Several members of the community are working to raise money to build a memorial for a recently deceased Farmington firefighter who associates say left his mark on the department.
The Farmington Professional Firefighters union, along with the nonprofit River Reach Foundation, is trying to raise $18,000 to build a memorial in Animas Park to honor Lt. Jacob Shadd Rohwer, who died of cancer on Jan. 11.
Capt. Tom Anderson of the Farmington Fire Department said Rohwer's cancer was presumably caused after he was exposed to hazardous chemicals in the line of duty while protecting the citizens of Farmington.
Rohwer trained hundreds of people in swift-water rescue techniques and the use of personal protective equipment, leaving a legacy that changed how the department operates, Anderson said.