EMS H8ER

I agree with that...whoever decided Fire/EMS was a good marrage wasn't thinking about the people who were actually wearing both hats, usually one very reluctantly. The problem as I see from the inside is that most of your EMS people shy away from fire-based services...leaving unhappy firemen to shoulder the ems load...or rookies...we can't recruit medic-onlys, and none of the new people want to go to paramedic school and be stuck on the ambulance all the time. leaving those of us who are stuck on the damn thing all the time. It is very frustrating, like a glass ceiling... I have much respect for Paramedics and EMS people who actually want to do this job...and I say let them have it. I wear that patch on my right sleeve like a curse...I would drop it like the bad habit it is if I could.

This being my first post, I might as well jump right in...I hate riding the ambulance...I would rather suck purreed turds from a straw than ever ride an ambulance again. I have been in the biz for 15 years...strictly full time EMS (Was a volunteer fireman also) until 1998, was sick of EMS then and decided to move into the fire service full time. Problem was, I was in a fire dept that also ran EMS, so being a medic, that meant 80% I was still on the ambulance. 9 years and a promotion later, I'm still riding the damn thing every other shift. I love being a fireman, and I do enjoy helping people, but I prefer to do it form the fire truck. There is too much BS with EMS...paperwork, nurses, diversion, 3AM tummyaches...