Orange County has a new Emergency Manager with the appointment Lauraleigh Avery to the post. The Orange County Board of Commissioners appointed Avery to head up Emergency Management during their meeting today, and she is the first woman to hold this position.
Avery started with the Orange County Fire Rescue Department in the early 1990s and rose through the ranks to become the Acting Emergency Manager in 2019. Avery became Acting Manager after the previous Emergency Manager, Keith Kotch, retired suddenly during a standards probe. The investigation stemmed from Kotch using racist and demeaning language towards coworkers in the workplace.
Avery takes her position at the start of what looks to be a very active and foreboding hurricane season.
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This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2020.