NARROWSBURG, NY – Christopher Ramirez, an award-winning photojournalist and firefighter, is on a two-fold mission: get folks to join the ranks of local volunteer fire companies, and complete “Sullivan Fire,” a documentary focusing on the cadre of dedicated local firefighters—selfless first responders who put their lives on the line 24/7 to protect their loved ones and neighbors.

On July 8, the Narrowsburg Union hosted an opening reception titled “Sullivan Fire—the Exhibit,” which showcased Ramirez’s intimate portraits of local firefighters, along with an immersive video installation in the digital gallery of his work-in-progress documentary featuring, in his words, “the volunteer heroes of Sullivan County.”

Ramirez got his start in photojournalism in 1990 when he worked in the darkroom “developing about 58 rolls of black-and-white 35mm film a week” at the Monroe-based Photo News, followed by a couple of years taking photos.

After that he worked as a staff photographer for the Times Herald Record for five years, followed by a 15-year career with the New York Times, racking up thousands of assignments, including one during which he stepped on one of Joan Rivers’ dogs.

Recalling that incident, Ramirez said, “It yelped, and I thought she was going to kill me, but she just yelled at them to get out of the way.” 

Reflecting on his earliest years in the business, he said that after taking a course in black-and-white photography, “I just wanted to shoot every day; newspapers were an opportunity to shoot every day. It was ongoing shooting, as opposed to being a still-life photographer.”

Newspapers “offered a lot of different scenarios that I had to interpret visually,” added Ramirez, noting that a few years ago he left the newspaper biz to form his own commercial photography company, Firehouse Road, LLC. It specializes in a wide range of services, including aerial cinematography and still photography. (Find it at www.firehouseroad.com.)

In a sense, the project started when New York State Sen. Mike Martucci provided the funding for Ramirez to document the beginning of the county’s recruitment and retention task force initiative. It has since evolved into the current, ongoing, self-funded endeavor. 

The documentary photographer started his journey as a volunteer firefighter with the Summitville Fire Department, rising to the rank of lieutenant, before joining the Rock Hill Fire Department as an interior firefighter.

As Ramirez is devoting more time and energy into completing “Sullivan Fire—the Documentary,” he recently took a hiatus from active firefighting, and is currently a member of Rock Hill’s auxiliary.

During the opening reception, Ramirez stood proudly next to his photograph of Craig Blakesley, Chief of Summitville Fire Company, at the bottom of which was a quote from Chief Blakesley, “There are plenty of old geezers like me in the fire service, we have to let the kids take the lead.”

Speaking of his former chief, Ramirez said, “He’s much smarter than me, especially when it comes to firefighting.” Of the classes in firematics they have taken together, “When I’d get a 92 or 94, he’d get a 100 every single time... I have a lot of respect for him.”

In creating the individual color portraits for “Sullivan Fire—the Exhibit,” the creator sent out invitations to the volunteers through their respective chiefs, and set up photoshoots at Wurtsboro and Jeffersonvlle, using a custom-made backdrop. 

According to Ramirez, who as a volunteer firefighter was in a unique position to gain the trust of those dedicated members of the community, the documentary in production “will provide insight into the courageous decisions our volunteers make, and introduce audiences to these first responders, who literally are also their neighbors.”

Speaking of the similarities between firefighters and photojournalists, he said, “You have to show up, fight the fire or get the photos. You have to show up!”

When it comes to his documentary, “Sullivan Fire,” he said, “Real-life superheroes are hiding in plain sight, and their story should be told...this is only the beginning of the process for me and the project.” 

Ramirez’ s “Sullivan Fire” photographs and documentary video will be on exhibit every day at the Narrowsburg Union, located at 7 Erie Ave. through September 4. For more information, call the Narrowsburg Union at 845/252-3100 or here.

To support the project, visit GoFundMe.com , and to learn more about this important documentary project, visit www.firehouseroad.com/sullivanfiredoc, or email sullivanfiredoc@gmail.com.