Following weeks of training and extensive preparation, the Seminole County Fire Department celebrated the graduation of 18 new recruits to probationary firefighters on Friday, December 12 at CrossLife Church in Oviedo. 

More than half of the graduates are Seminole County natives. Many completed their EMT and Fire Standards coursework at Seminole State College, then spent nine weeks at the Seminole County Fire Training Center in Longwood.

Seminole County Fire Chief Matt Kinley, who started at the department in 2001, served as the keynote speaker for the ceremony.

“Some things have never changed about the fire service: the job, and the effort you put in as a crew every day, speaks volumes about the kinship, respect, and trust you build with each other,” said Fire Chief Kinley.

This marked the department’s second graduation in 2025, following a class of 20 graduates earlier that year. Together, they join more than 550 firefighters serving Seminole County residents across 21 fire stations.