Hendersonville Fire Department Announces Training and Logistics Officer
The Hendersonville Fire Department has announced the promotion of Victoria Cortes to the position of Training and Logistics Officer effective January 28, 2019. This position was recently created to coordinate and manage the increasing training and logistical needs of a professional fire department in a growing community.
“The addition of a Training and Logistics Officer fills a great need within our Fire Department and assists us in delivering the level of professional service the citizens of Hendersonville have come to expect from us,” said Hendersonville Fire Chief Joseph Vindigni. “Captain Cortes brings with her a unique blend of educational, logistical and administrative experience that will serve her well in this multifaceted role.”
The Training and Logistics Officer’s role on the training side will include conducting activities related to the coordination and delivery of fire training career development and promotional testing along with facilitating the department’s recruitment efforts and safety program. Regarding logistics, duties will relate to the maintenance and operation of the department’s equipment, protective clothing, uniforms and supplies for two facilities, 37 full-time personnel and several part-time personnel. This promotion follows the conclusion of a promotional process involving interviews, oral presentations, and a multi-phase assessment center scored by external assessors from neighboring fire and rescue agencies to select the most qualified employee for this position.
Victoria Cortes, a native of Guilford County, NC, joined the Hendersonville Fire Department as a Firefighter/EMT in February of 2017. Before joining the City of Hendersonville, she worked for the NC Forest Service and the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Her duties included grant administration, owner representation on a multi-million green construction project and support of Incident Management Teams as a Medical Unit Leader, Public Information Officer and Wildland Firefighter. Cortes was also a Coordinator for AmeriCorps and has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Business Management from Western Carolina University.
Outside of her service to the City of Hendersonville, Victoria Cortes is a volunteer Firefighter/EMT and Board of Directors member for Edneyville Fire and Rescue.