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I'm actually in Maryland and have already submitted for a career with one of the county fire departments. My point was not to discount youself because some know it all doctor says you can't do something. In addition, if you can't beat them, join them. I need a job much more then I need to change the areas view on EMS in the fire service. I wouldn't relocate again. I've lived in ten different states and have never fit in like I do at home.

In order to grow and advance the profession, we need to enact best practices based on medical science- not continue response models on what best secures firefighter's jobs.

I would like to add a little insight if I may to help the OP. I went through a similar situation at my day job. A truck driver went into a seizure and everyone went batty. I walked over and simply check for an airway and stood by him until the seizing stopped. Protected his head with my hands as there was a pole pretty close by. All the while everyone was screaming to do something. Sometimes there is nothing to do but observe. Seizures usually stop on their own and the patient comes out of it. Usually fuzzy or aggitated but after awhile comes around and usually doesnt remeber. No worries next time. Just protect them from hurting themseleves and watch the airway, they WONT swallow thier tongue but watch to make sure if they bit it or their cheeck the blood doesnt block the airway. If they are bleeding simply roll them on their side if possible and let it drain out. As Dwain pointed out, why try comprssions when they are breathing? It probably was your coping mechanism at that point but remeber next time that if they are breathing NO compressions. No here is a bit of knowledge that may help you next time around. if the patient really isnt breathing and has no pulse they ARE dead, you cant kill them anymore BUT you can HELP them. Get the AED, start compressions, have someone dial 911, follow the AEDs instructions. Sometimes you get lucky and everything falls into place and the stars align and the CPR saves the day, sometimes it doesnt. You didnt KILL the person, you tried to SAVE the person. Don't worry over it too much. Try a ride along with a squad, most palces do, see if you would like it. If you want to take a course other then CPR but dont (after ride along) want to volunteer they do have first responder courses. Usually a little more indepth then standard CPR but less then a full blown EMT-Basic course. As for the AED in your place of business, its money well spent. Even if it helps just once it paid for itself, whats the price nowadays for a human life? We are here to help, sometimes its tough love, but none-the-less we are here for you.

46Young- I hear you about the union issues and I also had no idea that NYC's PD starting pay was so low. I would hope that they have regular step raises as they gain seniority because I don't know how someone can survive in a city like NYC on that starting pay. Again, unions and EMS are going to be a tough sell. In my experience, many times the unions that do cover EMS groups are much smaller than the IAFF or AFL-CIO and do not have the same strength or numbers to get decent contracts. Like the SEIU(think hotel workers, hospitality workers, etc), often times the unions get far more out of their members than the other way around. Although those members do get a guaranteed pay rate, after they take out union dues, their take home pay is generally a pittance. The problem is, we are talking about so many different levels of licensure as well as types of service being provided, so a blanket EMS union would be a tough sell. Clearly we need to raise our standards- in school and in training, so we can demand better wages from employers. That will be a tough sell for someone who works in a small town or rural area. After a certain point, if we get enough training, we will approach the level of an RN or other allied health provider, and many will feel they might as well simply change professions to get better pay. Yes, EMS and in hospital work are different animals, but if I will be forced to get a 4 year degree or something similar for EMS, why not simply become a nurse or something else in order to get the better pay, better job security, and working conditions. The reasons most of us are drawn to EMS- the type of work environment, the variety of work, the excitement, the nontraditional hours, the autonomy- may not be enough to entice people to stay if you cannot make a decent living.

I hear you, but the OP was comparing apples to apples with FDNY EMS vs the NYPD and the FDNY. The cops weren't getting paid jack until this last contract. Rookies were getting around a 25k/yr rate out of the academy and not much over 30k as the first raise. At least their salary is somewhat liveable if your spouse works, or if you're single. The NYPD couldn't hire anybody with those wages, so they had to sweeten the pot. The problem with EMS is that there are a ridiculous amount of EMT's and medics coming out of school on a regular basis. The hospitals pay the best, with the best working conditions, so many will apply to FDNY EMS for the benefits and pension, as a better alternative to the privates, to gain experience to qualify for a hospital spot, or to backdoor into FDNY as a FF. The supply and lack of strength in their union is keeping wages down. FDNY EMS only gained uniform status recently as well. My understanding of the pay structure is that rookies and employees with < 5 years OTJ are paid at a much lower rate so that the tenured employees can enjoy higher wages. Attrition typically happens in the first five years. Cops were/are leaving the NYPD for Nassau, Suffolk, or better jobs with state or county police in other parts of the country. FDNY keeps theirs because it's simply the most desireable place to work. We've lost FF's here to FDNY that took a 30-50% pay cut to get on. Many here despise unions, but offer no effective and realistic plan for EMS organization otherwise. Look what the UFA has done for the FDNY throughout the years: http://www.ufanyc.or..._us/history.php Compare that to some podunk FD in the Deep South ("the war's not over, it's only halftime, boy!"....... whatever) in a right to work state. Compare those results to your EMS agency. You'll need the protection if a FD attempts a merger. You even have fire attempting to gain market share in Lee County FL! No region or agency is immune. But most here think that all unions are evil,and that their agency will always do right by them based on past history. I'll bet that your union would see to it that fire would never have a chance at gaining EMS market share in your country. I'm liking your meal break provision here as well. Most over here don't have that, and just have to deal with whatever the agency says, for lack of effective opposition. It's a shame. If FDNY EMS was more on point with salary, conditions and all, like fire and the hospitals, I would have accepted the medic position back in '06 and been happy. My two cousins left FDNY EMS for NSLIJ so they could be paid better and be able to raise families with less issues. One of their husbands is a FDNY EMS Capt. He's had lucrative admin offers in other states, but his wife doesn't want to relocate. I don't get why you guys could never get the 20 and out like other depts.

don't volunteer. get a job with a private service to learn the ambo and get comfortable driving.

I was going to say safey pin the tongue through the top lip....