Sports
Sponsorships available to become Brevard County firefighter
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Want to become a Brevard County firefighter? Now is your chance with an annual sponsorship award offered by Brevard County Fire Rescue.
One young scholarship recipient says he has a personal motivation to serve the public.
What You Need To Know
- Brevard County Fire Rescue offers annual sponsorship awards to help attract firefighters and paramedics
- Jeff Gauvin and 33 others will attend Eastern Florida State College for EMT or fire training academy
- The department has hired 72 sponsorship recipients since the program began in 2021, and more are in the hiring process
- About 25,700 firefighter-paramedic positions were expected to open annually each year from 2023 to 2033, the U.S. Labor Department reported
Jeff Gauvin steps away from the stress of working two jobs, seven days a week, with his music. His goal is to pay his car off.
Jeff Gauvin is looking to become a firefighter-paramedic after his grandmother passed away in a house fire two years ago.
“For me, it’s just something I want to be a part of, to make sure nobody else has to go through that phone call, because my dad called me when it happened,” Gauvin said. “I found out through him. That’s something I want to help prevent.”
Gauvin is on his way to becoming a first responder after being awarded one of 34 Brevard County Fire Rescue firefighter sponsorships.
Gauvin and the others will attend Eastern Florida State College for emergency medical technician or fire academy training.
Since the program began in 2021, the department has hired 72 recipients, and 19 more are currently in the hiring process.
Gauvin, who now works two jobs, seven days a week and gets away from the stress of that with his music, learned about the scholarship through a friend who is an EMT in Orlando.
“He’s going to work with me when I’m going through school and help me through the process,” Gauvin says.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics, about 25,700 openings for firefighters/paramedics were expected nationwide each year from 2023 to 2033.
The national average for demand nationwide by 2026 is 8%, and Florida stands at 7%, according to the Labor Department.
The increase in demand can be attributed to injuries, job transfers and retirements, officials said.
The training to get new firefighters and paramedics ready for their jobs is physically taxing.
“I lift Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and I run every day after work,” Gauvin said. “I just get it in.”
He recommends the path to anyone.
“They are with you the whole way through,” Gauvin said. “They’re telling you what to do. They are motivating you and giving you some words of encouragement.”
The fourth annual BCFR sponsorship signing day is May 28 at 3 p.m. at Station 48 in the Viera community.