James Martin embodied the finest qualities of both a man and a firefighter. He began his career with the Union City Fire Department in 1986, working his way up to the rank of captain before joining the Fremont Fire Department in 1994 via a department merger. In Fremont, Jim would continue climbing through the ranks, eventually serving as deputy fire chief. Throughout his decorated career, Jim held several leadership roles, including three terms as president of Fremont Firefighters, Local 1689. Outside of work, Jim was known to live life to the fullest, and loved spending time with his family and friends. Jim died in 2015 following a battle with job-related cancer.