Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Accepting Applications for New Fire Chief

The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District announced they are looking for their next fire chief for the district.

What’s Happening:

  • The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District Administrator Glenton Gilzean Jr., today, announced a search for the next fire chief for the district.
  • The search was announced two weeks after Chief LePere announced his retirement which will take effect in August.  
  • The nationwide search will seek a leader for the fire department with a strong track record of leadership in running a department that successfully implements industry-leading fire management techniques.
  • Candidates should also have a history of caring for the valuable resource that is the fire fighters themselves.
  • Earlier this month, Chief LePere announced his retirement as fire chief after a decade in that role. He previously served CFTOD as a firefighter for 13 years. During his tenure, he modernized the fire department.  
  • District Administrator Gilzean has a long history of partnering with emergency service departments to promote public safety.
  • Most recently, in June, he released a public letter upon his resignation from the Central Florida Urban League as CEO highlighting his track record of building successful partnerships with emergency service providers. In that role, he supported successful programs such as Coffee with a Cop to build powerful relationships with the community and emergency service providers.
  • He also testified before the United States Department of Justice on this success and how to create roadmaps for other communities to replicate this success.  
  • Candidates interested in applying to be the Fire Chief can apply by emailing their application to [email protected]

What They’re Saying:

  • “Our district is proud to be an international destination hosting millions of visitors each year,” said Administrator Glenton Gilzean, Jr.. “Promoting the safety of these visitors is a top priority of the district through exemplary emergency services including a robust and well-run fire department and strong partnerships with law enforcement. We strive for our district to be a world leader in public safety. With our unique challenges to the district, our firefighters deserve the best compensation possible that will make them competitive within the region while being fiscally responsible. Our firefighters volunteer to put their lives on the line to protect the public and they deserve nothing less than the best leadership we can find.”
  • “Our home in the district truly presents unique challenges in fire prevention and emergency services,” said Administrator Gilzean. “Chief LePere has risen to the challenge to build a fire department that can address our unique situation. Our community is grateful to him for his service and leadership.”

Tricia Kennedy
As a huge Disney fan Tricia enjoys having Walt Disney World basically in her backyard. When she's not at the theme parks she is either playing drums or with her dog Yoda. She is a lifelong Star Wars fan and has ridden Star Tours over 270 times.