Cardigan Fire Department, community mourn loss of firefighter who served for over 40 years

PEIPeople in Cardigan are mourning the loss of their fire chief. Tony VandenBroek, 65, served with the eastern P.E.I. community’s fire department for more than four decades and had been its chief for nearly six.Tony VandenBroek died recently at 65Jenna Banfield · CBC News · Posted: Dec 09, 2025 6:30 PM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.P.E.I. community honours memory, dedication of beloved fire chiefPeople in Cardigan are mourning the loss of Tony VandenBroek, a firefighter who was a part of the department for more than four decades. Those who knew him say his passion for serving the community is something they hope to continue on. CBC’s Gwyneth Egan has that story.People in Cardigan are mourning the loss of their fire chief. Tony VandenBroek served with the eastern P.E.I. community’s fire department for more than four decades and had been its chief for nearly six years.VandenBroek died Dec. 1 at age 65.Ben Riley, his nephew and Cardigan’s deputy fire chief, described VandenBroek as a passionate leader who set a great example for his team.Ben Riley says seeing how beloved his uncle was to the community has been a source of pride for his family. (Gwyneth Egan/CBC)”He always made sure that we had well-trained members, our equipment was the best we could afford and that we were constantly upgrading our equipment and our trucks and taking in new members,” Riley said.”He didn’t do half measures, so when Tony did something, it was the best he could do it and that’s what he expected from his fellow firefighters as well.”One of the upgrades VandenBroek brought to the fire department was the purchase of one of its newest trucks. It was located in New Jersey, so VandenBroek and others in the department got a flight down to the state to pick it up and drive it back.Riley said takes pride in seeing the tributes to his uncle pour in on social media. VandenBroek was even honoured in the House of Commons, where he was recognised by Cardigan MP Kent MacDonald.”Chief Tony was a dedicated leader and committed volunteer in his community. His decades of service reflect the courage, compassion and the unwavering commitment to keeping others safe,” Macdonald said.The Town of Three Rivers lowered the flags at town hall to half-mast, and also released a statement on its website.”Tony was a dedicated leader, a committed volunteer, and a trusted protector of the Cardigan community and surrounding areas,” the statment reads. “His decades of service reflect the very best of the volunteer fire service.”Alice Rice says VanderBroek has been there throughout her entire time at the Cardigan Fire Department, and they hope to continue everything he did. (Gwyneth Egan/CBC)For the 15 years Alice Rice has been in the Cardigan Fire Department, VanderBroek was there alongside her. They also grew up together.”He was just very welcoming all the time and he was very passionate,” she said. “If you ever had any questions or concerns or issues, he was very approachable and he was level-headed.” She added that VanderBroek took over after the previous fire chief, Dwayne MacIntyre, died in 2020. Rice said both chiefs will always be in her mind and heart.”It’s a hole that’s left in our department, but we will absolutely carry his legacy.”ABOUT THE AUTHORJenna Banfield is an associate producer for CBC Prince Edward Island. She can be reached at jenna.banfield@cbc.caWith files from Gwyneth Egan