A Message from Interim Chief Hillhouse

It's an honor to serve this incredible community alongside a team of diverse, highly skilled professionals, dedicated to meeting and exceeding your expectations in every aspect of our service.

Gainesville Fire Rescue (GFR) is an "all-hazards" response organization, ready to tackle any challenge, whether it’s community health, emergency medical services, fire, technical rescue, hazardous materials response, aircraft rescue firefighting, tactical medicine, emergency management, gun violence prevention or any other threat to our community’s safety. Our commitment is reflected in our exceptional Public Protection Rating (PPC) as an ISO-2 department and our accreditation by the Center for Public Safety Excellence. These credentials place us among the nation’s top fire departments, with fewer than 3% achieving an ISO rating of 2 or better.

GFR prides itself not only on our emergency response capabilities but also on our proactive risk reduction services and community education programs. An informed community is a safer community, and we encourage you to explore the numerous resources available. From fire safety tips to community program details, we aim to equip you with the knowledge and tools to contribute to a safer environment.

Thank you for your trust in Gainesville Fire Rescue. We are humbled to serve you and stand ready to respond at a moment’s notice with a duty to act on behalf of our neighbors. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or any member of the GFR team with questions or for further information.

Joseph Shawn Hillhouse, MA-HSAD, EFO, PM
Interim Fire Chief
Gainesville Fire Rescue
HillhousJS@gainesvillefl.gov

Chief's Bio

Interim Fire Chief J. Shawn Hillhouse is a United States Marine Corps veteran who began his fire service career with Gainesville Fire Rescue in 2003. He is a nationally certified ARFF firefighter and state-certified firefighter II. Among other qualifications, Chief Hillhouse has earned certifications as a fire officer-II, fire investigator, fire instructor-III, critical care paramedic and hazardous materials technician.

For 19 years, Chief Hillhouse served as one of twelve SWAT medics for the Alachua County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) and Gainesville Police Department (GPD) and as the previous SWAT medic team leader.

Chief Hillhouse is a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School’s Masters in Homeland Security and Defense, holds an executive fire officer certification from the National Fire Academy, graduated summa cum Laude with a Bachelor's degree in fire and emergency services from the University of Florida, and has associate degrees in nursing and emergency medical technologies from Santa Fe College (SFC) where he has been an adjunct instructor for SFC's EMT and Paramedic program for 18 years.