A dozen Pasco County Fire Rescue cadets are competing in Gainesville through Sunday, Aug. 2, taking on teams from across Florida at the 2026 Summer Gator Fire Games.
The 12 cadets, all high school students enrolled in PCFR's cadet program, are testing their skills in hands-on, scenario-based events at the Alachua County Sports and Events Center. The competition runs Friday, July 31, through Sunday, Aug. 2, and draws Fire and EMS cadets and explorers ages 14 to 20 from departments statewide.
Pasco County Fire Rescue announced the team's participation Saturday, Aug. 1, saying the cadets reflect the dedication, discipline and teamwork that define the fire service.
Building the next generation
The PCFR Cadet Program gives high school students a path into fire rescue through hands-on training at county facilities. For a department expanding to keep pace with Pasco County's 22% population growth since 2020, the pipeline matters.
Fire Chief Ryan Guynn told Fox 13 in July that the department's newest station "fills a critical coverage gap in one of the county's fastest-growing communities." That station, Station 2 near County Road 54 and Fox Ridge Boulevard, is expected to cut response times in half for nearby Wesley Chapel neighborhoods that previously waited 10 to 12 minutes for help.
The cadets competing in Gainesville could one day staff stations like it.
Station 2 grand opening ahead
Residents who want to see PCFR's growth firsthand can attend the grand opening of Station 2 on Friday, Aug. 14, in Wesley Chapel. The department announced the event on July 31, calling the facility state-of-the-art and noting it strengthens emergency response in one of the county's fastest-growing areas. As we reported July 31, the public is invited to tour the new station that day.
What's next
The Gator Fire Games wrap up Sunday, Aug. 2. Competition results were not yet available as of Saturday morning.
The next statewide cadet competition on the calendar is the Pasco County Firematics, scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Pasco County Fire Training Grounds.
