HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – The Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association named Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief Jason Dougherty as the Fire Chief of the Year during its annual conference this week in Punta Gorda, Florida.
According to the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association, “This distinction was established to recognize a truly outstanding fire chief whose acts and deeds in their profession, home, community, and country, serve as an example and challenge for all other chief fire executives throughout Florida.”
Dougherty became the seventh Fire Chief in the history of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue in December 2023. The department stands as one of the largest fire service agencies in the state of Florida. Since taking over the role, Dougherty has managed the department’s operations, personnel development, and emergency service delivery for county residents and visitors.
Dougherty began his career in the fire service in 1999 in Thomasville, Georgia. He later moved to Tampa Fire Rescue, where he worked as the training chief, before joining Hillsborough County Fire Rescue in 2016. Prior to his promotion to Fire Chief, he held the positions of Deputy Chief of Operations and Deputy Chief of Administration within the department.
Dougherty completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, earning a bachelor’s degree in health science education.
He later obtained a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Waldorf University and graduated from the Fire Service Executive Development Institute. His professional credentials include certifications as a Chief Fire Officer, Executive Fire Officer, Fire Safety Inspector, Fire Investigator, Fire Service Instructor III, Live Fire Training Instructor, Pump Operator, Fire Officer I and II, and Hazardous Materials Technician.
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