Catawba County News
Redding Joins Catawba County As Emergency Services Director
Published: December 19, 2025
Catawba County has hired Brook Redding to serve as Emergency Services Director beginning January 12, 2026. Redding’s background brings a unique combination of North Carolina local government executive leadership and military service, positioning him well to join Catawba County in overseeing 911 Telecommunications, Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, Fire and Rescue, Veteran Services, and Animal Services. Redding was recruited to fill the vacancy created after a long-serving Director’s retirement.
Redding comes to Catawba County from the City of Fayetteville, NC, where he served in the City Manager’s Office for six years. In that role, he led complex, cross-jurisdictional initiatives involving municipal, county, state, federal, and military partners. His work included directing numerous high-impact special projects, including helping establish Fayetteville's Office of Community Safety, leading multiple crisis response task forces, managing more than $40 million in American Rescue Plan Act investments, and overseeing major intergovernmental service agreements with Fort Bragg. His responsibilities required aligning elected officials, senior leadership, and external agencies around shared objectives while navigating regulatory and operational complexity.
Prior to joining local government, Redding served 22 years in the U.S. Army in senior leadership roles across operational units and joint interagency environments. His service included assignments with the 82nd Airborne Division, where he served as a First Sergeant, as well as leadership roles supporting joint and interagency operations at Fort Bragg, NC. Across multiple combat deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan totaling more than five years, Redding was recognized for sustained leadership under pressure, earning three Bronze Star Medals, the Army Commendation Medal with Valor, and a Purple Heart.
“Brook has a demonstrated record of driving complex community initiatives to achieve tangible results. His agility in aligning diverse teams, agencies, and departments around common objectives will be key as we work to maintain excellence in emergency services in an ever-changing response environment,” said County Manager Mary Furtado. “We’re looking forward to adding his leadership to the team, and we are excited for him to get started.”
“I’m honored to join Catawba County and grateful for the opportunity to serve this community,” said Redding. “Emergency services work is built on trust, preparation, and teamwork. I'm looking forward to listening, learning, and supporting the professionals who serve residents every day.”
Redding earned a Master of Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Troy University in Troy, AL. He is also a Certified Project Management Professional and is currently relocating to Catawba County.