{"id":65265,"date":"2020-01-10T01:17:59","date_gmt":"2020-01-10T01:17:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/community-honors-longtime-firefighter-who-served-regionally\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T12:21:57","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T12:21:57","slug":"community-honors-longtime-firefighter-who-served-regionally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/community-honors-longtime-firefighter-who-served-regionally\/","title":{"rendered":"Community honors longtime firefighter who served regionally"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Fire
Fire engines and first-responder units line the road Thursday in front of San Juan College for the memorial service of firefighter and paramedic Julian Fleming.<\/span>Liz Weber\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

FARMINGTON \u2013 Two large flags framed the entrance of San Juan College while first-responder and fire engines lined the curb in front of the Henderson Fine Arts Center on Thursday for the memorial service of a firefighter and paramedic who has long served the area.<\/p>\n

In a crowded auditorium, family and friends honored Julian Fleming, who served Bloomfield and Ignacio as a first-responder for over three decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cJulian was a loving husband, son, father, grandfather, uncle, brother and friend. He had an infectious laugh and fine sense of humor. He is and always will be missed,\u201d his obituary said.<\/p>\n

\"Julian
Julian Fleming, 64, was a paramedic and firefighter with the Bloomfield Fire Department for over 30 years. He also worked with the Los Pinos Fire Protection District in Ignacio. He died Jan. 3 after suffering a heart attack. A memorial service was held Thursday in Farmington.<\/span>Courtesy of Bloomfield Fire Department<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Fleming, 64, was found dead in his car at 11:30 a.m. Jan. 3 in front of Kare Drug in Bloomfield, said Suzanne Moore, spokeswoman for the Bloomfield Police Department, which was first on scene. It was later determined he died from a heart attack, Moore said. Fleming had retired last year as the assistant fire chief for Bloomfield and his death took the community by surprise, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople knew him for so long, it\u2019s been tough,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Born in 1955 in England, Fleming moved to the U.S. in 1980 and ultimately became a naturalized citizen in 1999, according to his obituary. Fleming joined the Bloomfield Fire Department in 1986, the department said.<\/p>\n

\u201cA stellar firefighter and paramedic who unselfishly served thousands of persons and trained hundreds of emergency service workers,\u201d the department said in a Facebook post on Monday<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A
A Bloomfield first-responder engine parked at San Juan College for the memorial service of firefighter and paramedic Julian Fleming.<\/span>Liz Weber\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"A
A flag hangs from a fire truck during the memorial service for firefighter and paramedic Julian Fleming on Thursday at San Juan College.<\/span>Liz Weber\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Fleming also worked with the Los Pinos Fire Protection District in Ignacio as a paramedic. Josh Lorenzen, a Los Pinos firefighter and paramedic, served with Fleming since 2007. He said when they first started working together, he was recently out of paramedic school and Fleming \u201cserved as a mentor to bring me along and give me advice.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a role Fleming seemed to take on throughout the community, often helping to teach emergency medical service and first-responder students throughout San Juan County.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was always willing to help people out,\u201d Lorenzen said. \u201cHe was one of those individuals who really did make people better around him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout the memorial service, family and friends who have worked alongside Fleming spoke of his dedication to service, his willingness to help others and his sense of humor. Instead of flowers, the family is asking for contributions to the Julian Fleming Scholarship Fund for San Juan College\u2019s EMT\/paramedic program.<\/p>\n

At the end of the service, the auditorium echoed with the final dispatch call for Julian Fleming as it went out across the radios, unanswered.<\/p>\n

lweber@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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