It was the other occupational hazard of his profession.
Joe Bonanno Jr. would watch his fellow New York City firefighters gorge on butter-soaked mashed potatoes, grease-dripping burgers and meatloaf as thick as a brick.
"There was this thinking: You're not going to live forever. Enjoy yourself," said Bonanno, a 21-year veteran who retired six years ago.
But then he'd watch his comrades not live long enough to enjoy their retirement -- if they'd make it that far -- because of their lifestyle health problems.
He said he rarely partook in the family-style dining that went on in the fire house, deciding to make his own food and get the attention of his peers the old-fashioned way: aroma, appearance and flavor.
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