Atlanta firefighter Frank Martinez died early Tuesday after a battle with cancer, officials said.

“Frank fought a good fight, and kept the faith until the end,” said Joel G. Baker, Atlanta Fire Rescue chief.

Martinez, 45, had been receiving hospice care at his home in Forsyth County, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.

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In November, a convoy carried Martinez, a six-year veteran of the department, from a Newnan cancer treatment center to his home.

Martinez worked with the department’s Squad 4, which is the technical rescue unit based on Edgewood Avenue.

“Frank’s last wish was to see the new Squad 4 apparatus, which was put into service just a few weeks ago,” Atlanta Fire Rescue spokeswoman Janet Ward said in November.

Martinez’s family will provide details about funeral services soon, Baker said.

Several fire stations throughout Atlanta and DeKalb County radioed in to give tributes to Martinez as he passed through the downtown area about 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM
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