On Friday, June 27, The Bloomfield Township Fire Department (BTFD) held a ceremony to celebrate the retirement of Operations Officer Kevin Cardinale. The event, hosted by Chief LeRoy, paid tribute to Kevin’s 28 years of distinguished service. “No matter what the situation, Kevin was always ready to answer the call,” said Chief LeRoy. He added, “when we created the Operations Officer position, as someone to be a public face for this department and what it represents, Kevin was the obvious and only choice for the position.”
The usually talkative Cardinale was at a loss for words, getting caught up in the emotions of the day. “I have a speech written but I know I can’t get through it. I see everyone in this room, and each of you means so much to me.” In a particularly touching moment, Cardinale’s retirement plaque was placed on the station wall by his daughters, Mallory and Kara.
This was followed by a speech by Cardinale’s wife, Amy. She herself grew up in a firefighter family and spoke of the non-stop feeling of support that she has always known. “If I or either of my girls ever needed help, we knew there were upwards of 65 people who would show up at our door, ready to help in anyway,” she stated.
The ceremony included a “Present Arms” observance, which involved current and retired BTFD officers paying their respects to Cardinale. In return, Cardinale thanked each individual personally. This was concluded by a ceremonial “Ride Home,” a tradition in which the honored retiree is driven home in a department fire truck by a driver of his choosing.
Also, in attendance were Cardinale’s father, brother, sister, in-laws and additional family and close friends.
Please enjoy this Photo Album from the ceremony.