stcommodore Posted November 12, 2009 Posted November 12, 2009 My starting pay was between 35,000-40,000. I think most come "on the job" for the expierence, eventual good pay, overtime chances, amazing health benifits and pension as well as likely to work with another Paramedic. I suspect that the FDNY EMS has a similar program to what we see on this show and to what I went through and described to you. On a side note, do you know any "fat" medics in urban ems?
HERBIE1 Posted November 12, 2009 Posted November 12, 2009 My starting pay was between 35,000-40,000. I think most come "on the job" for the expierence, eventual good pay, overtime chances, amazing health benifits and pension as well as likely to work with another Paramedic. I suspect that the FDNY EMS has a similar program to what we see on this show and to what I went through and described to you. On a side note, do you know any "fat" medics in urban ems? Trust me-there are PLENTY where I work. There are physical fitness standards to get the job, but they only become suggestions once you finish your probationary period. It's a shame, because you would think we know better. As a result of the demands of the job, people fall into the trap of lousy sleep patterns, stress, poor stress coping mechanisms(booze and smoking), poor eating habits, poor physical fitness, and their health- and longevity suffers. I am amazed at how many people I work with who are in their 40's that are walking around with significant CAD, HTN, DM, and stents. We have to do a better job of taking care of ourselves. 1
46Young Posted November 12, 2009 Posted November 12, 2009 A lot of Paramedic agencies do not do that type of academy becasuse, IMHO, who wants to go thru that, for the meager salary they are paying. When FDNY is starting people at 31Kper year, and medics at 43K, and that is some of the higher salaries i've seen, whowants to go thru tha for that end. Plus if FDNY woul pay you to PT on duty, they woul;d be in major back log. I know, I briefly considered FDNY EMS when I first graduated medic school, but I decided to stay with North Shore LIJ and look for a lucrative friemedic gig out of state. It's all about the best retirement. I wasn't cool with having to go to work everyday for 8 hours with the possibility of a mandation, plus lousy work conditions. Sitting on a street corner, seeing all kinds of stuff and buffing jobs is fun when your career is young, but I know that it would get old fast and I would burn out at around the 10 year mark. How am I supposed to schedule per diem work when I'm going to vwork 5 days a week as it is? I thought that I had died and went to heaven when I learned that we can PT at work here.
stcommodore Posted November 12, 2009 Posted November 12, 2009 You dont need part time work when your making 60,000 plus a year. Our current sch shifted from two ten hour days, two fourteen hour nights, and four off to... Week 1-mon,tues,fri,sat,sun week 2-wed,thurs days or nights
Diazepam618 Posted November 12, 2009 Author Posted November 12, 2009 You dont need part time work when your making 60,000 plus a year. Our current sch shifted from two ten hour days, two fourteen hour nights, and four off to... Week 1-mon,tues,fri,sat,sun week 2-wed,thurs days or nights Not bad $$, but the acdemy guys in the OCFA I think make 90k a year without OT. 2
HERBIE1 Posted November 12, 2009 Posted November 12, 2009 Not bad $, but the acdemy guys in the OCFA I think make 90k a year without OT. 90K? Pretty nice, but... Salaries are also relative. The cost of living in Orange County is a lot higher than in somewhere like rural Kansas or even other metro areas.
EMTBUNGO Posted November 13, 2009 Posted November 13, 2009 ya I've been watching that show from the start when it started as the LA county Sherriff.. Glad they switched over to fire. 1
fireflymedic Posted November 13, 2009 Posted November 13, 2009 Okay, so I took a peek at it today - overall not bad I think. I'm actually kinda liking that captain. He's growing on me. Not a jerk, but definitely demands the job be done right - my kinda guy. As I said, my husband had seen it with LASO - I didn't care much for it then, but I like it a bit better to the fire side. Perhaps because I can directly relate to it. Gives me horrible memories though my experience wasn't as physically hard, but mentally was pretty bad. Went through TN state fire school and they were less than kind, especially if you were a female. Hey, I survived though and I was better for it. Shame you don't see smaller depts having access to a state fire school similar to the set up TN has. Few have access to the larger depts academies in other states and they can't really put on a proper academy, so people breeze by. On the EMS side, I think it's more an aspect that outside the fire service, there is a general attitude of the job isn't that hard, so who cares whether I'm in shape or not (heck I still see it significantly in the fire service - walk in a fire hall and see how many pieces of equipment are covered in dust or rarely used). Very few are doing more than a few leg lifts using the foot stool on the recliner. You need to be in as good if not better shape for EMS as the demands are on a regular and consistent basis, not occasional like in the fire service. Fire has done such a good job with prevention they've almost put themselves out of a job and in reality, there are few actual "fought" fires (at least in this area) as by the time you arrive, it's more surround and drowned and put out the hot spots. Not harrassing fire or fire medics, I was one of them, but just stating a comparrison in the demands of the job and the consistency at which they are done.
46Young Posted November 13, 2009 Posted November 13, 2009 (edited) Okay, so I took a peek at it today - overall not bad I think. I'm actually kinda liking that captain. He's growing on me. Not a jerk, but definitely demands the job be done right - my kinda guy. As I said, my husband had seen it with LASO - I didn't care much for it then, but I like it a bit better to the fire side. Perhaps because I can directly relate to it. Gives me horrible memories though my experience wasn't as physically hard, but mentally was pretty bad. Went through TN state fire school and they were less than kind, especially if you were a female. Hey, I survived though and I was better for it. Shame you don't see smaller depts having access to a state fire school similar to the set up TN has. Few have access to the larger depts academies in other states and they can't really put on a proper academy, so people breeze by. On the EMS side, I think it's more an aspect that outside the fire service, there is a general attitude of the job isn't that hard, so who cares whether I'm in shape or not (heck I still see it significantly in the fire service - walk in a fire hall and see how many pieces of equipment are covered in dust or rarely used). Very few are doing more than a few leg lifts using the foot stool on the recliner. You need to be in as good if not better shape for EMS as the demands are on a regular and consistent basis, not occasional like in the fire service. Fire has done such a good job with prevention they've almost put themselves out of a job and in reality, there are few actual "fought" fires (at least in this area) as by the time you arrive, it's more surround and drowned and put out the hot spots. Not harrassing fire or fire medics, I was one of them, but just stating a comparrison in the demands of the job and the consistency at which they are done. I have to disagree with you on EMS being more physically demanding than fire, even in the presence of low call volume. We actually do interior firefighting a good amount of the time as opposed to exterior ops. And even if we do decide to go defensive (surround and drown) we still need to do a primary search. It takes a high level of conditioning to be fully encapulated in your gear, where there's absolutely no way to vent body heat, breathing what isn't enough air, as in conserving air and not being to take a deep enough breath when you need it, basically oxygen deprivation when you think about it. This can be in high heat conditions, where you're either humping hose, breaking down doors/walls, and carrying out bodies while already greatly fatigued. What about throwing ladders? One ought to be able to throw a 35 by themselves, but I'll let that go. If you can't throw a 24 by yourself, and then climb it and throw a roof ladder, you're useless on the fireground, as you're wasting precious time and may need another FF to help you when they have other tasks to accomplish. Try venting a roof with only an axe and a pike pole. It'll kick your arse if you're out of shape as you need to do it as quick as possible, before you fall through the roof. What's the most strenuous thing an EMS provider does? Maybe carrying someone down the stairs on a Reeves or stair chair? My breathing doesn't even change. Even pulling drywall is more tiring than that. Most EMS agencies require you to deadlift 125 lbs by yourself and 250 with assistance. Not tough to do. Why do you think that there are so many FF's stroking out and having massive MI's and dropping dead on/after a call? Poor physical conditioning. I don't see many dropping dead while doing EMS activities, thank goodness. Edited November 13, 2009 by 46Young
akflightmedic Posted November 13, 2009 Posted November 13, 2009 First, you can be fit and still fat...there is a difference. I have to disagree with you on EMS being more physically demanding than fire, even in the presence of low call volume. You say fire is more demanding, but when comparing a strictly EMS service side by side of a strictly FD, which does more work on average consistently? Which of the two is more physically demanding with more hazard exposures? A FD will have many hazards at one incident but an EMS provider will have several hazards at every incident of every call. Statistically, run numbers favor EMS, therefore EMS is exposed to more danger, more hazards and continuous work (physical activity) than FD. Why do you think that there are so many FF's stroking out and having massive MI's and dropping dead on/after a call? Poor physical conditioning. I don't see many dropping dead while doing EMS activities, thank goodness. Could the reason be that EMS providers are more fit despite the fat due to continuous work constantly with slightly elevated heart rates punctuated with sporadic HR peaks for flavor? Could it be FFs get complacent in their duties and despite being 40, still act and "feel" like they are 18? Could the bravado/machismo mentality contribute to the point where the FF pushes himself so as not to be seen as the weak link? Just asking...
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