The Latest: Mayor to seek new emergency management chief

NEW YORK – The Latest on status of city’s emergency management chief (all times local):

10:30 p.m.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says the city’s emergency management chief will stay on the job until they find his replacement.

In a statement Monday night, the mayor thanks Commissioner Joseph Esposito for his service and says they look forward to exploring additional opportunities for him to remain in the administration.

Earlier Monday, multiple news reports said Esposito had been fired Friday over his handling of a freakish snow storm, but a spokesman for the Office of Emergency Management said he was in the office working Monday afternoon. Esposito even took calls from several reporters saying as far as he knew, he was still in charge.

Esposito has been in the post since 2014.

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5 p.m.

New York City’s emergency management chief is still on the job, despite reports he was fired over his handling of an early-season snow storm.

Multiple news reports Monday said Emergency Management Commissioner Joseph Esposito was fired Friday by a deputy mayor.

If he was axed, though, Esposito didn’t show it.

A spokesman for the Office of Emergency Management said he was in the office working Monday afternoon.

Esposito, a former high-ranking police official, took calls from several reporters saying as far as he knew, he was still in charge.

Mayor Bill de Blasio cancelled a weekly appearance on a local public affairs television show and refused to answer questions as reports of Esposito’s ouster swirled.

Esposito has been in the post since 2014.