The Volusia County Council has approved the creation of an Emergency Services Department and the realignment of some divisions from the Public Protection Department. At the same time, County Council members confirmed the appointments of two long-time public safety employees to leadership roles within the departments.
The department changes were recommended by County Manager George Recktenwald to improve efficiencies in the growing Public Protection Department, which will focus on Animal Services, Beach Safety, Corrections and the Medical Examiner’s Office. The new Emergency Services Department will take on Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Administration and Fire Rescue.
Mark Swanson, who has more than 40 years of experience in emergency medical services and law enforcement, has been named public protection director. He began his public service career in 1979 as a firefighter/paramedic with the City of Port Orange, then joined EVAC Ambulance in 1985 as a field paramedic, working his way up to director of clinical services and paramedic captain. In 2011, when EVAC transitioned to a county division, Swanson served as clinical services manager from 2011 to 2013, director of beach safety from 2013 to 2016, deputy director of public protection from 2016 to 2021, and as interim director since 2021. Meanwhile, he served as a law enforcement officer and paramedic for Daytona Beach Shores from 2000 to 2013.
Jim Judge was tapped to head the new Emergency Services Department. He joined Volusia County’s Emergency Management Division in 2013 after amassing more than 45 years of public safety experience, with 30 of those years at the leadership level. Judge was the county’s emergency management director from June 2013 to January 2021. He then retired briefly before returning to the county as interim deputy director of public protection and emergency management. Judge is well-versed in all phases of emergency management, fire services and emergency medical services.
Recktenwald noted that Swanson and Judge have received multiple honors and that their expertise was particularly evident during multiple hurricane responses over the past decade.
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