Orange County mayor praises retiring Chief Lorelai Avery and names Carlos Durden as incoming emergency manager

At Orange County's 2026 hurricane expo, Mayor Jerry Demings honored Chief Lorelai Avery as she retires after more than three decades with Orange County Fire Rescue and announced Carlos Durden will be promoted into the countyemergency management role.

"I could not be more honored to have served in fire rescue and the office of Emergency Management," Lorelai Avery said, reflecting on roughly 33 to 34 years of public service and saying she leaves the office "in great hands." Mayor Jerry Demings described Avery as "one of the highest ranking women" to serve in the department and said he was proud to celebrate her career.

Demings introduced Carlos Durden earlier in the program and said he had appointed Durden as the county's emergency manager. He described Durden as a U.S. Air Force veteran who has worked in the county for several years and said residents will see Durden on television and in storm response operations going forward.

The mayor used the expo to recognize other county commissioners in the audience, thanked first responders and framed the leadership change as part of continuity of service: "When the emergency comes, what I tell our team is show time," Demings said, adding that the county has a trained team ready to respond.

No formal action or vote was recorded at the event; the remarks served as ceremonial recognition and a public introduction of the personnel change.