ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. \u2014 Carlos Durden was appointed as the new director of the Orange County Office of Emergency Management on Tuesday. <\/p>\n
Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings announced the appointment following a vote of approval from the Board of County Commissioners.<\/p>\n
Durden has spent the last 11 years working within the Orange County department. During that time, he helped lead the county\u2019s response to multiple hurricanes, severe weather events and the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
Durden has nearly 30 years of experience in the field of emergency management. <\/p>\n
Prior to his 11-year tenure with the county, he served for 22 years in the U.S. Air Force. During his military career, he spent 18 years as a senior master sergeant specializing in emergency management.<\/p>\n
His military service included providing emergency management support to the Pentagon following the Sept. 11 attacks. He also served as an incident commander for four hazardous material releases in Guam and managed a military emergency operations center during the Fukushima radiological incident in Japan.<\/p>\n
Orange County Demings highlighted Durden\u2019s history of local service while announcing the appointment. \u201cFor the past 11 years, Carlos has led our team through hurricanes, severe storms and the COVID-19 pandemic with steady leadership and a deep commitment to public safety,\u201d Demings said. \u201cHis experience has been invaluable and I am confident he will continue to ensure our community remains safe, resilient and prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n
Durden expressed his commitment to the safety of residents and the millions of international visitors who travel to the region. \u201cI am grateful for the trust placed in me to assume the role of Director of Orange County\u2019s Office of Emergency Management,\u201d Durden said. \u201cThe well-being of our residents and guests from around the world is my highest priority and I look forward to leading the team dedicated to their safety.\u201d<\/p>\n
Durden will fill the vacancy created by the departure of Deputy Chief Lauraleigh Avery. Avery is retiring after 33 years of service with Orange County.<\/p>\n
Durden will officially assume the director role on June 21, 2026, coinciding with Avery\u2019s final day of service.<\/p>\n
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