Hillsborough County fired its emergency management director on Wednesday, Aug. 5, leaving Fire Rescue Chief Jason Dougherty in charge of storm preparedness for Apollo Beach and Ruskin as peak hurricane season begins.

Timothy Dudley Jr., who earned public praise for leading the county through Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, was terminated after a nearly 10-month human resources investigation found interference with the probe and high staff turnover in his department, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Dudley had been on paid administrative leave since March.

His salary was $152,484.80.

What investigators found

The probe began in June 2025 when employee Erik Challenger filed a complaint about a denied time-off request during hurricane season. Investigators cleared the leave decision but uncovered what they called a broader pattern of interference by Dudley once the review was underway.

The investigation included interviews with 15 witnesses and produced two HR reports plus an external review totaling more than 100 pages. Between January 2020 and April 2025, at least 21 employees resigned from the emergency management office, a department that carries roughly 20 staff at any given time.

Donna Smith, an outside attorney hired to review the county's investigative work, wrote in her executive summary: "Dudley's actions reveal that he responded to complaints by his staff and the investigation of those complaints by deliberately moving out of the sunshine and into the shade."

Smith called the volume of departures, particularly among employees hired during Dudley's tenure, "notable."

Dudley denied creating a hostile workplace, telling investigators that stress in the department stemmed from an "intense organizational transition" that included a pandemic, civil unrest and multiple hurricanes. He did not respond to the Tampa Bay Times' requests for comment.

Challenger filed a federal lawsuit against the Hillsborough Board of County Commissioners in March 2026. Court records show the county agreed to settle in July 2026. The settlement amount has not been disclosed.

What it means for storm season

Commissioner Chris Boles told the Tampa Bay Times on Thursday, Aug. 6, that there will be no interruption to emergency services. Dougherty, who was named Florida's Fire Chief of the Year by the Florida Fire Chiefs' Association in July, has been serving as interim emergency management director since the spring.

David Merrick, director of the Emergency Management and Homeland Security Program at Florida State University, told the Times the dual role should be manageable. "Because in theory, it's going to be for a relatively short period," Merrick said.

The county has not answered questions about plans to fill the position permanently.

Apollo Beach evacuation zones expanded

The leadership change comes as Apollo Beach faces heightened hurricane risk. The county expanded Zone A evacuation boundaries for 2026, pushing the highest-risk tier farther inland along the coastline and the Alafia River. More Apollo Beach properties now fall in Zone A, the first zone ordered to evacuate.

Residents can check their evacuation zone using the county's HEAT tool at the same site. Those with medical or functional needs, including anyone dependent on oxygen, dialysis or electrically powered equipment, can pre-register for the county's Special Needs Shelter Program. Storm alerts are available through the county's HCFL Alert notification system at hcfl.gov/HCFLAlert.