BALTIMORE, Md. – For Toni McDaniels, playing hooky from work and attending Firehouse Expo paid off – big time. She won a brand new, silver Harley Davidson motorcycle, just for showing up.
McDaniels, who lives in Stafford, Va., decided at the last minute to take the day off and drive down with her husband, Clif, to Baltimore to attend Firehouse Expo. Clif is director of sales and marketing for Niedner Inc., a fire hose and equipment maker.
“I just came down at the last minute,” said Toni, who was scheduled to be working a shift at Best Western back home where she works as a guest agent. “It’s funny, I just had a feeling I was going to win it.”
Toni was the third attendee to have her name drawn to win the Harley. Two other women were not present when the drawing occurred and were not able to claim the prize.
The Harley grand prize was sponsored by Unication, the maker of a submersible voice pager, and Firehouse.
Seconds after Toni’s name was drawn, her husband shouted out a loud exclamation and jumped on the black and silver bike. It took a few more seconds before the crowd in front of the Unication booth to realize it was actually his wife who won the bike.
“I knew he always wanted a Harley,” said Toni as she sat on the low-slung bike which seemed to suit her well too.
Clif said he was excited his wife won the bike and pleased she attended the show with him.
“She hadn’t been to Baltimore for a couple of years, so I thought I’d she might like to come down and we could go out for a nice dinner after the show,” Clif said.
Firehouse Expo Show Manager Brian Cassell presented Toni with the winning ticket sub with her name on it.
“I want you to have this so when your husband wants to take it out on a Saturday you can remind him it’s your bike,” Cassell quipped.
Toni acknowledged that it was her bike but graciously offered her husband at least the right to use it occasionally. She said she has a toy of her own, a 2005 Anniversary Edition Ford Thunderbird convertible that her husband bought her, so she can reciprocate with the Harley.
“I just can’t believe,” Toni McDaniels said, noting that she was grateful a co-worker picked up her shift. “It’s just so shocking.
Show exhibitors were also eligible for a second Harley giveaway this year. The winner of the exhibitor bike was Atlantic Emergency Solutions from Manassas, Va.
More from Firehouse Expo 2015:
- Picking The Right Fire Station Site Is Key
- Firefighters Hit the Streets for Lesson
- Creating Green and Red Zones in Fire Stations
- Basement Fire Tactics Explained
- Sendelbach Asks 'Are You All In?'
- Harvey Eisner Remembered, Keynote Stresses Accountability
- Chief to Chief Hands-on Program
- FDNY’s Muschello Honored with Top Heroism Award at Firehouse Expo
- Photos: Firehouse Expo - Day 3
- FDNY Captain Calls Fireground Communications Critical
- A Survival Guide for the Newly Promoted Company Officer
- Understanding Modern Fire Behavior Can Save Lives
- Fire-Rescue Competition Kicks Off
- Gender Neutral Fire Stations Are Possible
- Firefighters Get Lessons From Two Chiefs
- Fire-Rescue Competition Champs Hail From Fla.
- Surviving the First Year as a Company Officer
- Distinguished Contributors Inducted into New Firehouse Hall of Fame
- Salka Uses LODD Case study to Address Fireground Responsibility
- Reinhardt Offers Six Steps for Size-up
- Apparatus Buyers Hear Tips From the Experts
- Salka and Alkonis Square Off in Moderated Session
- 10 Exercises to Improve Firefighter Fitness
- Understanding Modern Fire Behavior Can Save Lives
- Anderson Urges Aggressive Intelligence-Gathering in Fire Districts
- Firefighters Need to Avoid 'Normalization of Deviance'
- Last Minute Decision Rewarded With New Harley
- Firefighters Need Tactical Training on TICs
