Firefighters Graduate From Paramedic Program At Hillsborough Community College

TAMPA, FL — Hillsborough Community College's Emergency Medical Services Program held its summer paramedic graduation ceremony on Aug. 11 at the Dale Mabry Campus.

Nearly 50 graduating paramedic students were in attendance including command staff and front-line personnel from community and neighboring fire rescue and EMS agencies including Section Chief Norman Brown of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue and the fire rescue's honor guard.

Guest speakers included:

• Dr. Leif Penrose, dean of health sciences
• Dr. Paige Niehaus, Dale Mabry Campus president
• Dr. Charlie Sand, HCC EMS program medical director
• Chief Todd Carnell, rescue division for Hillsborough County Fire Rescue
• Professor Larry Linder, HCC EMS Program
• Jeff Hill, HCC EMS Program adjunct faculty

The student speakers were Sam Sweet, Adrian Martinez and Abel Leon.

Sand and Hill reminded the graduates that service and providing optimal patient care to all is our goal as prehospital clinicians.

“Remember who you are and why you are here," said Hill.

Graduates’ next task is to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians Paramedic Cognitive exam required to become a licensed paramedic in the state of Florida.

When the ceremony closed, Glenn Davis, associate dean of EMS, offered this reminder to all the graduates: “Remember, be an advocate for your patient and an ambassador for your profession.”

These firefighters completed the intensive year-long course of advanced EMS medical training, which included over 1,100 hours of lectures, lab skills and patient scenarios, in addition to hospital rotations, street ride-alongs, all while fulfilling their normal duty shift assignment at fire stations.

Graduates are Alexander Barquin, Marlon Berice, Zachary Buth, Andrew Dixon, Andrew Dreslinski, James Hilton, Shavoughn Mitchell-Williams, Justin Molinary, Diego Perez, Dylan Pitts, Pablo Ramos, Benjamin Rawls, Mark Saathoff, Sam Sweet, John Touchton and Abera Watkins.

The next paramedic graduation will be held in December. Each opening ceremony will have an honor guard from the area agencies represented.

For more information about the HCC EMS Program, visit hccfl.edu/healthsciences.