Warwick photographer's essay on firefighters on display in SoHo
Warwick A photographic essay by Warwick resident and West Milford High School photography teacher John Jordan entitled “A Day In the Life of a Firefighter In the South Bronx” is on display at The New York City Fire Museum, 278 Spring St. in the SoHo section of New York City. The show runs through Oct. 31. From Jan. 2, 1993, through September 2002, Jordan documented the work firefighters do on the job in the flames and smoke of burning buildings. “As I settled in, I realized a strong bond existed within the firehouse and extended outward to the community the firefighters served,” he said. “There is a sense of company pride in each house as they maintain it and the equipment much like a homeowner performs daily domestic tasks. A genuine concern for the safety, well-being and quality of life for the public is also very apparent. “Besides extinguishing fires, firefighters respond to many needs of the community from medical to after hour utility problems such as flooded apartments, oil burner emergencies, gas leaks and stuck elevators,” he added. “They have an unselfish generosity for helping others; from children needing air in their bicycle tires to Christmas dinners for the neighborhood’s senior citizens. This is a tradition that dates back to the 1800s where the firehouse focuses on the particular community in which they serve. In addition, firefighters sometimes act as mentors to the neighborhood children.” The exhibit includes 54 11” x 14” matted and framed archival black and white photographs. Jordan has taught photography at West Milford High School in New Jersey for 30 years. His work has appeared in books, magazines and periodicals and has been shown in galleries and museums. A past recipient of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation artist/educator grant, John has also written articles for Ilford Photo’s Photo Instructor magazine, which is internationally published. His Web site can be visited at www.photojordan.com. Information about the museum can be found at www.nycfiremuseum.org.