The Firefighter and EMT Scholarship program will help aspiring firefighters train for one of the most important jobs in the community by providing financial support during training.
Hillsborough County recognizes that financial insecurity often prevents qualified applicants with low to moderate-income levels from applying and training for a career as a first responder. This new scholarship program aims to remove financial barriers that might prevent qualified candidates from attending an approved Florida Firefighter Minimum Standards and Emergency Medical Technician certification program. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue’s goal is to recruit a diverse group of candidates from a variety of backgrounds across the community.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Foundation, Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and Hillsborough County Affordable Housing created the scholarship program jointly.
Candidates can find the application at https://hcfl.gov/firescholarship. The deadline has been extended to Wednesday, November 6, to give applicants more time after the displacement caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
The Firefighter and EMT Scholarship program covers the cost of tuition, books, uniforms and rental of required protective clothing. During firefighter and EMT classes, the scholarship recipient will receive a stipend equaling $19 per hour while in class or clinicals. Stipends will be paid approximately every two weeks.
Applicants should ensure that they have met and/or satisfied all eligibility requirements for this scholarship prior to applying. The complete list of requirements can be found at https://hcfl.gov/firescholarship.
Three letters of recommendation and a written essay are also required.
Failure to submit all required items may result in disqualification of the applicant.
The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Foundation Firefighter and EMT Scholarship program aims to provide financial aid to eligible, aspiring firefighters who need the help and wish to pursue a career as a firefighter in the state of Florida.
Identifying successful applicants will be based on financial need, application, letters of recommendation and their essay. Public-safety-related extracurricular activities, community service and involvement in volunteer organizations may also be taken into consideration.
The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Foundation Scholarship Committee will review all applications and ensure they meet eligibility and submission requirements before considering each candidate’s individual circumstances or qualifications for the award. Upon a scholarship award, recipients will be assigned a local fire department mentor by Hillsborough County Fire Rescue to assist them throughout the scholarship period.
Visit https://hcfl.gov/firescholarship for application, eligibility criteria and essay requirements.
