A longtime Wayne Township firefighter, who died in the line of duty from cancer last week, was dedicated to fire service, served in the military, and had three sons.
Richard “Hank” Potter, 52, was an engineer with the Wayne Township Fire Department since 1999. He died May 10 and will receive full department honors, according to the fire department.
"Hank was a good man,” said Captain Todd Taylor, who has worked at the fire department since 1982. “He prided himself on being a very competent, very aggressive engineer and firefighter. He was truly a person who loved his job and dedicated himself to the fire department." Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health found in 2015 that firefighters have a 9% increase in cancer diagnoses and a 14% increase in cancer-related deaths when compared to U.S. population rates.