Fire Chief Ken Cardinale

1974-1979

I started my career with City of Sunnyvale during my junior year of high school, as an explorer scout. After graduation I then becoming a cadet, then being hired FT. I attended police and fire academies becoming a Public Safety Officer 1976. I left Sunnyvale and was hired by City of Los Altos 1979. 

City of Los Altos 1979 FF/Engineer. I lateral transferred to City of Palo Alto and work there from 1981 -2009. I held the positions of FF/EMT, FF/PM, Engineer/ Paramedic, Captain, Training Captain, Battalion Chief, SLAC (Stanford Linear Accelerator Center) Chief, EMS Chief and Finally Deputy Chief of Fire Operations.

Retired in 2009 but was hired back to work on several administrative projects for Palo Alto Fire for two years. I became a certified background investigator and worked for a private firm for Firefighter Entry Backgrounds, leaving that to move to Kelso in 2014. 

In 2015 became Fire Chief for City of Chehalis until 2020 and interim Chief of CFD and LCFD6, finally leaving to full time with district July 2020.

Education:

A/S Degree Fire Technology

B/S Degree Public Administration

Calif State Fire Officer

Calif State Chief Officer

Chief Officer National Fire Academy 

Stanford School of Medicine – Paramedic Course work 

State, County Certification 

Type 3 Incident Management (Operations Chief ) Section Santa Clara County Certification

National Fire Academy – Various other course work