Rehnke, retired Peoria fire captain, dies from work-related cancer
A retired Peoria fire captain died Monday following a 10-year battle with work-related cancer, according to officials.
Retired Peoria Fire-Medical Department Capt. David Rehnke’s death is considered a line-of-duty death, officials said. The Peoria fire Honor Guard will stand watch over Rehnke until he is brought to his final resting place.
Rehnke was hired by the department in 1989, promoted to engineer a few years later and eventually promoted to captain in 2008.
Rehnke retired from the department in 2015.
Though Rehnke retired as a captain, he was remembered for his work as an engineer, the department said in a statement on Tuesday.
“He was meticulous about every detail of his apparatus, all the equipment on it, and the safety of the personnel in it,” the statement said.
Rehnke is survived by his wife of 30 years and two children.
Since 2009, at least nine Arizona firefighters have died of cancer, according to the International Association of Fire Fighters. Dozens more have been diagnosed, according to city claims.
Rehnke fought for firefighters to be covered by Arizona’s presumptive cancer statute, the department said. Arizona’s cancer statute recognizes seven occupational cancers related to firefighting.
In lieu of flowers, his family requested donations be made to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.
Rehnke was the state director of the Arizona chapter, the network said in a Facebook post.