY figures and explaining a bit about the Fire Safety Education Fund. The back of the package tells the story of Billy joining the FDNY to "help spread the word about fire safety." Three fire safety tipes are printed on the back, as well as the URL for the FDNY Fire Zone web site (http://www.fdnyfirezone.org).
Fisher-Price Rescue Heroes FDNY Billy Blazes himself is dressed in full-on FDNY regalia, from the black and yellow fire suit with FDNY in white text on his chest to the FDNY emblem on his fire hat. Billy has blue gloves on, and his belt buckle has the Rescue Heroes logo. On his back is a black and brown pack with the Fisher-Price logo as the reservoir for the huge silver water cannon that he carries. The water cannon is a true, shiny silver, and shoots out a blue plastic "jet" of water. The water cannon also has a black plastic handle for additional stability.
::: Collector's Value? :::
I'm putting these two Fisher-Price Rescue Heroes FDNY Billy Blazes figures away not so much because of any collector's value, but because I think that this commemorative edition will be history for the boys, both in terms of 9/11 as well as in terms of the toys they loved in their childhoods. I was pregnant with Buster when the Twin Towers were destroyed, and Bug wasn't even a thought in my head yet, but at least for me, these simple toys hold a special value that defies any secondary market.
The Rescue Heroes are imaginary, but the heroes of the FDNY are real. As much as I often detest Mattel, this was a very special thing for them to have done at the time, and I'm also glad that these were purchased in a store so that I know the money did go to the Fire Safety Education Fund and not a scalper. I look forward to the day when I can hand these over to my boys, explaining the story behind them as well as bringing back what are hopefully fond memories of their toys.
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Other Rescue Heroes reviews:
Al Pine with Arctic Tracker • Bicycle Helmet Value Pack • Dune Buggy • HydroTeam Billy Blazes • Mission Select Ariel Flyer • Mission Select Billy Blazes • Mission Select Jake Justice • Mission Select Matt Medic • Mission Select Mountain Action Command Center • Mission Select Rescue Firetruck • Mission Select Wendy Waters • Rescue Heroes Walkie-Talkies
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 9.99
Type of Toy: Action Figure
Age Range of Child: Other
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Divorce seriously cuts into the amount of time for reviewing.
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