Denise A. Elarms was born in San Francisco and received a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from San Jose State University, later attending the University of the District of Columbia. Following her post-graduate education, Denise worked for the Mayor in Washington D.C. before moving back to San Francisco where she found her calling and joined the San Francisco Fire Department. Denise served proudly as a member of SFFD for 12 years until she was forced to retire due to an ongoing battle with job-related cancer. Denise was an avid member of the breast cancer support organization, Carrie’s Touch, and fought for legislation that would provide coverage and benefits to firefighters with cancer. Denise succumbed to the effects of cancer in 2016 and is survived by her mother, Catherine, and her sister, Beverly.