A former chef, a teacher, a medical therapist and retired military personnel recently represented the new Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) class as part of the Recruit Class 2026-01 Graduation and Pinning Ceremony at Riverhills Church of God, located at 6310 E. Sligh Ave. in Tampa.
A total of 37 new firefighters with varying backgrounds joined the HCFR ranks at the May 14 ceremony. The new firefighters got their station and shift assignments during the ceremony, putting them in firehouses throughout Hillsborough County. Each also received the HCFR shield for their helmet.
All graduates began their assignments in the following week, ready to fight fires, respond to emergency calls and assist residents every day.
All the new firefighters joining HCFR 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 1.1 million residents and 909 square miles of unincorporated Hillsborough County. HCFR responds to nearly 140,000 emergency calls annually, making it one of the top-performing fire rescue agencies in the Southeastern United States.
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