The JOKE that is FDNY

[FormerEMSLT297]

Some food for thought for all you FDNY and especially FDNY*EMS wannabes.

I left the sytem 10 years ago as a Paramedic/Lieutenant. My base salary was about $55K per year.

I initially took a $20K pay cut, but within a few years I have way surpassed my $55K base salary.

Salary for EMT, starts @ 27 and goes up to 39 after 5 years.

Salary for Medic is 37-50.

An EMS LT makes around 55, and a Capt. makes about 1K more than a LT.

Now, here is the SAD part.

An EMS Deputy Chief makes $74K (salaried No overtime) and a

Division Chief makes $94K (salaried)....

If you get on to be an EMT and the the "promotional" exam to FF, your starting salary is $36K...

Police officers in Nassau/Suffolk Co. LI, and MANY other places around the country are starting in the $50s or more, and go up to over $100K in most places,

So, I ask you WHY would anyone want to work for FDNY ????

[Asysin2leads]

Cuz we got teh kewl uniformz.

[scott33]

So, I ask you WHY would anyone want to work for FDNY ????

I have no idea. All I know of people employed by FDNY, is that they depend upon a couple more jobs to subsidize their pitiful salary.

There are plenty of other local agencies who pay much more for less BS (NY Hospital Queens, NCPD EMS, NSLIJ EMS).

Perhaps the lure of FDNY is aimed at the under 25s.

[Upton4785]

I know I might rub some people the wrong way by implying this, but oh well.

It's possibly because they want to get the FDNY shirt and claim "I was there on 9/11 when my brothers died" even though they weren't.

No disrespect meant towards those who WERE there, FDNY or not, but I've ran into a guy up here in NH who tried to pull that crap on me. I called him out on it and I won. He said he wanted to "get chicks".

Real low, man.

[Asysin2leads]

Unfortunately, Upton, I've run into the same people. Here's a tip: The youngest you could have been on 9/11 is 21, so if you run into anyone under the age of 28 making the same claims you know they are full of shit.

Lucky for me I never needed a patch on my arm to get laid.

[firedoc5]

I know I might rub some people the wrong way by implying this, but oh well.

It's possibly because they want to get the FDNY shirt and claim "I was there on 9/11 when my brothers died" even though they weren't.

No disrespect meant towards those who WERE there, FDNY or not, but I've ran into a guy up here in NH who tried to pull that crap on me. I called him out on it and I won. He said he wanted to "get chicks".

Real low, man.

I had a FDNY t-shirt before 9/11. I wonder if that would work, if I still had it. :roll:

[boeingb13]

Why would anyone want to be on the FDNY with that pay. Probably because #1 you dont go into the fire dept because of the money you go in because you want to do the job, #2 New York runs a ton of calls, and many depts around this country base alot of their practices after the FDNY.

Since when did this job become running for the most money, if you worked there then you know how many people apply every time they hire, and I would bet, 95% of them are not looking to make alot of money, hell they would probably take a pay cut.

All that money talk sounds to me that, your heart or whatever you want to call it, is in the wrong place.

And I can say this being when I left my job to go to a fire/rescue dept, I took about a 20,000$ a year pay cut. but this is what I wanted t do, and that job was only to pay for all my school, and my bills while I was in school.

[1aCe3]

why...? Because if you're planning to stay in NYC, the future seems to be FDNY. And there ARE changes being done, however slow. It's about the standard of care, and the the standards for the dept. From someone who has worked for privates, voluntaries, voluntaries which CLOSED, I can tell you that security and experience, and training lies with FDNY. As for the $$, well... still working on it. That's why I'm looking to becoming a medic/hosemonkey out west. NYC's a busy place with lots of experience to be had.

[Christopher.Collins]

Well Former if I may answer...

I worked for one of the lowest paying EMS agencies in the state of Connecticut.... on top of the roughly 11 something I was making to work night shifts I took a .75 cent pay cut so certain people could get raises. But I kept doing it because I loved the job... I knew before I started there that the pay sucked (average starting in most other agencies is 12-15hrly) and that the pay in EMS sucked as well.

Needless to say though I wound up quitting for personal reasons and the pay cut. Unfortunatley I was no longer able to keep up with the payments on my new car.

Its important to be able to support yourself and your family... but to me its most important to love and be happy with your chosen proffession.