News

June 2026

St. Cloud Fire Rescue and Police Honored with June 2026 EMS Excellence Award

St. Cloud Fire Rescue's Rescue 33 and Engine 31, along with two St. Cloud Police Officers, were honored with the June 2026 EMS Excellence Award. In February, the team responded to a 73-year-old woman in cardiac arrest — officers first on scene began high-quality CPR and used an AED to deliver the first lifesaving shock before Rescue 33 and Engine 31 arrived to take over patient care and transport her to HCA Florida Osceola Hospital. After 15 days of hospital care and inpatient rehabilitation, she made a full recovery and returned home to her family. The award ceremony reunited the crew with the patient and her family to celebrate the outcome.

June 2, 2026

Marion County Approves $60 Million Firefighter Contract

The Marion County Board of County Commissioners approved a new collective bargaining agreement with the Professional Firefighters of Marion County, IAFF Local 3169, after months of stalled talks. The deal delivers an immediate $20,000 base pay increase for current employees and commits the department to transitioning to a 42-hour workweek (24 on/72 off) by September 2029. Members voted to ratify the contract May 25-27, and the full agreement is valued at roughly $60 million over its life — a strong example of what sustained, organized bargaining can win for firefighters across Florida.

Formal bargaining underway

Polk County Local 3531 Opens D-Shift Negotiations

IAFF Local 3531 and Polk County have opened formal negotiations on a potential D-shift schedule for Polk County Fire Rescue, with bargaining sessions held through July and August 2026. As call volume and staffing demands continue to grow, the union is working to align Polk County with the modern, state-level-supported schedules — capped at no more than 42 hours per week — that other Florida departments are adopting. No agreement has been reached yet; members will have the opportunity to review and vote on any proposed changes.

Source: Polk County Professional Firefighters – IAFF Local 3531

Regional job opportunity

Tavares Fire Department Now Hiring FF/EMT and FF/Paramedic

Tavares Fire Department is hiring for both FF/EMT ($53,052 starting) and FF/Paramedic ($64,648 starting) positions, with a planned transition to a 24/72 schedule by April 2028 (pending city council funding approval). The roles include 312 hours of holiday pay, holiday work paid at 1.5x, medical/dental/vision coverage, FRS retirement, and career growth support.