Big Island Assistant Fire Chief Quince Mento has been named the new civil defense administrator for the county.

The civil defense position has been vacant since Troy Kindred's resignation in November.

Big Island Mayor Harry Kim said Mento brings 25 years of experience as a first responder to his new job along with extensive management experience.

Mento was born and raised on the Big Island, and began his career as a firefighter in Honolulu after graduating from the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. He moved back to the Big Island in 1985 and joined the county fire department, where he worked as a fire rescue specialist, fire equipment operator and fire captain before his appointment as assistant fire chief.