Mike Cranwell has been a firefighter for 28 years, beginning first with the Union City fire department and then, for the last three years, with the North Hudson Regional Fire & Rescue.
Several years ago, Cranwell took the test to become a fire chief in Union City. But the promotion never came. “My name died on that list,” Cranwell said. “I thought I might not get another chance.”
Steve Quidor has been a firefighter for 19 years, the first 16 of which he served with the Weehawken fire department. Five years ago this month, Quidor made an extreme sacrifice when he donated one of his kidneys to fellow firefighter and close friend Kevin O’Driscoll.
“I never thought I’d get a chance to reach the magnitude of the rank of battalion chief,” said Quidor, who has been a captain for the last six years. “I wouldn’t even know how to explain how things have happened.”
The long wait is now over for Cranwell, Quidor and five of their firefighting colleagues, who became the first group of fire officers to be promoted to the rank of battalion chief in the NHRFR at a ceremony Wednesday at Schuetzen Park in North Bergen.
Cranwell and Quidor were joined by former captains Charles Thomas, Ronald Tompkins, Frank Vasta, Daniel Giacumbo and William Valentine as the first group of battalion chiefs promoted within the ranks of the NHRFR since the regional was instituted in 1999.
Cranwell was not to be denied this time around. He received a perfect score on the new regional promotion test, established last year strictly for the NHRFR by the state Department of Personnel.
“It’s a day that I’ve looked forward to with great enthusiasm and anticipation,” Cranwell said. “I never was frustrated that I didn’t get the promotion. I remained diligent and figured that one day, after taking the test again, I’d get my shot. This is something I trained for my entire career. I’m just pleased I get a chance to lead some of the finest firefighters in the country.”
According to NHRFR Co-Director Jeff Welz, the promotion of the seven new battalion chiefs will give the regional a total of 14 men that will oversee the regional’s six fire companies that are split up among three geographic regions.
“Of the 14 men we have as chiefs, 12 will be on the line and the other two will remain in headquarters as staff,” Welz said. “Since the regional was formed, we had 16 chief officers retire, so we’re working our way back. These seven men bring a whole new leadership to the regional.”
Welz said that he was proud that of the 57 fire officers eligible to take the new exam, 40 of them passed it.
“That’s a true testament to the kind of fire officers we have in the regional,” Welz said.
NHRFR Chief Edward Flood, who gave each new battalion chief their oath, was proud of the moment.
“Today, you’re turning in your silver badges for gold ones and trading your black helmets for white ones,” Flood told the new chiefs. “The test was extremely difficult and you should be recognized. Each one of you displayed intense leadership and I’m confident that you will lead any and all through all challenges along the way.”
Quidor, whose friend O’Driscoll was in attendance for the ceremony, said that he thought O’Driscoll should have been there with him.
“We’ve been that close,” Quidor said. “He had to remind me that we had the five-year anniversary [of the transplant surgery] earlier this month (June 7). I had totally forgotten about it.”
Quidor said it was significant that he was part of the first group from the regional to reach the rank of battalion chief.
“I think it really helps to validate the regional in everyone’s eyes,” Quidor said. “We’re now competitive within our own ranks to produce the best possible candidates for promotion. I think it brings all of our priorities to the straight and narrow. This is a great honor to be among the first group of captains promoted to battalion chief. I think this goes a long way to validate us as individuals.”
Cranwell is just looking forward to the opportunity to be a leader within the NHRFR.
“We have a great group of guys and I’m glad I’m just getting my shot,” Cranwell said. “I don’t have any plans of retiring soon, so I look forward to being of service for quite some time.”
The NHRFR also christened the new rescue unit that will be used for trench and high angle rescue. Rev. Robert Emery of St. Lawrence Church in Weehawken, tabbed to be the new chaplain of the NHRFR, blessed the unit before it went out to service. The unit was also dedicated to the lives of the 340 New York firefighters who lost their lives in the World Trade Center tragedy Sept. 11.