Jumpline MAG_Spring 2026 - Flipbook - Page 11
Jack Swerdloff, Ret.
The Man Behind the Lens
11
photos. But Capt. Gurdak had other plans:
Eric delivered,and then some. He enlarged and
framed the shots, and when he presented them,
Capt. Gurdak invited him to ride along. Eric’s ride
came in 1997 aboard Engine 30’s Quantum with
Onelio Tam, Jhoshee Garcia, and rookie Dan
Bolline.
“Stay on the Engine. We’re getting a 昀椀re today.”
He was right. The resulting photo made it into
Fire Engineering Magazine and connected Eric
with Capt. Gustin, who later invited him to a drill
at Heart of the City, the start of another long
friendship.
A Network of Support
Many helped Eric become part of the MDFR
family:
A Legacy in Images
In 2003, EBoard member Lt. George Izquierdo
helped make it of昀椀cial: Eric was named Local
1403’s Jumpline Photographer, a title he still
holds today.
Eric’s record keeping is legendary. He has
meticulously archived nearly everything —
digitally, organized, preserved. His collection is
a visual history of MDFR spanning half a
century.
Capt. Gurdak asked Dan Murray to create
a uniform for him.
The Man Who Preserved Our
Story
Tony Lima, Jimmy Paugh, and some
others secured Eric a radio to monitor.
Eric Goodman has spent a lifetime
documenting
the
bravery,
humor,
heartbreak, and humanity of the 昀椀re service.
He has stood in the shadows so others
could be remembered in the light. His work
is more than photography, it is LEGACY!
Chief Keith Bell coordinated a nice
surprise for the man that gives so much.
A new high octane camera!
Chief Vince Lombardi arranged the
Kantech card Eric still uses today.
And now, 昀椀nally, the lens turns toward him.
On behalf of the Metro-Dade Fire昀椀ghters
IAFF Local 1403 and everyone you’ve
brought smiles to, THANK YOU ERIC!
One of Eric’s favorite memories came on
March 11, 2003. A dive drill was scheduled,
and Eric planned to ride the rescue to get
* The term “fire buff ” dates to the early 20th century, likely originating in New York City. In the days of horse-drawn fire engines, curious civilians, often wrapped in heavy “buffalo robes” during cold
winters,would gather near fire scenes. These onlookers became known
as “buffaloes,” eventually shortened to “buffs,” as noted in the book
“Pictorial History of Firefighting” by Robert W. Masters
Spring 2026 | JUMPLINE Magazine
