Firefighter action figure sells well

NEW YORK -- An action figure of a New York City firefighter is selling briskly and is expected to help the department raise more than $1 million for fire safety education.

The mustachioed, ax-wielding Billy Blazes is part of Fisher-Price's Rescue Heroes line of action figures.

The limited-edition New York firefighter, which debuted two weeks ago, wears a black and yellow bunker jacket emblazoned "FDNY."

The popularity of Rescue Heroes, an established line before Sept. 11, has jumped since the attacks, and the FDNY version is particularly popular, said toy industry analyst Jim Silver.

"We know there's going to be a shortage," said Silver, who publishes Toy Book and Toy Wishes magazines. "The question is: 'When will it be sold out for the holidays?"'

The $9.99 action figure is made by Fisher-Price and is being sold by Toys R Us and the Fire Zone, a store operated by the FDNY Fire Safety Education Fund.