Compensation

[Don1977]

Knowing thank yous ate few and far between is who I only work for paid services I refuse to vollie anywhere.

Thats a good attitude..... I been a paid EMT for 9 years and very rarely get a thank you...

EMS/Fire is something that is thankless and people take us for granted.....

[HERBIE1]

Sounds like that perk is yet another victim of the lousy economy. Crappy- yes. I would at least present an argument to the powers that be that shows the negative impact this will have on your service.

Word of warning- You ARE volunteers, and as such do not receive compensation, and this may be the attitude you run up against. Notice, I do not begrudge this perk- I think it's a small token of appreciation that probably goes a long way to appeasing vollies. Something is better than nothing, and something like that does not cost much to provide.

[Don1977]

I've always said "Its called volunteer for a reason".. No one forces you....

[FireMedic65]

If you are butthurt for not getting a free hand out for volunteering... you are in the wrong business. Volunteering is about helping the community and serving the people in need of YOUR help; not looking to get something for free. Times are tough, people can't give out free products all the time. Get over it.

[EMT155]

Wow..... Lotsa thoughts in all directions here.

OK, just to clear up a couple things. not so much that we aren't getting the tickets (worth $10), but more that they were just going to let it go by without bothering to inform us that there was a change. Also, we actually pretty much define the term underfunded. Prime example is our defib. Heartstart 3000. can no longer get it serviced, and it doesn't meet protocols for defib. I've been asking to get it replaced for the last 5 years and it keeps getting skipped over. We spent 2 years begging for uniform shirts for staff that didn't have them (ended up spending our own money for that and just got reimbursed this fall, a year later) . We have a GEM car that usually doesn't work as it gets passed over for maintenance each year, and have not had a marked vehicle even part time for almost 8 years.

I know where you're coming from Dwayne, and honestly, I'm seriously considering walking. The reason I don't thus far is because I've put too much blood, sweat and tears into this team. To go into details would sound like bragging, but I have had help, but have carried a large portion of the burden myself. That and I'm really not a quitter.

Oh, and the tantrum part, I realize that came off sounding childish, but it's more of a go in and blow a lot of steam around. Over 17 years, the powers that be know that I won't come in steamed unless it's important or justified. Our Exec Dir of EMS is usually the one who plays the politics and i get to be the Bull in the China shop Subtlety is not my specialty.

There have been a number of times over the years where we've been promised things only to get them yanked out from under and not told till later. Makes for a bit of bad taste, but we still keep coming back. I guess we're just gluttons for punishment.

Jim

[DwayneEMTP]

EMT155, I hear you man. As you may have noticed I'm not a huge fan of either long time EMTs or Vollys, yet one of my dearest friends happens to be both. He's also the fire chief for his local district and tells the same story as you. It's so hard to walk away when you've taken it from a bunch of beer guzzling yahoos to something that actually means something. I really get that.

Unfortunately there comes a time when you have to figure out what it actually means. Most vollys I know would claim, though I don't believe them, that they do it as a service to their community. Yet, your community has shown you that they care so little for your 'service' that you're not worth a few hundred bucks a year in bonus'. And those that you report to care so little that they didn't feel you deserved to be notified of this.

It sounds as if you don't even have the equipment needed to respond adequately? Trucks in disrepair, antiquated AED, etc. Do you then have an ambulance that works? And there is truly NO ALS in your area? Anywhere? Amazing. People are dying in this community because of the ideals of the EMS leadership, and you know what? They deserve to be dying. You get what you pay for in some things, and most often EMS is one of those.

I get that you're pissed brother. And dang it, you should be really, really pissed!! If I was your fiance?? Oh yeah, I'd tell you to decide if you'd rather spend your extra 60hrs/wk fighting for Tshirts for your squad or be with me. But, then I'm not a chick and she seems to be way more understanding.

I guess my point is this. You need to do what you need to do to feed your soul, but don't kid yourself that you do this for your community, because you community has told you and your buddies to go and fuck yourselves. I think it's time to identify why you really 'need' to do this and consider whether it's worth it or not.

All of the above is meant in the Christmas spirit, despite how it may sound in print...grin.

Good luck to you man. I look forward to your posts, as there is almost always something in them to make me think, and make me smile.

Dwayne

[Richard B the EMT]

There have been a number of times over the years where we've been promised things only to get them yanked out from under and not told till later. Makes for a bit of bad taste, but we still keep coming back. I guess we're just gluttons for punishment.

That could be in ANY service, municipal, paid, or volunteer, being gluttons for punishment.

To the OP, what, if anything, did your volunteers get for EMS Week 2010? FDNY EMS, a municipal service, got lapel pins with the member's station number on it. As I was temporarily in HQ, I didn't get one specific to my usual Station 47, but got one for the entire EMS Command, as did everyone from EMS in HQ. The year before, everyone got a nice T-shirt with a picture of an FDNY Ambulance in front of the Brooklyn Bridge on it.

Edited December 14, 2010 by Richard B the EMT

[brentoli]

You have strong people in your organization.

Honestly, if I was in your shoes, I would shut the organization down January 1. I can't believe that you state EMS commission allows you to still operate under the equipment circumstances.

If you shut down Jan. 1 what would happen?