Chief Ken Cusano joined the City of Folsom and the Folsom Fire Department in 1998 as a firefighter-paramedic, and he progressed through the ranks, serving as an engineer, fire captain, and division chief.

Throughout his career, Chief Cusano proudly accepted additional roles to serve the department, including paramedic preceptor, protective clothing manager, Local 522 unit representative, and fire investigator. As a division chief, he managed administration, training, fire and arson investigations, fire station design, and promotional testing. He also represented the department within regional working groups, including Regional Training Chiefs, California Incident Command Certification System (CICCS), Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), and the Folsom Fire Safe Council.

Chief Cusano was born in Lubbock, Texas, and moved to the Folsom area in 1980 when his father, a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, was reassigned to Mather Air Force Base. He attended Folsom High School, and his first job was at A&W Root Beer on the corner of Natoma and Coloma Street. He attended Sierra College and transferred to California State University, Sacramento, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in health and safety. He earned a hazardous materials manager certification and an environmental Management certification from the University of California, Davis. His passion for caring for people and his strong interest in emergency care inspired Chief Cusano to attend emergency medical technician school and paramedic school.

His background includes serving as a volunteer firefighter for the Cameron Park Fire District and treating and transporting patients for a private ambulance company. He also served as a project manager for a civil and structural engineering firm, where he performed drafting, AutoCAD, and design services.

Chief Cusano holds the following State of California certifications, licenses, memberships, and affiliations: Chief Officer, Fire Officer, Licensed Paramedic, Fire Investigator, Wildland Fire Investigator, Cal Chiefs, Sacramento-Sierra Arson Task Force, National Association of Fire Investigators, International Association of Arson Investigators, Greater Sacramento Area Fireworks Safety Task Force, and California Conference of Arson Investigators.