ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — A class of 27 firefighters graduated from the Seminole State College Fire Academy Thursday afternoon, and the cadets are now ready to enter the workforce and serve their communities.
This comes as the state of Florida is facing a statewide shortage of firefighters, making it difficult for different departments in the area to recruit and keep firefighters and EMTs.
In the last few years, the Florida Fire Service has identified recruitment and retention challenges affecting the state. In June 2023, the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, in partnership with the Florida State Fire Marshal’s Office, published a White Paper on recruitment and retention…