meanjoeg Posted May 31, 2008 Posted May 31, 2008 I'm hoping someone will have some answers for me. My nephew is moving from Calif. to Boston, and is interested in getting into the EMS Academy here. He asked me to find out if he would be able to support himself while in the academy. I drew from my personal experience as an EMT and Firefighter in CA before moving here, and told him that if it is like most academies, he would have to pass the usual tests, orals, etc. and that upon acceptance he would be a recruit, paid a reasonable amount while being trained. Upon graduating, he would then be a proby for approx 6 mo. to a year. I told him he should enroll in the academy's emt-b class in the fall, then enroll in the academy. Is it difficult to get into? Will they put him right to work? Any feed- back would very appreciated.
p3medic Posted May 31, 2008 Posted May 31, 2008 Have him look at the city of Boston Public Health Commision website, and Bostonems.com. There is a written, practical and oral exam. There is also a CORI check, drug test (hair) and must have a valid Mass EMT cert for the academy. The pay in the academy is not bad, better than he'd be making in the privates as an EMT. The academy is approx 600hrs of class with another 300-400hrs of field internship, with a 1 yr probationary period. All new hires must provide proof of city of Boston residency within 6 months of hire.
Dustdevil Posted May 31, 2008 Posted May 31, 2008 How often do they bust people lying about their residency? What do they do about it? Or do they just overlook it so long as you are one of the cool kids?
meanjoeg Posted May 31, 2008 Author Posted May 31, 2008 Thank you for the quick response time. I've gone over just about all the links Google had to offer, including the ones you mentioned, which brought me here to emtcity.com. It's all been very informative, especially another posting of yours which gave a guesstimate of the pay scale from academy thru paramedic. I was told via land-line with Boston EMS that there would another EMS/EMT Course in August. I see that the last academy graduated 12/07, and the new class is getting underway, so do you think it is a realistic idea that he could enroll in the upcoming fall EMT class and, assuming he does well, then try for the next academy? Thanks Again!
p3medic Posted May 31, 2008 Posted May 31, 2008 Not too often, it has happened, and they have been terminated. As far as I know, no one has been caught and got away with it, although I don't think they are looking to catch people. One guy in particular, a real dumbass had a work related injury, and had used his real address well outside the city when corresponding with work, not too smart. The residency issue isn't going away, however it isn't too hard to find someone to let you put a phone bill, gas bill in your name, and change your drivers license around. I personally wouldn't do it (I'm not required to live in the city) because I'd alway be worried about getting caught, I'm a bit paranoid like that.
p3medic Posted May 31, 2008 Posted May 31, 2008 Its certainly possible. We are in an expansion phase, so there will be a few more academy classes coming up over the next 18 months, usually 40 in a class. If he can establish residency and do well on the entrance exam, practical and oral he has a decent shot. If he speaks another language he has even a better shot.
CBEMT Posted May 31, 2008 Posted May 31, 2008 I know a guy who used to work BEMS, used his girlfriend's address. They broke up, and he was out of a job.
meanjoeg Posted June 1, 2008 Author Posted June 1, 2008 Does residency require you live in Boston or is Somerville, Cambridge, East Boston considered "Boston"?
p3medic Posted June 1, 2008 Posted June 1, 2008 CBEMT... Don't shyte where you eat. Meanjoeg, East Boston is within the city limits, Cambridge and Somerville are not, so they would not count as residency. There is an abundance of housing available within city limits, and after he gets the job he can work out how to live somewhere else. If he has any other questions I can help him with don't hesitate to ask or fire off a pm. Good luck.
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