BCFR Sponsorship Program Available For Aspiring Firefighters
BREVARD COUNTY, FL -- A Brevard County Fire Rescue Sponsorship Program provides funding for aspiring firefighters who attend Eastern Florida State College EMT and Fire Academies. Recipients will then enter into employment with BCFR following the completion of their courses and exams.
Brevard County Fire Rescue is currently accepting sponsorship applications. The deadline to apply is March 23. Visit www.brevardfl.gov/FireRescue/FireRescueCareers to request the sponsorship application packet.
Thanks to the program, four Eastern Florida State College students are already on track to become firefighters/EMTs with BCFR thanks to a sponsorship opportunity made possible through funding provided by Brevard County District 2 Commissioner Bryan A. Lober.
Daniel Barrios, Brendan Gish, Kamden Ireland, and Jeffrey Pillard were selected in July 2021, to receive sponsorships. To be considered for the sponsorship, applicants had to complete a 500-word essay on why they should be selected, provide three letters of recommendation, have a minimum GPA of 2.5, pass a physical agility test and complete a candidate interview with Brevard County Fire Rescue’s Senior Staff.
Barrios, Gish, and Ireland recently completed the Emergency Medical Technician Program. The program is one semester-long and consists of three courses, which include patient interaction on ambulances and in an emergency setting. All of them are now qualified to sit for the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians certification exam. Once they conclude their exam, they will enroll in, and complete, the Fire Training Academy.
All three recipients have a strong desire to make a difference in the community. Gish, who almost lost his brother to a bad car accident, called it a life-changing experience that “made me appreciate how much these (first responders) go through and do for our communities daily, and I have been infatuated with this profession ever since.”
Pillard, who had already obtained his Emergency Medical Technician certification, recently finished the Eastern Florida State College’s Fire Training Academy. The program consists of two courses totaling 492 clock hours. The extensive hands-on training prepares students to test for the Florida Fire Fighter Certificate of Compliance. “The sponsorship opportunity presents me with the chance to create hope within our community,” he said. “With hope, we can accomplish anything.”
Both Barrios and Ireland are the sons of Firefighters. Daniel’s father, Danny Barrios, has been in the fire service for 26 years and is an Assistant Chief for Reedy Creek Fire Department. “My father was always my role model,” Barrios said. “His passion for helping others sparked my interest in doing the same… At the end of my career, I want to be able to look back with pride on the countless lives that I was able to make a difference in.”
Kamden’s father, Ken Ireland, has been in the fire service for 28 years and is a District Chief for Orlando Fire Department. “I grew up a Firefighter kid,” Kamden said. “The fire service is huge, but the closeness of each person is awesome, much like a family.”
Contact the Brevard County Fire Rescue Recruiter at (321) 350-9773 for more information.