John Jordan's photographic essay on display

West Milford — A photographic essay by West Milford High School photography teacher John Jordan entitled “A Day In the Life of a Firefighter In the South Bronx” is on display through August 3 at The William A. Monaghan Jr. Gallery at the Louis Bay 2nd Library, 345 Lafayette Ave, Hawthorne, N.J. Previously, it was shown at the Bethel Center for the Arts, Bethel, N.Y.; the New York City Fire Museum, Soho, N.Y. and the American Labor Museum, Haledon, N.J. Beginning on January 2, 1993 and culminating in September 2002, Jordan’s intent was to document 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,” said Jordan. “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, Jordan continued, 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. “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,” he said. “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.” Jordan has taught photography at West Milford High School for over 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, Jordan has also written articles for Ilford Photo’s Photo Instructor magazine, which is internationally published. His Web site is www.photojordan.com.