Folsom's fire chief retires the way he began: in untraditional fashion

As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end. On Thursday, Oct. 9, the long, dedicated career of Folsom Fire Chief Ken Cusano came to an official close. A casual retirement ceremony was held for Cusano at Fire Station 35 on Glenn Road as friends, peers and community leaders respectfully thanked him for his service at the Folsom Fire Department and wished him well on the next chapter of his life. "It's been a great career; I've been with the Folsom Fire Department for 28 years," Cusano said as he spoke with the Folsom Telegraph. Cusano made the untraditional choice to not have a formal retirement ceremony with pomp and circumstance, and instead opted for a casual reception where people came by to chat and have snacks; in many ways, a fitting end to a career that was at times untraditional. Cusano is filled with happiness and gratitude as he reflects on his life's trajectory, yet admittedly, the path his career took was nothing he would have imagined. Unlike many others who get into the firefighting profession, being a fireman was not even on Cusano's radar when he was younger, a perfect example of life taking wildly unexpected twists and turns. Cusano said he initially had plans to follow in his father's footsteps, join the Air Force and eventually be a pilot. While a student at Sacramento State, Cusano briefly joined a military program, but after he developed knee issues and reassessed his passions, Cusano realized this was not his calling. In a fairly radical departure from his original goals, Cusano took a job working for a structural and civil engineering firm - a job he enjoyed - for nearly 10 years before the company was dissolved. As he thought about what next steps to take, Cusano found a job working for a private ambulance company and decided to enlist in paramedic school. It was then he was bitten by the firefighting bug. In 1998, another unexpected turn of events: Cusano applied to and was accepted by the Folsom Fire Department, a life path change he is forever grateful for, even if he found it a little later in life than most new firefighters. "So I was a little bit older and that's why I'm older for a retiree," said Cusano. "Most people retire from the fire department at age 50." Over nearly three decades, Cusano moved up the ranks, worked every position, building relationships and learning along the way. During that time, he also witnessed the city of Folsom and the Folsom Fire Department grow by leaps and bounds. "I've been fortunate in that I've been able to see both the city grow and the department. I've worked in every single rank in the department; I've had special projects that I've worked on, such as our personal protective gear," said Cusano. "I've just been lucky that I've gotten to participate and be a part of things before I made it into the chief ranks and even when I got into the chief ranks I was really involved in virtually every aspect of the department. " Another unexpected turning point came in 2020. Then-Fire Chief Felipe Rodriguez suddenly informed Cusano he was in the running for the chief job at Cosumnes Fire District. "I had some good mentors along the way and really had no desire to be a fire chief," explained Cusano. But on a whim, Cusano decided to throw his name into the hat. He said he "got lucky" when he was selected to take over the chief role, and he is grateful that then-City Manager Elaine Andersen threw her support behind him wholeheartedly, a gesture he will never forget. There are many things Cusano is proud of during his time as chief, but one memory that stands out is when he, along with Assistant Chief Mark Piacentini, brought in Blitz, a golden doodle therapy dog. It was a revolutionary concept to bring a therapy dog into the fire department, prioritizing the mental and emotional health of first responders like never before. Cusano takes great pride that the Folsom Fire Department was very much a trail blazer in the region and perhaps the state, leading other first responder organizations to also bring in therapy dogs. "Having Blitz here and being one of the first to do it I thought was incredible," said Cusano. Another source of pride is his role in expanding the Folsom Fire Department's investigation unit. Cusano said for a long period of time, he was the only arson investigator the city had; when he became chief, it was his goal to expand that unit and work more collaboratively with the Folsom Police Department. Now, they have three investigators. There are countless other sources of pride and great memories. During his time as chief, the department added an ambulance and two fire stations. Yet Cusano does leave on one sour note: Due to the city's budget struggles, the Folsom Fire Department faces reductions rather than growth they previously enjoyed. "It is unfortunate because we did have some really good growth and I thought our services were really unmatched with any other city or community," said Cusano. "We were able to handle just about anything and everything and tried to keep up with the growth. Now it's hard to keep up with the growth when the budget isn't there. So that will be one of the things that they're going to continue to work on." Cusano has faith in the Folsom Fire Department and the people he leaves behind to run the ship even in tough economic times. In fact, it's the people and what they stand for that makes the job so hard to leave. "It's hard to express how appreciative I am of those individuals and the individuals that have made our fire department better, such as the CERT team and the CAPS personnel," said Cusano. "They come in and volunteer their time for our department and no matter how much I thank them, I always feel like it's never enough." And while reaching the end of a chapter always comes with a mix of emotions - sadness, nostalgia, excitement - Cusano said ultimately retirement feels right. Cusano plans to play a lot more golf and travel to places like the east coast and the Grand Canyon, with his beloved dogs George and Louie in tow, of course. "I'm excited and a little bit nervous. I don't know why I'm nervous. I'm really more excited. I'm kind of nervous waking up Friday morning and saying, oh my gosh, this is real! I don't have to go to work!" No doubt, retired life may be an adjustment. Being a firefighter is much more than a job; it's an identity, a way of life, a calling. "You don't really take the job for the money. You're taking it because you really want to help others or the community. So it's hard to leave," said Cusano. "I'll miss what the job really stands for and that's helping others in the community." And now begins yet another chapter of Cusano's life, and if the past is any indication of what's to come, perhaps a few pleasant surprises are along the way. "I'm definitely excited and looking forward to being able to relax and enjoy life."