‘Sullivan Fire’ documentary to preview at the Narrowsburg Union

Exhibition. The display by photographer Chris Ramirez, himself a volunteer firefighter, runs from July 8 through Sept. 4 at the Digital Gallery Space.

| 29 Jun 2023 | 01:20

Volunteer firefighters are among the most important people in our communities, yet they are often overlooked.

Cinematographer and photographer Chris Ramirez serves alongside Upstate New York’s first responders, and his new film and photography project - “Sullivan Fire” - shines a light on their invaluable service.

Ramirez, a volunteer interior firefighter with the Rock Hill Fire Department, is on hiatus from active duty as devotes his efforts to telling their stories.

Inspiration

Sullivan Fire was inspired by Ramirez’ work with the Join Sullivan Fire Initiative, a county-wide recruitment and retention task force organized by the Sullivan County Bureau of Fire.

“Sustaining the numbers needed to crew-up a volunteer fire department requires innovative thinking, and departments are seeking new ways to attract and retain members,” Ramirez said in the press release announcing the exhibit. “The demands of modern life have made it increasingly difficult for people to commit, but without robust fire departments, residents are left vulnerable.

“[The Join Sullivan Fire Task Force] is reaching out to a wider array of people, people with diverse backgrounds, people who perhaps never even considered the volunteer fire service,” he added. “We’re working hard to help people discover the rewards of serving your local fire department and realizing the vital contributions they can make.”

The experience

The Narrowsburg Union is located at 7 Erie Ave. in Narrowsburg, N.Y.

For more information, call 845-252-3100.

There will be an opening reception on Saturday, July 8, at 2 p.m. Meet the artist and other local firefighters and explore the exhibit.

For more information about the photographer, log onto www.firehouseroad.com.