ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orange County Fire Chief Anthony Rios announced his resignation, saying he takes responsibility for comments he made during a recent county budget presentation about the purchase of a county-assigned vehicle.
Rios submitted his resignation Tuesday in a letter to Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. His resignation takes effect July 31.
In the letter, Rios said he decided to step down after reflecting on the responsibilities of public service and leadership.
“Throughout my career, I have sought to lead with accountability, transparency, and integrity,” Rios wrote. “Those values have guided every decision I have made, and they continue to guide this one.”
Rios’ resignation follows questions raised during a recent budget workshop before the Orange County Board of County Commissioners.
In his letter, he acknowledged that while the purchase of a county-assigned vehicle complied with county procurement policies and procedures, his response to commissioners “did not fully communicate the complete context and, as a result, could only be perceived as inaccurate.”
“As Fire Chief, I understand that intent does not diminish impact, and I accept full responsibility for my words,” he wrote.
Rios called serving as Orange County’s fire chief “the greatest honor” of his career and thanked Demings, the Board of County Commissioners, county leadership and the firefighters and staff of Orange County Fire Rescue for their support.
He said he believes the department has undergone a significant cultural transformation over the past year, becoming “stronger, more united, and better prepared than ever” to serve the community.
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