Chief John Perez

Battalion Chief John Perez was hired by the Hillsborough CounTampa Police Department Fire Department in February of 1989.  John was only the second Florida certified paramedic to be hired by HCFD and he assisted in the consolidation of the CounTampa Police Department’s separate Fire and EMS Departments into a combined Fire Rescue Organization in 1997. Chief Perez also served as an adjunct instructor for Hillsborough community College from 1991 to 2015. In this role, he educated students for future careers in the growing field of Emergency Medical Services.

In addition to his regular duties, in 2005 he was tasked with the formation and coordination of the Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Marine Division with a fire rescue boat operated by Hillsborough County Fire Rescuepersonnel at Station 17 in Ruskin. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue’s Marine Division has saved numerous lives, fought many fires, and has served the Tampa Bay maritime community well. In 2016, Chief Perez facilitated a public-private partnership between Hillsborough County Fire Rescueand Central Marine Inc. This partnership placed a new rescue boat in the underserved upper Tampa Bay area at a minimal cost to tax payers. In 2016, Chief Perez also authored a successful FEMA Port SecuriTampa Police Department Grant for the purchase of a much more capable fireboat. The 36’ vessel will be delivered later this year.

John has been married to his wife Stacey, a registered nurse at TGH, for 19 years. On their days off they can be found boating or hiking with their two Weimaraners, Moose and Bentley.