46Young

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I remember doing several IFT txp's back in the day to LaGuardia airport to deliver a pt for fixed wing txp (I'm not sure what model) and thinking that it was really tight in there. I've heard varying accounts as to what acceptable height/weight limits are. I'm not considering going Excelsior for RN. It's the equivalent of a medic mill, from what I've heard. Points noted. Cardiovascular and airway/respiratory are the systems that I took the most personal interest throughout the medic program, and I continue to hold that interest. I think that I would be happier as a RRT vs an RN. It's going to come down to being able to free up the requisite time. Taking a LOA from Fairfax isn't an option. I suppose that with major increases in educational standards, completing any of the major degrees in the healthcare field demand a full time effort, and are not particularly accomodating to those with an existing FT career/job. It seems more geared towards the young individual who may be living at home and can afford not to work, or work PT at the most. Not that it's not doable otherwise, it'll just require me to be creative. Medic to RN bridge programs were created to accomodate the working professional, but were apparently designed poorly, leaving much to be desired. One shouldn't have to be brought up to speed when doing clinicals due to poor prep either. I understand where you're going with the "pt first" emphasis.

Just curious, how many jobs does the city actually do after adjusting for the "dupe jobs"? you know, the same job that comes in at two or more reported locations? I was urban EMS in NYC 911 for the participating hospital NSLIJ. I ran BLS for three years on 46 Eddie mainly, along with 53 David/George/IDA/John, along with 54 George. I also did ALS for two years mainly on 46 Young, as well as 53 Y and 54 Y. I also worked 52X, 52W, 51V and 51W per diem for Flushing /Jamaica/Brookdale. Fairfax County has a few small areas with urban flavor, but is mostly suburban with a few rural spots. I miss that grimy inner city environment. I'm considering applying for the Richmond Ambulance Authority, as my IFT job isn't all that challenging at all when compared with what I was doing on the IFT side of NSLIJ. I was talking with my old partner today, who was telling me about a few shootings he worked, an arrest save on the street for an elderly lady who dropped dead while cleaning her yard, violent EDP's, and a few critical asthmatics and APE pts. I miss it. FxCo is boring in comparison. I enjoy helping people, even if it's only comfort care, but I need that adrenaline fix every now and then. I also hear that Chief Howie Sickles (am I spelling that right) was transferred out of Queens, where he would use any BS excuse to give us NOI's or 24 hour pt care restrictions for buffing jobs. I hear he's in Staten Island now. Miserable individual.

We get like an inch of snow if we're lucky. It gets cold a little later and warm a little earlier than NY (where I'm from). Just so you know, I'm making around 67-69 grand base + cert pay + riding pay, and I'm on track to make between 85-90k this year. I'm not killing myself either. Here in Stafford County, I'm only 35 minutes from my station, and around an hour tops from the farthest stations. My medic officer, who's a Capt I, makes exactly double my hourly (topped out), making over 120k after incentives, before OT. 1400-1500 sf Starter homes in our area go for upper 100k's to low 200k, low crime, great schools, large proportion of military and gov't workers. Unreal. I'm only 4-5 hours from the OBX and about the same for Long Beach, Jones West End 2, or Robert Moses on LI, my favorite breaks. Much closer for LBI also.

There are good third service agencies out there, but burnout due to poor pay and working conditions seem to be more the rule than the exception. the industry does seem to eat it's young. Plenty of strong EMT's/medics in these agencies, but burnout gets a good number of them sooner or later. NSLIJ CEMS does NYC 911 as well as good IFT/CC. There are plenty of well rounded medics there, able to do it all with the requisite knowledge base. If not for lack of a pension and job security, I'd still be there rather than looking out of state for a more secure deal. Increased educational standards are sorely needed to make the profession an actual profession, with job satisfaction and a high rate of retention, rather than a transient job for many while looking for a better deal. Until then we can only hope to get on with a decent agency, and not some fly by night operation.

Yeah, pretty much. Except for relaxing, as we keep pretty busy during the day. We average 1-2 runs after 2200 hrs. Sometimes we sleep all night, sometimes we run all night. On average, I get 4-6 hours sleep at my station. I got tired of doing the street corner thing as well. You'll need an increase in educational standards to see any real change, and organization by the industry as a whole. Hospital based EMS seems to have the best salary, benefits, working conditions and retention, though. Nothing's stopping you from applying to Fairfax, Prince William, Montgomery, Howard, or anne Arundel Counties in the NOVA/MD/DC area. As long as you're NatReg.

Were the second semester clincals flexible, or were they set days, such as every Tu/Thu, or could it be Mon/Fri one week, and Tu/Wed the next? How many hours per week, on average, were you spending on nursing clinicals? Were the hours flexible, or fixed? A five week ventilator course, huh? It makes the three hour inservice I had seem paltry in comparison. Ventmedic has mentioned that a medic needs to have, at the bare minimum, a two year medic degree to even be able to absorb and thrive in the IFT arena, let alone CC or flight. I see her point. My medic program barely even touched on vents. I had to get up to speed once in the field.

Thanks for the input. I've looked into online RN bridge courses such as Excelsior, but I've been told that they don't prepare you well for the field, and an increasing number of states and employers won't acknowledge online degrees, due to lack of clinicals and such. I was going to do the nursing program at a local college back in NY while I was still working for NSLIJ, but I decided to leave the state in search of a secure career with a pension. Now that I'm set, I'm looking to go for either RN or RT regardless if it's for promotioal purposes or not. It just works out that the FRD values and prefers education for promotions. Our work schedule is a 24 hour day, WOWOWOOOO. I am able to free up leave to attend class on work days if needed. I can also work OT, bank it as comp time, and use it for admin leave for school hours. I'm also wondering if all evening courses exist. I can go to day work if I absolutely have to. Once your pre-reqs for RT are satisfied, how long is the actual program? How many hours for clinicals and how are they set up?

Here's the situation - I'm currently employed at the Fairfax County FRD. I'm eligible to test for either the apparatus tech and/or EMS tech position in another two years. I'll be eligible for an Lt promotion in another 4-5 years, depending on when the test is given. There are currently only all-hazards officer career tracks. 90% of your score on the tech promo list is the written test. The remaining 10% is based on education. Medics get 12% of that right away, and additional credits and degrees allow you to hit 100%. Education makes up 20% of the Lt score, and Capt I and above weigh education at 25%. The FRD currently pays for one class per semester, including summer classes. This should increase as the economy recovers. The FRD has deals with local universities where some classes are held twice weekly, so employees from opposing shifts will be able to attend. Otherwise, the FRD lets you use leave while on duty to make classes. For example, you can use leave on every Wed that you're working from 1800 to 2300 to attend class. There are also numerous online classes, basically anything that doesn't require a lab. I could also go to day work to free up evenings for class, although this would result in me never being home for my family. A fire science degree should be completed prior to becoming an officer, for the additional knowledge of building construction and other relevant topics. I'm also trying to decide between going for RN vs RT. Either of these will also satisfy the educational points for promo purposes. I don't have to worry about completing fire science for at least five years. I'm asking for input regarding comparison of RN vs RT. I'm asking about pre-reqs, salary comparison, job description, availability of work as a per diem, length of program, evening hour availability, is any portion of either class available online, what amount of con-ed is available to recert, etc. I would like to eventually get into flight, either an a medic or maybe RN if it's necessary to get hired. This would also be per diem. I'm planning to retire at age 55, then do three years in the DROP before leaving the service altogether. I currently weigh 225# at 6'3" lean. Any thoughts/input/questions about the above? I'm going to look into what's available locally through the FRD. I'm figuring that I'll get some decent input here in the meantime.

This isn't exclusive to FD's, and this isn't other health care professions. When I was in NYC private, hospital based and FDNY EMS alike had the majority of individuals do a challenge recert, as there just isn't enough time to get in all the required CME's, let alone any self study. Sure, there were conferences like Vital Signs and such, but good luck getting two days off in a row, and not getting held over (mandated). Many in the greater NY area need several jobs just to survive, anyway. Who has time to fufill CME's and then do self study on top of that? All you need to do is a challenge refresher, and you're good for another three years. More time is available to work OT and per diem. I can pay the rent and eat, or I could go to CME's. Things are that tight for many in the five boroughs. It's not the way it should be, but that's the reality of how things are in NY. NSLIJ used to hold CME's regularly, and even pay OT for employees to stay after for the con-ed. After medicare reform, they dropped the compensation, and then dropped the CME's altogether. Sorry, you're SOL. You're on your own. Just do a challenge refresher. You don't need NatReg in NY anyway. Anyone who doesn't plan to move out of state drops it anyway, as it's an utterly useless cert if you're staying local. No one in NYC is dual role. FDNY EMS is fire based, but functions as a seperate entity, effectively a third service. In Charleston County, we did mandatory 6 hour CME's monthly, which included alphabet recerts. Nothing more was required or encouraged. In comparison, I feel that the Fairfax FRD does quite a bit for employees in providing quaterly con-ed sessions and in station EMS drills (both powerpoint lectures and skills) while on duty. The FFM is free to do more self study with their time, instead of using said time to fufill basic recert requirements. They're set up better than many across the country who are on their own with their con-ed. It's at least as much if not more than other places are doing, fire based, third service or anything else. EMS isn't parallel to RN's, RT's, PA's and such, and don't do nearly as much required con-ed, nor or many motivated to do much self study otherwise. Not when the LCD is a three month medic mill. It is what it is for the moment. I suspect many other parts of the country can draw parallels to the above situations.

So, here's how my dept works: FF and FFM alike are subject to the recruit process, including an extrance exam, CPAT, psych exam, full medical including a stress test, and one or two polys given by a detective. When hired, the FFM spends 6-7 weeks in the academy doing EMS alphabet card recerts, PT and clerical stuff. Then you spend 16 weeks in the field doing an ALS field internship on an ambulance. This is 3 12's, 0700-1900 weekdays, with 4 hours class time at our EMS training center "EMSCEP" to include lectures given by PA's, RN's, RT's, and our medical director. We must also pass a gen knowledge and protocol test, and three scenarios in real time with "Sim Man" in both a living room mock up and a scale ambulance mock up. Two failures and you're let go. For real. We then return to the academy to join the FF's for FF 1 and 2 training. When we return to the field, we are clear to ride both the medic and an engine as the medic. All 37 of our stations have engines, and all engines are ALS. We also have a mix of double medic units, dubbed PTU's, or Primary Training Units, and a number of "one and one's. There are currently four BLS buses in service, but the county plans to upgrade to ALS when economically feasible. A medic Lt must be staffed on a PTU at all times, on the 1&1 a FFM or E-tech of 18 months post academy tenure can ride. Engines are typically dispatched with the medic for all ALS calls. Some houses that have trucks, towers or heavy rescues will send them instead, to keep the engine in service, thus keeping ALS coverage available in the first due. For MVA's, we send a medic unit, an engine, and sometimes a rescue in each direction. fairfax has the "mixing bowl", where I-95, I-495 and I-395 meet. There are inner and outer loops. We frequently get wrong locations, so it's prudent to send units in both directions. The engine is dispatched to offer protection by blocking the incident scene, pulling a bumper line if needed for a car fire, and of course EMS aid. The rescue is for shoring and cut jobs. The FRD has a monthly required training matrix that includes EMS, company ops, multi unit drills, powerpoint topics, FRD manual reviews, and LODD reviews. Medics are sent on duty to EMSCEP quaterly to attend 8 hour con-ed sessions. We also do JEMS articles and have periodic off duty CME's. I'm taking in an 8 hour class for management of burn pts given by Washington Hospital at the FRD later this month, off duty. Our OMD advocates using the protocols as guidelines, and treating pts by use of best practices. We work 24's - WOWOWOOOO. We cannot be held past 36 hours total. Medics start at two steps above a basic FF (a little over 5 grand annualy), receive around 4800/yr in cert pay, $2/hr to ride as the engine medic, and $3/hr to ride the medic unit. That I don't agree with (not you, those tactics). One's livelihood should not be forcefully taken away if they've done nothing wrong. I could see a muni taking over EMS if it's run poorly by the contracted private, but not converting a third service to fire based and THEN requiring EMS to cross train. It has been proven to displace or alienate career EMS, and attract cause FF's to complete a mill to get a hiring edge. If fire based is a good fit, a logical choice for a region, then so be it. If there's no (real) perceived benefit to a FD takeover of EMS, then leave things as they are. At least employ single role medics. That's what Alexandria Fire ans EMS does. If it were me, I wouldn't put all my eggs in one basket by working EMS for a city or county or whatever for a private contracted by the jurisdiction, not without a lateral transfer option to another jurisdiction also run by that private. They could always stand to lose the contract. Not a challenge, just stating how things are in reality. The IAFF is good at what they do. Not trying to be a tool. It would seem that you have a good deal where you are. Good for you. Seriously. From what I've seen, third service EMS tends to be overworked with high call volume (okay if not working over 16 consecutive hours), sometimes due to system status management, low pay, morale, etc. etc. Not saying it's everywhere, just what I've seen.

I make an additional 10 grand in steps and cert pay over a basic FF, and another 5-8 grand in hourly riding pay. That's incentive enough for many of us to stay active as medics. As far as crossing FF's as LEO's, I haven't paid much attention to that, as it isn't an issue here. For one thing, the public is generally trusting of FF's and EMS. The public is generally wary and standoffish towards LEO's. If FF's are known to also be LEO's, it can create conflict in pt care, or any number of situations where you're helping victims. FF's are also stationed in and are dispatched out of quaters, like EMS is, and LEO's patrol the neighborhood. If you had a good thing going, you'd put a spin on things to support your position too.

How ya doin? Yes, I agree with what you're saying. The majority of the fire service looks at EMS as a specialty rather than a full fledged discipline, or career, as it is for many sigle role EMS providers. I think you or someone else posted a link showing how one dept put students through their own mill, teaching them how to pass the registry and how to work with their protocols only. Sad. Some depts value legitimate education, proficiency and accountability more than others *cough* DC, Collier Co. *cough*. Kudos to them. The only permanent solution is to advance the minimum education to a degree level, and have FD's hire only with that along with a prior single role work history. Medics that are serious about the EMS side. until then, each dept and each medic will need to be judged on a case by case basis.

Firefighters that are put through medic class, be it a medic mill or legit degree program will typically be taken off the road the whole time they're in class. If anything, that actually makes it easier to graduate, not the other way around. Many of us have had to work FT jobs and then some while completing a medic program, myself included. There aren't any formal con-ed reqs per se for FF 1/2, only drills and company evolutions as mandated by each dept. Students would obviosly be waived. Again, EMS and fire don't have many similarities, but giving FF's EMS responsibilities is efficient use of otherwise copious downtime in many cases. It happens to work well, at least from my personal experiences. As such, any lack of overlap between the two disciplines matters not. It seems to work better in suburban and rural areas as opposed to urban. We have a dedicated EMS txp division, which basically functions like a third service, staffed by dual role personnel. We also have mutual aid agreements with all other neighboring jurisdictions. Having units tied up, be it on an EMS incident or suppression incident is something that good depts take into account and plan for accordingly. I haven't seen any issues here. That's what it's all about, it's up to each individual to strive for excellence. There are good and bad providers no matter where you go. It's difficult to make blanket generalizations. If I had my way, there would be a requisite year of prior employment as a single role medic, preferably two or three, as a hiring condition. I didn't mention that there are a good number of FDNY FF's that hold and use their medic cert or RN. They do well in maintaining/improving proficiency. Some did it prior to appointment, some did it while on the job. we're talking about graduates from Hunter College, Nassau CC, Hofstra, ect. Not some medic mill or online RN bridge.I have one friend that completed his PA while working FT at NSLIJ CEMS. He started working FT at Coney Island hosp. (I think) and had to resign to take the FDNY job. He can do PA PT now, and he has plenty of days off (26/72) to complete con-ed. That reminds me...... how many medics do you know that are completing degrees while working FT, and how many of those are completing degrees that have little to no overlap with EMS? Examples include business admin, accounting, law, forensics, etc. Some also have families that take up a certain amount of time as well. Are they not spreading themselves too thin, like some like to say a FFM does? I didn't think so either. Remember, the FFM is getting con-ed and training through drills on the job for both disciplines, which leaves plenty of time off duty to do more self study if needed.

I see your point. I think that those who have prior medic experience before entering the fire service will typically be the strongest, having concentrated solely on the EMS side alone for a period of time. That's what I did.

I see your point. It's just how the fire service sees it. I worked single role for over five years before going over to the "dark side". I believe that 911 paramedicine alone is quite simple to maintain provided you've been educated well prior. IFT medicine, CCEMT-P and flight are a whole other side to the paramedic profession. The medic who can do it all with the requisite knowledge base is truly bada$$, a professionally complete individual. I'm going to get myself to that level at some point. Too many 911 medics fail to understand the lasting effect of their treatment and interventions have on their pt's hospital course and time to discharge. The professional medic should have a solid knowledge base to that end. Many don't nor are they really required to. As such, 911 EMS has been reduced to a "specialty" of the fire service in general, rather than it's own profession. It's up to each dept, and more so each individual to strive to be better than that. I wouldn't even know of dual role systems if I wasn't driven by greater job security and a lucrative defined benefit retirement than was available otherwise. My choice was due in large part for the desire to provide well for my family. When I took the job, there was a dedicated EMS only track (starting with the first promotion above FF) up to BC. If I felt that fire wasn't truly for me, I planned to branch off to EMS only. Same job, way better benefits and all. The thing is, the promotional track is now "all hazards". Good thing I like fire.

I can see how just doing a medic mill prior to a FFM appointment would make it much harder to main dual role proficiency. Maybe it's because they're not generally proficient in the first place. My cousins both left FDNY EMS for hosp based due to how the FD screwed everything up. Sorry about the duplicate posts. It wasn't going through, so I hit the button a few more times. My bad.

There are things that I won't deny. There are FF's that have gone to a medic mill only to get the patch for an easy in. There are firemedics that are apathetic towards EMS, and pt care suffers as a result. There are depts that push their FF's through recerts, sometimes falsifying documents or cheating on tests. There are FD's that have taken over EMS only to justify jobs, and siphon off EMS $$$'s to the fire side at the expense of EMS. There may be a lcak of QI and accountability towards some firemedics at some depts. Some union may have an interest in blocking any advance in EMS education. These examples aren't indicative of the entire fire service, however. IMO it isn't difficult to maintain proficiency as both a medic and a FF. A firemedic will be appointed to the position having already completed their medic cert. Bonus points for having several years experience as a single role medic prior. The FFM will also go through a fire academy, followed by a one year probationary period, where their proficiency will be improvrd by regular drilling and testing, as well as real life calls, of course. Medic CME's and drilling are done on duty as well, freeing up the FFM's time to do additinal study and attnd CME's off duty if desired. SoWhy mix EMS and fire? Theyhave almost nothing to do with each other" The fire service looks at EMS as a specialty, much like Tech Rescue, Hazmat, Water Rescue, etc. Personnel are regularly given sufficient training in that discipline while on duty to ensure proficiency. Here's why a mixed fire/EMS system works, if run correctly - fire calls are way down. No disputing that. A FD will seek to integrate EMS resulting in dual role personnel to save FF positions, among other things. Some ask why FD's aren't being made to downstaff given the reduction in call volume. Response times. With the new type 5 lightweight construction, it's maybe only 12-15 minutes from ignition to structural collapse. If the 911 call was to initiate immediately (it rarely does), it takes a minute or two to dispatch FD, another minute or so to get on road, maybe 4-6 minutes to get onscene, and another minute or two for the officer to take a lap and pull/charge a line. Now we're at 9-10 minutes on a good day. But this is just the first due engine. What about the rest of the box? what about RIT? Maybe units are stacked. What about if there are FH closings, brownouts, or overnight downstaffing? The first due may not make entry as quickly, and the remainder of the box will be that much more delayed. No first due truck to ladder the building, no second due truck for roof ops, no engine for water supply or RIT, no rescue for primary search/VES. Fireground tactics will be severly hampered by lack of units. Lives will be lost, both FF and civilian alike. Yes, it's a what if scenario, but you don't purchase car insurance after you crash, or life insurance while on your deathbed, do you? Dual role fire personnel are quite versatile as they can fill either role, which ensures adequate staffing on both sides, reduces holdover, recall, OT in general, thus preventing burnout. Maintaing proficiency in both disciplines isn't nearly as difficult as some would make it out to be, especially with many in station drills (both for EMS and suppression). Having dual role personnel makes the best possible use of a FF's otherwise large amount of downtime. It's logistically and fiscally efficient. The two jobs hold few similarities, but guess what? It happens to work well if run properly. I'm fully capable of getting things done with just me and my partner, like I've done on numerous occasions in NYC 911. However, many hands make light work. Having an extra medic or two onscene (not two dozen, just one or two) and competent BLS make things go much more quickly and smoothly. It may not be financially optimal, but it's best for the pt. It's not always about the bottom line. There is also a way lower proportion of transient employees when compared to private, third service, and hospital based EMS. The typically lucrative employment package, with a pension, 457, decent medical/disability, DROP, and superior working conditions allow FD's to hire the best possible candidate, not the LCD. Newcomers to the fire service know the importance of EMS, and any FF's that were forced to add EMS to the job description will eventually retire. With more individuals like the Medical Director from Collier County willing to sack up, accountability for the firemedic will be upheld. With an increase in educational standards (hoping for it, but not holding my breath), new firemedics will be that much more knowledgeable and proficient in EMS. It's getting late. i'm going to work in the morning, so I'll post about how my dept is run at some later date. Sorry about the several duplicated posts. It wasn't going through, and I hit the button a few more times. My bad.

Beat me to it! From what I've been told, each bus typically has one EMT-P or EMT-CC, who work 12 hour shifts, and get an hour break during their shift where they can actually turn off the radio. My understanding is that when a job comes in, the lone medic will drive the bus to the scene, an LEO crosstrained to EMT-B will come to the scene, leave the cruiser there, assist in pt care, and drive the bus to the hosp. If another medic is needed, another ambulance will be dispatched to the incident. The bus will need to return the LEO to their cruiser after the run is completed. Now, for everyone else..... The privates just hire any medic with a pulse and a patch, the LCD. Every private system is profit driven only, and their medics are slugs, not serious at all about their jobs, and provide horrible pt care. No one cares at a private because they're either skells or waiting to finish a degree or get picked up off of a civil service list, like FD, PD, sanitation, corrections, etc. Hospital based medics think they're superior to all others in every way, they steer insured pts to their home hospital, and dump the uninsured off to city run general hospitals. Third service agencies all use system status management to run their employees into the ground, they all pay lousy, promotions are done only on favoritism, who your drinking buddies are, also hire anyone with a pulse and a patch to replace the frequent burnouts, their employees are only working there because they couldn't hack it or get on at a FD or PD. Every firemedic went to a 12 week medic mill just to get "the patch" to get an easy in at an FD. As such, all firemedics are apathetic towards EMS, and their pt care sucks. Every FD that takes over EMS siphons off $$$'s to the fire side at the expense of the EMS division. these fire monkeys (hose jockeys, or whatever jealous term used) don't do anything but sit around all day on the taxpayer's dime. What good are they doing? Got your attention? Good. These are all generalizations about each type of service. They all sound silly when you think about it. There are real life examples for each generalization, but they're certainly not indicative of the industry as a whole.

I've just discovered this thread, I've read the first page, but I dont' feel like reading through 10 total pages at the moment. I'll do so at a later point. When I worked in NYC (on 46/53/54 Y, 51V, 51W, 52X, 52W), I would at least do enough for the pt in the residence regarding diagnostics/prophylactics ( such as O2, monitor pulse ox, maybe drop a lock) before going to the bus. I'll of course do more at the residence before removal if the situation warrants, such as an APE, MI, tight asthmatic, hypotensive pt to name a few. I rarely walk someone out to the rig, unless it's obvious that they're in no real distress. I have no problem whatsoever carrying someone down umpteen flights of stairs, also moving the equipment with us every few floors if necessary. When treating in the residence, I figure out in my head how roughly how far away time wise the hospital is, how much I can get done in that time, and I'll generally halt pt care if appropriate at the point where I know that I can achieve the rest enroute to the hosp. Unless you're literally across the street from the hospital, there's really no excuse for not doing what you need to for the pt before delivery. We're here to stabilize pts, do damage control, POSSIBLY reverse their condition, not just drive them to the hosp. We're not doing definitive care, but we're not merely a car service either. Now, when I worked for Charleston County EMS, they were all about the scoop and run. My FTO said to me "Hell boy, what are we gonna do for em? Our job is just to take 'em to the hospital, where they can actually do something." WTF? Finally, here in Fairfax County, many of our units are double medic, along with the engine medic for ALS call types. Most Lt's insist on doing a quick assessment, 12, vitals/O2 for most pt's, then doing everything else indicated in the bus onscene before leaving for the hosp. On several occasions I've had arguments with my medic officer making us stay onscene to get a line before leaving - for a legit trauma! On more than a few occasions I just sit and stare at the pt while we leave for the hosp, maybe assessing for improvements and such, having done everything already. I can see having the engine medic square you away before departure if you're the lone medic on a one and one, but then again you can take them along for a serious pt and get a lot done while in transit. I'm lucky that the regular officer at my station thinks like I do - txp to the hosp at the earliest opportunity provided everything indicated for the pt will get done. Having said that, things do go fairly quickly onscene with 2-3 medics and a few BLS getting things done in a rapid fashion. It sounds like a cluster****, but it's not. Everyone knows their role, and things typically go smoothly and rapidly. It works really well here.

How about you start a thread on the subject? I can offer good discussion on the matter, as can others that are on the other side of the fence. The main problem that I see in the forums are individuals taking a particular FD's shortcomings and extending it to the entire fire service, like it's supposed to be the same everywhere. There are stellar examples of both fire based and third service EMS, as well as debacles of both. We can provide numerous case studies across the country to support either side of the argument, depending on what articles you cherry pick and what spin you put on it. No matter where you work, it's up to the individual to strive for excellence. I've seen plenty of skells throughout my travels on both sides.

The "basic questions about the EMS field" thread has five different muni third service EMS agencies from FL listed. Maybe you could consider moving there after graduating medic class, just for kicks, to be a little adventurous. I moved out at 22, it's not as scary as it would seem, especially with your P- card. As far as your love life, there's plenty of "potential" down there, I'm sure.

Hello, everyone, I'm new to this site. It looks way more promising than other sites I've been to. A little about myself - 33 y/o, married, one daughter (5) and one on the way (girl), currently employed as a firemedic in Northern Va. I got my start in EMS at Hunter Ambulance-Ambulette inc. an IFT company in Inwood Queens per diem, for around 6 months. Next, I was a EMT-B for three years FT at the NSLIJ CEMS, a combo nyc 911/IFT agency, hospital based. After that, I worked for two years as a medic for the CEMS concurrently with a stint as a medic at the Flushing/Jamaica/Brookdale hosp system. I secured my NREMT-P and then relocated to Charleston SC and worked as a medic for their county run third service 911. Finally, I was hired as a firemedic at Fairfax County FRD, and have been here for the past year and a half. My career development goals include moving up in rank at the FRD as an All-Hazards officer, maybe up to Capt II. I would also like to get into EMS education here, as I would like to ensure that educational standards and proficiency are continually improved at the FRD. I'm also debating going for either RT or RN. The FRD is very pro education, weighs it heavily for promotions, and will allow me to use leave to attend class on work days if needed. If I go RN, I may seek to do flight on the side, either as a medic or RN, whichever results in a job offer. I hope to contribute positively to the site, as well as improve my proficiency as a medic. I believe strongly in fire based EMS (only if run well, for the right reasons), and having secure employment with a defined benefit (pension), good working conditions, unionization, and a livable wage. The main motivating factor for going to the fire side was for those reasons. I've found, luckily, that I enjoy fire almost as much as EMS, maybe 60% for EMS, and 40% for fire. I have respect, in general, for the employees of all versions of single role EMS agencies, to include volunteer. The problem arises when the fire bashing starts, and also when individuals preach how EMS in general doesn't deserve a livable wage or any decent benefits. I think that, even though educational standards may be low at the moment, that doesn't excuse employers from paying us welfare wages. Hence my pro union, or at least pro political organization stance, to protect the little guy (and gal), and give them a fair shake when dealing with management. Any problems I have with private or third service EMS are generally not with the employees, but rather how they're run, and how poorly the employees may be treated. I know that this post has been long winded, but I just want everyone to know where I'm coming from when posting. Thanks for viewing.