'Enjoyed every minute of it': Tracy Kenny, Broadview's first female fire chief, retires
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It was an emotional goodbye in the western suburbs, during this Women's History Month.
The first female fire chief in Broadview is retiring, after two decades as a firefighter. CBS 2's Shardaa Gray reports, she's one of only a handful of female fire chiefs in Illinois.
"I wasn't ready for today to come as fast as it did."
This is a special day for Broadview Fire Chief Tracy Kenny.
"I'm overwhelmed, I'm sad. I'm excited. I can't even find the words for it. It's tough."
She's retiring after 20 years as a firefighter and a paramedic. The last eight years, she was the Broadview Fire Department's chief.
"I've enjoyed every minute of it. So to be leaving today and going into the unknown of putting my body back together that I've beat up all these years is just really challenging."
The reason she's stepping away from her position is because she needs a new hip.
"I say my body planned that, but they forgot to tell my heart because I just am truly not ready for it."
Kenny is one of only six women fire chiefs in Illinois.
"She's going to leave an absolutely wonderful legacy here as the first female fire chief of Broadview fire department," said Matthew Martin, Broadview Fire Dept. Deputy Chief.
Service to the village is a family business, you could say. Last year, her daughter Tricia Scalise, was sworn in as an officer in her hometown of Broadview.
"We've had this whole year, which has been exciting to bounce back off each other on calls, running to her on calls or anything like that. Now that she's leaving, it's kind of sad that she's not going to be here anymore," Scalise said.
Even though Chief Kenny is retiring, she said her work doesn't stop here. She'll continue to be a part of a group called Fire Service Women of Illinois, which is a group dedicated to inspire women to become firefighters.