SPANISH FORK, Utah (ABC 4 News) - The Chamber of Commerce is warning it’s members of a scheme that claims to help the local volunteer fire department, but doesn’t.
The cold calls are coming from an Illinois company, Firehouse Promotions. The company is selling advertising on something they’re calling a fire safety white board. The salesperson explains the “boards”, which are actually laminated 8 ½ x 11 sheets with a pair of magnets glued to the back, would be handed out by the fire department.
The cost of the ads? $350 and up.
“I said, ‘What happens to the money?’ And they said some of it goes back to the department,” remembers Cary Hanks, owner of Cary’s Designs Floral. “That’s the sales pitch that they use.”
Tyler Fawcett of Servpro in Lindon said he heard the same. “They would be giving some money back to the fire department is what I remember them saying.”
But Spanish Fork Police Lt. Steve Adams told ABC 4 News firefighters haven’t gotten a dime. He said, “We don’t receive any funds from Firehouse Promotions for our fire department.”
He said all the firefighters got were about 500 of the laminated sheets that they can’t give away. “If they were to contact us and ask us to distribute again, the answer would be no,” said Lt. Adams.
“They told me it was going to be 5,000 flyers,” said Attorney Jared Anderson who paid the $350 last year for an ad on the sheet. He was not happy with the poor quality, lack of distribution and the fact that no money went to the Spanish Fork Fire Department.
Fawcett believes that both the fire department and business owners are victims of Firehouse Promotions broken promises. “If there is no money going toward it, then it doesn’t benefit myself or the fire department.”
The Better Business Bureau’s website gives Firehouse Promotions a failing grade. Jane Driggs, the director of the BBB in Utah, said complaints against the company are being referred to the Illinois Attorney General.
