SFSC Graduates 41 Cadets from Three Public Safety Programs
SFSC honored 41 graduating students from three Public Safety Programs in a ceremony on Friday, Dec. 1 on the SFSC Highlands Campus in Avon Park.
The 10 cadets from SFSC’s Fire Science Academy are: Sidharth Ananthan, Nicole Beard, Yajahaira Buentello, Ethan Coatney, Trina Hipp, Sebastian Orozco, Alejandro Perez-Caruz, John Phillips, Joseph Staffieri, and Cody Sweatt.
The 14 cadets from the Paramedic program are: Armando Carpio, John Dwan III, Jarrett Chapman, Michael Friedt, Ibis Jimenez, Robert Kevas, Alexander Licea, Daniel Paul, Anthony Perez, Edward Snell, Chelsea Whitmire, Ladaran Wilson, Credie F. Windemaker IV, and Nicholas Wood.
The 17 cadets from the Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) program are: Michael Beasley, Pierre Richard Beaucicot, Iverson De La Nuez, Austin Garrett, Corrina Hobson, Melissa Johnston, William Kozak II, Roman Mancillas IV, Colten Meier, John Nussbaum, Daniel O’Meara, Rebecca Oser, Hanna Poucher, Ryan Respress, Aleecia Rhoden, Marisol Villalobos, and Arthur Woodlruff.
Chief Matt Zahara of the Fort Meade Fire Department was guest speaker during the ceremony. When speaking to the cadets, he stressed that their choice of career always comes back to people. He said that he has watched firefighters, paramedics, and EMTs over the years and noticed that a common driving force is an inner competitiveness. He stressed that leadership begins from the day the cadet is hired and that leadership is made up of character, integrity, work ethic, and the ability to put others above oneself. And competency is a quality he urged the cadets to strive for.
In closing, he asked the cadets to consider what their Why? is. “Is it the competitive drive, that your father and father’s father were firefighters, or that you have a desire to serve? The days ahead will be hard mentally, physically, and emotionally. If you know your Why?, it will help you to have a long and successful career.”
Special recognition was given to seven cadets: From the Fire Science class, Cody Sweatt was honored as class leader and Yajahaira Buentello was recognized for having the biggest heart. From the Paramedic class, Jarrett Chapman was lauded for having the highest GPA and Nicholas Wood was given special recognition for desire to return to class after being hospitalized. From the EMT class, Austin Garrett was honored for having the highest GPA in lecture, Ryan Respress was lauded for highest GPA in lab, and William Kozak II was recognized for having the biggest heart.
Graduates of the Firefighter Career Certificate program have completed 492 contact hours of training. A cohort of cadets enroll in the Firefighter I course, often with the expectation of continuing through to Firefighter II training. Firefighter II training is required for those who wish to be employed as professional firefighters in Florida.
The paramedic graduates completed an 11-month College Credit Certificate course offered through SFSC’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) program. Paramedics work as part of an emergency response team called out to traffic accidents, fires, and other life-threatening situations.
The EMT graduates completed the 16 weeks of training, or 300 contact hours, in the program. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply to take the Florida EMT State Board Exam. EMTs function as part of an emergency rescue and transportation team by responding to emergency calls through a dispatch system, operating emergency vehicles safely, assessing scenes of accidents or illnesses, setting priorities for treating patients based on their degree of illness or injury, providing pre-hospital emergency care to treat trauma, shock, wounds, and other medical issues.
For more information about any of SFSC’s Public Safety programs, contact the SFSC Advising and Counseling Center at ext. 7131 or visit southflorida.edu.
