2016 NEWS UPDATE:

http://alextimes.com/2016/02/columbia-firehouse-trademark-opposition-dropped-by-firehouse-restaurant-group/

(Exactly, what I was concerned about...another lawsuit;HOWEVER, the USPTO / TTAB "Opposition" Federal Lawsuit was "DROPPED"... thankfully, when the WATCHDOG showed-up.  PLEASE SEE THE ABOVE NEWS LINK)

***INVESTIGATIVE JUNE 24th 2016 REPORT:                                                      ​"FIREHOUSE SUBS FRAUD ON THE USPTO" 

PETITION SIMPLE VERSION:

The simple version is...this Petition was made for signing because it is our (myself and supporters) belief that a National Fast Food Service (Firehouse Subs) should not be able to use or monopolize the historic reputation of the name "FIREHOUSE" by Trademarking and then aggressively keep small businesses around the Nation from using the name/word "FIREHOUSE" in part in their business name or logo by lawsuit or threat of lawsuit.  More then that, using the name "FIREHOUSE as a Trademark is against Federal Trademark Law (see below).  Furthermore, this type corporate behavior disgraces the folks who makeup the Firehouse..."firefighters".  Please grant your signature in support.

NOTE: It has come to our attention that some folks following the Capt. Heath Scurfield / Calli Bakers "Firehouse" Grill Trademark Lawsuit story (explained below) may be under the wrong impression. It is true Capt. Scurfield did win and that one (1) "Firehouse" Subs Trademark was canceled by the USPTO;HOWEVER,the very slick Firehouse Subs lawyers gave up one "firehouse" Trademark (Registration#: 3173030) in a "wag the dog" diversionary fashion in a recent Appeals Court settlement. In doing so they saved / protected MANY others (65+) Trademarks (i.e. Registration#: 1983934, Registration#: 1983934, Registration#: 2606263 and MANY MORE...using the name "firehouse". Therefore Firehouse Subs still can plausibly use any of the other assorted "live" Registered "firehouse" Trademarks to legally beat up or threaten other small businesses in the same manner expanding Franchising Nationally.

 

PETITION DETAILS:

THE SIGNATURES WE ARE REQUESTING;

FIREFIGHTERS AND ALL OTHER INDIVIDUALS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE THE BELIEF THAT A NATIONAL FAST FOOD FRANCHISING CORPORATION SHOULD ***NOT*** EXPLOIT OR MONOPOLIZE THE TIME HONORED INSTITUTION(S), BELIEFS, OR NATIONAL SYMBOLS KNOWN HISTORICALLY AS THE "FIREHOUSE" FOR CORPORATE & PERSONAL WEALTH.  [Footnote: The Fire Department's  jurisdiction is organized by the governmental body (City/Town) that controls the department, although there are private fire departments as well.]

FIREFIGHTERS AND ALL OTHER INDIVIDUALS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE THE BELIEF THAT A NATIONAL FAST FOOD FRANCHISING CORPORATION SHOULD ***NOT*** EXPLOIT OR MONOPOLIZE THE  ICONIC GOOD WILL, FAMOUS MUNICIPAL HISTORY AND ["INSTITUTIONS"] ASSOCIATED WITH THE  WORD OR  NAME "FIREHOUSE".

FIREFIGHTERS AND ALL OTHER INDIVIDUALS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE THE BELIEF THAT A NATIONAL FAST FOOD FRANCHISING CORPORATION SHOULD ***NOT*** EXPLOIT OR MONOPOLIZE THE WORD/MARK (TRADEMARK) "FIREHOUSE" THAT WAS OBTAINED AND IS IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL STATUTORY LAW AND WAS GRANTED BY THE USPTO IN ERROR AND/OR OVERSIGHT. 

IMPORTANT NOTE ON THE PROPOSED USPTO CANCELLATION:

Use of the time honored and famous institutional name or word "FIREHOUSE" (Trademarks or Logos) should/would be ONLY CANCELED "INTERSTATE" (between or involving two or more of the states of the USA). Meaning a small business at the State level would/could freely use and/or continue to freely use (without legal threat)  the name or word "FIREHOUSE" in State commerce. 

PETITION  STARTING (QUALIFYING) QUESTIONS TO A PROSPECTIVE SIGNING INDIVIDUAL:

1.)  Should any Private Corporate Business in a "Trademark Classification", in this case a restaurant / food service, monopolize Nationwide the time honored and famous social history of the American "FIREHOUSE" in name and/or by exploiting the word "FIREHOUSE"?  YES / NO?

2.)  Should a Private Corporate Business, in this case a restaurant / food service, be able to "falsely suggest a connection with persons ("Firemen/Firewomen"), living or dead, institutions ("FIREHOUSE"), beliefs, or national symbols" of the "FIREHOUSE" Nationwide and/or in name for Private Corporate monetary gain?    YES / NO?

3.)  Should a Private Corporate Business, in this case a restaurant / food service, use the heroic and time honored blood, sweat and tears (at times lives sacrificed) of those group of persons serving a community institution ("FIREHOUSE"), to exploit and promote Private Corporate Brand Image Nationwide for monetary gain under the name or word "FIREHOUSE"?   YES / NO?

4.)  Should a Private Corporate Business, in this case a restaurant / food service, be able to use the name or mark "FIREHOUSE" whereby such use "falsely suggest a connection with persons, living or dead, institutions, ("FIREHOUSE"), beliefs, or national symbols" for Corporate monopolization and monetary gain and THEN THEREAFTER bring "dispaging" or damaging legal actions against the very "persons, living or dead, institutions ("FIREHOUSE"), beliefs, or national symbols" of the "FIREHOUSE" this Corporation claims to honor, uphold or represent?  YES / NO?

5.)  Should any Private Corporate Business, in this case a restaurant / food service, be able use the name or mark "FIREHOUSE" and "which when used on or in connection with the goods (Fast Food) of the applicant is merely descriptive or deceptively misdescriptive of them"?    YES / NO?

***IF YOU CAN OR DID ANSWER "NO" TO ANY OF THE ABOVE 5 QUESTIONS WILL YOU CONSIDER SIGNING THIS PETITION? 

PLEASE READ ON...

FACTUAL DETAILS:

BRIEF PERSONAL BACKGROUND & "FIREHOUSE" AFFILIATION:

I, Billy Rogers, was a Professional Florida Firefighter (Rockledge Fire Dept, Florida). I was a graduate of Ocala Fire College and proudly serve with my brothers of "A" Shift, the City of Rockledge/Cocoa Area, under Capt. Ron Farmer and Chief Richard Nix.

[An Accolade from Central Florida Firefighter Career/Training]​ [The Award Accolade Explained]

WHY DO I PERSONALLY CARE?   WHY ARE WE DOING THIS?

To help protect Small Businesses (many of those Firefighters) from Corporate monopoly, greed and Trademark legal action whereas those Small Businesses who desire to use the word / name "FIREHOUSE" (in a logo, in signage related to commerce), in whole or in part, at the State level (City/Town) may freely do so without threat or legal attack from this Nationwide Franchisor and ever expanding Franchising Territories.

Furthermore, to help legally protect and preserve the Iconic Good Will, Municipal History ["INSTITUTIONS"] and Public Interest associated with the word OR name "FIREHOUSE" and/or to support and protect the values, valor and ethics of "FIREMEN / WOMEN" that make up the "FIREHOUSE" from Corporate monopoly and/or greed.

Myself and our team members are committed and determined in this matter.  We will be submiting a legal pleading to the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office) TTAB OFFICE (Trademark Trial & Appeal Board) C/O USPTO / TTAB DIRECTOR with supporting documentation and a Petition of names/signatures.

THE PETITIONS BACKGROUND STORY AND FACTS:

Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc. serves up some decent NY Deli Style fast food; however, it is preposterous, aggressive  and even more *UNLAWFUL* that they as a PRIVATE National Franchising Corporation think they can exclusively exploit and/or dare monopolize the over 450+ years of Good Will & Public Municipal History that is assocaited with the Word or Name "FIREHOUSE" 

***MOST OF ALL IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN BY FEDERAL STATUTORY LAW: [15 United States Code 1052 (a)(e)] The USPTO did error and/or there was an oversight during the Application Examination(s) of Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc. Trademarks bearing the name "FIREHOUSE" were granted in error and/or oversight.

 As stated above,the truth in facts are,violation of [15 United States Code 1052 (a)(e)]  is exactly what has occurred in error and/or oversight through the granting of Registered Trademark(s) of the name or word "FIREHOUSE" to Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc.   

Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc. (lawyers) skillfully but erroneously flew under the USPTO Examiners radar and were granted Trademark(s) Registration to Fast Food Franchise Nationally using the word "FIREHOUSE" which violates Federal Mandatory Law[15 United States Code 1052 (a)(e)] .  These USPTO oversight(s) and/or error(s) occured while Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc. was methodically creating a vast library of Franchise Trademarks that falsely suggest a connection with persons, living or dead, INSTITUTIONS, beliefs, or NATIONAL SYMBOLS of the "FIREHOUSE" or "FIREMEN" exclusively for a Private Corporate Brand Identity and monetary gain.

In essence Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc. (although serving good NY Deli style food) exploited, leveraged and capitalized on the National good will and famous history of the "FIREHOUSE" (first publicly funded paid fire department in 1679) in a very large degree by the "FIREHOUSE" Trademark / Name, Theme and National use.  BUT, then in fact turned around and sued MANY other small business owners (including Firefighter Owners) by State in Towns for using any thing (Logo or Name) similar to the word "FIREHOUSE" in their different Logos and/or use of "FIREHOUSE" in their different Business Name.  (For example: "Frankie's Firehouse"  "Fire House Pizzeria" "Firehouse Grille"  Firehouse Coffee" and so forth.)

The  Owners/Founders (boast to be brother "Firemen" [Firefighter Friendly] ) HOWEVER in a extremely aggressive Corporate Business manner (legal bullying) they began to file MANY legal actions against other brother or sister Firefigher's and/or small town businesses (in monopolization of Franchise Territory) over the word or name "FIREHOUSE".    Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc., serves sandwiches (FOOD) and the Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc brand falsely suggest a connection with persons, living or dead, INSTITUTIONS, beliefs, or NATIONAL SYMBOLS of the "FIREHOUSE" and/or in name for their Private Corporations monetary gain.

***IMPORTANT NOTE:  Sad but true, in one particular Law Suit...a Firefighter (Capt. Heath Scurfield) was legally attacked by the Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc., Corporation and had to fight, endure stress, loss of time, almost lose his business and then bear attorney expenses for over three (3) years now.  Some less fortunate small businesses (some owned by Firefighters) lost their business and/or other property rights. 

WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL???

Some people who are huge fans of Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc (or have received benevolent "donations") may say so what??? What is the big deal? HOWEVER had it been a very difficult legal battle with huge personal loss of time, money and hardship that effected their family or business it maybe much clearer.

*Overview of the Trademark Fraud & Trademark Bullying​

CLICK TO VIEW: Other Firefighter's and/or Small Business owners on the USPTO Court Record (excluding Federal Court Cases) that Firehouse Restaurant Group, Inc. has legally attacked and sued over the community institution name "Firehouse".

Right is right and wrong is wrong.  PLEASE HELP STOP the Corporate  legal monopoly, bullying and greed!  As well, the law is the law for everyone too!

WILL YOU PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION?  

Our team in the very near future will be submitting to the USPTO (TTAB) a "legal proceeding" to "Cancel" such Firehouse Subs" illegal Trademarked or Logos (ALL) bearing or using the the universal goodwill of the name or word "FIREHOUSE".   Therefore allowing the  persons, living or dead, INSTITUTIONS, beliefs, or NATIONAL SYMBOLS that actually work in the  field representing the historic "FIREHOUSE" municipalities and who serve the public daily in saving lives and property as not be distorted, "disparged" or blurred into a Corporate Brand Image that generates money in a niche Fast Food Franchising and also such a Corporation on many occasions, in fact, "disparges" or has brought costly legal actions against Firefigher's who make up the historic INSTITUTION known as the "FIREHOUSE" as a whole. 

Petitioner support will be also very helpful in this USPTO matter. 

Again, this Legal Petition to USPTO TTAB will seek only to "Cancel" "INTERSTATE"  (between or involving two or more of the states of the US).  Trademarks bearing the the name or word "FIREHOUSE".   Meaning small business at the State level would/could freely use and/or continue to freely use (without legal threat) the name or word "FIREHOUSE" in commerce.

GRANT OF REGISTERED TRADEMARK(S) GOVERMENTAL OVERSIGHT AND/OR ERROR:

The USPTO did error or there was an oversight during the application Exmination(s) and Granting of Registered Trademark Federally. Whereas;

GOVERNING US LAW:

FEDERAL MANDATED LAW:  15 United States Code 1052(a)(e)

15 United States Code 1052 (a)  ---with related overview and informative inserts as captions;

Pursuant to Mandatory Federal Law a Trademark should not EVER be granted by the USPTO if the mark or word;

 "Consists of or comprises matter; or matter which may disparage or falsely suggest a connection with persons (Nationwide Firefighters as a whole), living or dead, institutions (Firehouse / Firehouses Nationwide), beliefs (Not all Firefighters share the Corporations values, views or business dealings), or national symbols" (Municiple Firehouse / Firehouses generally).