Hating life in this fire controlled state

[Riblett]

So we have been in Florida for 1.5 years now. I have really tried to give it a chance here, but I just hate it. There are NO jobs for paramedics who aren't firefighters and even if you are dually trained you spend years trying to find a job. Unless you want to kill yourself and your back running your ass off for 10-12 bucks an hour for a taxi.. er I mean private ambulance service...you are out of luck. Thanks to a recent episode of SVT (new onset) I am completely disqualified from any fire job or even fire academy. I have been passed over for even the ER tech jobs, despite a medic license in two states, a nurse aide cert, and five years of EMS experience. We have no hopes of leaving any time soon because my other half can't find a job anywhere else. And despite a 3.5 GPA and healthcare experience, I have been rejected from nursing school three times. What the hell more do they want?

I truly get angry when I see the fire department pass by on the roads. I am sure there are some good medics down here, but all of them I have had any interaction with so far are a bunch of mouth breathing corn-fed testosterone factories that don't seem to know their ass from a hole in the ground, but by God they are fucking firefighters so they have a job. Never mind the fact that there are practically NO structure fires in S. Florida, since it is all stone construction and few ignition sources since it stays eighty degrees plus year round. I have seen more true structure fires and a medic in Carolina than many of these people do in their whole careers. It is just sickening.

Someone please give me some advice.

[EMS49393]

Wow, you sound angry. I grew up in a mostly fire based state and am trying very hard to go home. I'm actually on the other end of the rainbow, I'm willing to give up my EMS purist ideas for a career job, even if it means it's in the fire service. I haven't gotten anywhere in my career working for EMS only outfits. If you can find a job, the pay is horrible, benefits nearly non-existent, and the treatment is worse then an animal. I was laid off of my last full time EMS job a few months ago. The place I worked for was a BLS service for decades and thought they'd attempt ALS coverage. They found out it was hard and required work, and that was it for them. They laid off the paramedics and went back to being a BLS service. I now work a crappy part-time job for a mickey mouse transport company, for less then I've ever made as a paramedic. I'm told I have to "steal" my supplies from hospitals and rehabs, which I refuse to do. I am regularly sent on calls without proper equipment and finding myself having to rig things to work more and more often. Because I need a job, I've taken the abuse and the crap pay. Luckily I have an interview with a hospital tomorrow, so things might improve.

As for the physical aspect of fire fighting, what caused your SVT? In young, healthy people it's often caused by something simple like an accidental caffeine and nicotine overdose, too many energy drinks, etc. Sometimes it's caused by an abberancy conduction issue that can be corrected. I wouldn't discount your ability for medical clearance before you know for sure you won't be cleared.

I just applied for a career job in my native state with a big fire department. The listing is for a paramedic, however I'm required to pass a CPAT and fire fighter I and II training during the academy. After that, I'm pretty much guaranteed that I can always work on the medic, and be paid a differential for that title. Having to pass the fire classes has something to do with how pensions are set up. The CPAT is to weed out anyone that might not be able to carry 70 lbs worth of stuff up 5 flights of stairs on a summer day without having a massive MI. I get it, not crazy about it, but I get it.

In January I was morbidly obese and in for another esophageal hernia repair. The smug butt head surgeon stood at the foot of my bed and told me that my career was over. I was too fat, and the reason I kept getting all these hernias was because I was fat and doing so much lifting. I had had three hernias that ended up incarcerated and requiring surgery over the past 9 years. This was my fourth, and the surgeon had to repair this one via thoracostomy because my abdomen was so scarred from the other surgeries. I have a permanent break in ribs 8 and 9 that will never heal, and I can often feel them clicking (which doesn't hurt, but is kinda gross). I am assured they are not needed to maintain the integrity of my chest wall, so I have put them out of my mind. I have lost 60 lbs since January with diet alone. Last week I finally got up the courage to join a gym. I work out EVERY single day. I do cardio training every day and weights every other day. In this first week I have lost another 7 lbs. Who knew diet and exercise played a part in weight? My point is, I wouldn't necessarily discount anything because of a "medical" reason.

I've tried really hard to stay out of the fire based rat race. I just can't anymore. I'm in my mid-thirties and have nothing to show for my EMS purist views over the past 17 years. I don't have any desire to become a nurse and am actually working on another degree in something not medicine related at all. I now believe if you can't beat them, you join them.

I have a lot of friends in the career fire departments around my area and they are a great bunch of guys. They actually work hard, and most of them see fire pretty regularly in this aging area. I would actually be honored to work with them. Sometimes the grass is greener on the fire side of the fence.

Of course, you could always move. I've tried that, four times for a total of 1200 miles. It didn't work and I'm back to where I started. My advice, sit down and figure out what you can do and what you have to do for your career. You may end up having to do some of the hardest things you've ever done, but if you find that career, and some happiness, all the work (mental and physical) will be well worth it.

Good Luck!

Edited September 30, 2010 by EMS49393

[CBEMT]

Sounds like you both need to start applying to large municipal 3rd service agencies that aren't going to go away anytime soon- the A/TCs, Wake, Ada, Lee, etc.......

Edit: speak of the devil....

http://www.emtcity.com/index.php/topic/18954-job-opportunity-lee-county-ems/page__pid__247823#entry247823

Edited October 1, 2010 by CBEMT

[JTpaintball70]

Check Sunstar too. I've heard decent things about them. Don't despair too much. Yea, it sucks that FL is mostly fire based, but there are some decent county services

[EMS49393]

I'm actually in Maryland and have already submitted for a career with one of the county fire departments. My point was not to discount youself because some know it all doctor says you can't do something. In addition, if you can't beat them, join them. I need a job much more then I need to change the areas view on EMS in the fire service.

I wouldn't relocate again. I've lived in ten different states and have never fit in like I do at home.

[HERBIE1]

I'm actually in Maryland and have already submitted for a career with one of the county fire departments. My point was not to discount youself because some know it all doctor says you can't do something. In addition, if you can't beat them, join them. I need a job much more then I need to change the areas view on EMS in the fire service.

I wouldn't relocate again. I've lived in ten different states and have never fit in like I do at home.

Well put. In a nutshell, you need to do what's best for yourself. The reality is that not everyone can be an advocate or change agent for a cause. The bottom line is you need to take care of yourself and your family first. Then, if you are in a position to, and are so inclined, you can get involved in trying to change the pervasive culture.

You need to make a living, and standing on your principles is fine, but in the end, if you cannot pay the bills or support your family, then I suggest you need to either reevaluate your career, or accept that your employment situation may not be ideal. It's a choice we all need to make- follow your head or your heart, and luckily sometimes both paths complement each other. Sometimes not.

[46Young]

Well put. In a nutshell, you need to do what's best for yourself. The reality is that not everyone can be an advocate or change agent for a cause. The bottom line is you need to take care of yourself and your family first. Then, if you are in a position to, and are so inclined, you can get involved in trying to change the pervasive culture.

You need to make a living, and standing on your principles is fine, but in the end, if you cannot pay the bills or support your family, then I suggest you need to either reevaluate your career, or accept that your employment situation may not be ideal. It's a choice we all need to make- follow your head or your heart, and luckily sometimes both paths complement each other. Sometimes not.

Well put by you as well. Fire based EMS is generally unpopular by single minded prople for several valid reasons, but the truth is that, in most areas, you'll enjoy the best pay, benefits, and career advancement w/ fire based EMS. The bottom line, like you said, is to do what is best for you and your family, and to do what you can to change things if you're in a secure socioeconomic position to do so. Why martyr yourself? I say, educate yourself, move into admin, set policy, and effect change from a position of power.

[crotchitymedic1986]

Dont take this the wrong way, but have you considered the fact that "you" may be the problem. Are you 100% sure that your resume, speech, and body language do not amplify your negative attitude towards your present career ? As someone who has done the hiring, I can promise you that it is fairly easy to spot the "negative" folks who will sap the life out of your organization, and I wouldn't hire them no matter how desperate I was to fill a schedule.

There are professionals that you can see to help you improve your resume and interview skills. If you cant afford it, you can go to the library and get books/audio-video materials for free. Of course, it is easier to blame the employer, the county, the Fire Department, the State, the industry, the economy, and the vast secret political organization that is conspiring to ruin your life; but as long as you stay in this "internal rut", you will always be this miserable. 99% of attitude is about how you respond to adversity, not what adversity does to you. Maybe it is time for a total career change, or atleast a location change; the last time I checked, Florida interstates do not have any barriers that forbid you from driving out of the state (except the toll roads lol). Right now you are in "victim" mode, your life will not change until you change that.

[FSU-EMT]

Keep your chin up! I have lived in Florida all my life, and although most fire departments run EMS down south, there are still plenty of countys that are seperate. I believe polk county is seperate, and most countys in north Forida are. I have to agree with you though that a lot of fire medics were forced to become paramedics and some despise it. Florida is a tough place to find a job, I recently just got my 10th rejection letter by the hospital where I live. And as far as nursing and even fire academy, have you looked online? I know you can attend fire school online, and I'm sure the same is true of nursing. Worse comes to worse you'll have to settle for a private taxi service, but a lot of those companies in the bigger cities actually answer 9-11 calls or at least have mutual aid agreements. Don't give up and eventually something will pan out!

[Addb]

Polk, Manatee and Pinellas county have non-fire based 911 ems. All three are talking about merging, but that has been going on for years. Citrus and Orange county have opportunities too, but I don't know much about them.

Some fires will on rare occasions hire a non fire medic, but those are the exception.