Hillsborough County, Fla. (Nov. 18, 2025) - Hillsborough County Fire Rescue will welcome a group of 33 new firefighters with varying backgrounds to the ranks at a graduation and pinning ceremony set for Friday, Nov 21.
The new Hillsborough County Fire Rescue class includes a former college football quarterback, a champion four-wheeler driver, and a former New York Yankees employee. Five members of the inaugural Specialized Training for Emergency Professionals (STEP) program will also graduate and be pinned. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue created the STEP program this year to offer an opportunity for qualified candidates who face a challenging economic situation to be able to pursue a career in firefighting. This summer, 15 students graduated from the STEP program, earning their Florida Emergency Medical Technician Certification and their Florida Fire Compliance Certification. This allows them to pursue a firefighting career in any fire department throughout the state of Florida.
The new firefighters will get their station and shift assignments during the graduation and pinning ceremony, putting them in firehouses throughout Hillsborough County. At the ceremony, the County's newest firefighters will also receive the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue shield for their helmet. All graduates will begin their assignments next week ready to fight fires, respond to emergency calls, and assist residents every day.
All the new firefighters joining Hillsborough County Fire Rescue have graduated from the Fire Academy and are certified Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). For the past five weeks, this recruiting class has been through a Hillsborough-specific orientation to get them ready for their first days on the job.
HCFR has nearly 1,300 firefighters at 47 fire stations serving the 1.1 million residents of unincorporated Hillsborough County.
- Who: Hillsborough County Fire Rescue
- What: Recruit Class 2025-02 Graduation and Pinning Ceremony
- When: 3:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, 2025
- Where: Riverhills Church of God, 6310 E. Sligh Ave., Tampa, FL 33617