The St. Bernard Parish Fire Chief has been selected to lead the Lafayette Fire Department.
Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet announced that she's selected Earl Borden as the next Fire Chief of the Lafayette Fire Department.
He replaces Robert Benoit, who retired from the job after almost 50 years of service to the department.
Boulet said Borden's selection "follows an extensive evaluation process that included civil service testing, Louisiana Office of State Examiner assessments, multiple rounds of structured interviews, and final panel review. The process was designed to identify a leader with the experience, integrity, and vision necessary to lead the State’s fourth largest fire department." To see one of our stories about the process, click here.
Eleven people applied for the job; seven are current members of the Lafayette Fire Department. In addition to Borden, there also were applications from New Orleans, Scott and Maryland. To see the applicants' names and read their resumes, click here.
Here's what the Boulet administration's release about Borden says:
"Chief Borden brings more than two decades of leadership and experience in fire and emergency services to Lafayette with over three of those years as Fire Chief of the St. Bernard Parish Fire Department. He is expected to complete his Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership from the University of Southern California in 2026. He holds a Master of Science in Fire and Emergency Management Administration from Oklahoma State University and a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration with concentrations in Fire Science and Emergency and Disaster Management, from Upper Iowa University. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and the International Association of Fire Chiefs’ Fire Service Executive Development Institute, widely recognized as two of the premier executive development programs for fire service leaders in the United States. Throughout his career, Chief Borden has demonstrated exceptional leadership, including key roles within the St. Bernard Fire Department. His operational, administrative, and strategic experience positions him to lead a large, multifaceted department while advancing organizational performance and strengthening community safety."
Boulet said Borden "stood out at every stage. His steady leadership, strategic vision, and commitment to Lafayette earned him overwhelming support from the evaluation panel. I have full confidence that Chief Borden will bring stability, accountability, and a forward-thinking approach to the department.”
At a press conference this morning, Borden said "I look forward to working with department personnel, city leadership, and community stakeholders to build upon the department’s strong foundation while continuing to advance operational excellence, firefighter safety, and high-quality service to the citizens of Lafayette.”
Here's a video of the presser:
