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Program for aspiring firefighters
Mark Wilson reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Fifteen aspiring firefighters are one step closer to battling blazes and helping the community thanks to a new program in Hillsborough County.
What we know:
The program is called STEP, or specialized training for emergency professionals.
It’s a first-time program for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and it allows students to earn dual certificates for EMT and firefighting.
The tuition, which is about $6,000, is paid for by a community development grant from the county’s affordable housing program.
"One of the things for me is I didn't have the money to be able to stop everything I was doing in life. Life gets expensive. As you get older, life gets more and more expensive," Eric Delamata said.
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"They are paying for everything for you. It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get this type of opportunity," Tarean Austin said.
By the numbers:
More than 140 people applied for the 15 spots. They joined 11 other students for EMT training in January, followed by fire academy training. In total, they completed 492 hours to graduate from the Aparicio-Levy Technical College Fire Academy.
What they're saying:
"Ten-hour days out in the sun. It's 100-degree days. It was rough," explained Javier Del Rosario. "You're with your classmates the whole time. I've got to spend the time to meet new people that I consider my family."
Many of the students echo those thoughts, but say it was well worth it in the end.
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"This has been the best experience I've ever had in my life. It's been very groundbreaking because in my life, I've wanted to much more in terms of serving people," Amari Jackson said.
The next step for these graduates is to take the state firefighting exam. If they pass, they are able to apply to any fire department in Florida.
"I'm super excited. I've actually already sent out an application," Del Rosario said. "I'm really hoping I can start as possible."
What's next:
Each graduate is eligible to take the state firefighting exam and, after passing, they can apply to any fire department in the state.
The plan is for STEP to continue next year through county funding. The new application process is expected to open in October. Applicants must live in unincorporated Hillsborough County, and there are income thresholds.
The Source: This story was written with information gathered by FOX 13 photojournalist Barry Wong.