New Emt

[Cody.Gordon]

Hey,

I’ve got a few questions to ask, I’m 18 working on my EMT-Band it is just a BLAST and I can’t wait to be working out in the field. My NREMT test is in august. I’m ready for it,then after that I’m going to a local college called Guardian College to getEMT-P (7 month). Now for the questions how is the job outlook for EMS in anutshell, I never see any ads in the paper or on Craigslist. Is this just thekind of work you need to walk up to a station and say hey look I’ve got my certcan I have a job? Also should I be trying to get all the certs I can before I lookingfor a job i.e hazmat, fire safety and so on, any imput on how you guys got intoEMS world would be great! Also I knowthis is going to be a broad question, I’m currently working for the DOD (DepartmentOf Defense) I’m a Network Analyst. To keep a long story short, I really don’t likeit…. It’s just one big pissing contest with your boss and their boss. How are the Politics in the EMS field? I understand my questions are out there andvery broad so Flame way.

Thanks for your time

Cody

[Dustdevil]

Politics, pay, and job outlook is much, much worse in EMS than anything you may possibly now be doing. This from someone who spent 20 years with DOD, and almost twice that long in EMS. I honestly think you are making a horribly ill conceived move here.

Situations vary greatly from state to state, and town to town. Consequently, we can't even begin to address any specifics for you without a lot more info. But seriously, if you are still interested after reading this, then I for one don't have a lot of faith in your judgement, lol.

Good Luck!

[Cody.Gordon]

Hey,

Thanks for getting back to me so fast, I'm set in my ways I've done my ride alongs and I love it. It makes me feel like i'm doing something better then just watching packets flowing down a screen. As my mom use to say money is not everything, I feel this is something I can do the rest of my life. Again thanks for your imput it really helps me think about all the issues I might run into. Oh and BTW im in Boise, Idaho but i would like to work in Washington or Oregon if you have any imput on the best place to work im open to it.

Thanks

Cody

[Dustdevil]

I missed the part about you being 18. Sorry bout that. You have plenty of time to make big mistakes in life, so may as well. But one day, you will seriously wish you hadn't. I do.

If you have the physical and mental fitness to beat everyone else on the civil service exams, you might get lucky and get a hosemonkey job, but that's about your only shot at a stable and rewarding career in this game. Otherwise, I wouldn't count on more than five years before you want the Hell out. And many employers like myself wouldn't even hire a "medic" that took the fast and easy, non-degree route to certification either. Those that do will have yet another edge over you. When you are this young and inexperienced, you need all the edge you can get.

I honestly am not terribly familiar with either of those two states' situations these days. But Oregon has traditionally been stronger on education than most. Last I heard, they were looking at making the degree a requirement, like Kansas has. Better check into that before you get off on the wrong foot. In most of urban and suburban Washington, if you're not a fireman, you're nothing more than a cab driver for the unfortunate souls that the FD deems unworthy of putting down the cable remote for. A real exciting and rewarding career, isnt' it?

Just do the research, Bro, and listen to all input. The sirens and the flashing lights are sexxy seductors, but they rarely deliver what you wanted or expected. Again, good luck!

[Medic2588]

A lot of what you're asking is really dependent upon the department/agency you decide to work for (certifications, application process, etc). I completely second what Dust says about trying to get some ride alongs to get a feel of what you're getting into. It's nothing like what you see on TV or read in books (I'll refrain from the obvious plug ) as each area is a unique experience unto itself.

As someone who left EMS full time for the glitz and glammor of government service, I would strongly advise you though to consider sucking up your differences with DoD and consider keeping that as a primary career path and try EMS on the side. Believe me, the politics of the government are no where near as cutthroat and petty as an EMS system (although there is more of a spotlight on ours)... and the benefits are waaaaay better.

Devin

[fiznat]

I missed the part about you being 18. Sorry bout that. You have plenty of time to make big mistakes in life, so may as well. But one day, you will seriously wish you hadn't. I do.

Damn Dust, you've gotten more even more bitter than I last remember. There are some good aspects to this job that are probably worth mentioning, no?

[paramedicmike]

Don't get bent out of shape over these comments. Take them for what they are which is simply an attempt to better understand you.

To keep a long story short, I really don’t likeit…. It’s just one big pissing contest with your boss and their boss.

This is not sitting well with me. Fully understanding that there is more to the story, purposefully with held for a variety of reasons I'm sure, this just screams many unfavourable and unflattering things about you. So, rather than just come out and tell you it sounds like you have an attitude problem and you're going to be in for a big surprise when you find out that just about every job you will ever have will have, in some capacity, similar dynamics to the one you have now, I've gotta ask for a little clarification before I can offer any further comments.

So why is it a constant pissing match?

How are the Politics in the EMS field?

Based on your other comments this only raises the red flag a little higher. At least it will until some clarification is offered.

You're young. With that comes energy and enthusiasm and all sorts of other things that can be beneficial to any type of working environment. At the same time, uncontrolled, undirected and/or mismanaged (by both you and your boss) it can lead to all sorts of problems.

Otherwise, I agree with a lot of what Dust has posted.

Just one last quick question before I wait for your reply, what are your thoughts on college? Just looking for some insight into you to better formulate advice that I hope will be helpful to you.

[Dustdevil]

Damn Dust, you've gotten more even more bitter than I last remember. There are some good aspects to this job that are probably worth mentioning, no?

Sure. It can be "a blast," as he already knows. Nobody needs to tell him that. It's the reason he's here. But few of those good aspects are significant or long lasting enough to compensate for the negatives in the long run. A job is like a woman. Love at first sight is a myth, as is "til death do us part." For every beautiful woman, there is at least one man who is sick of her, because looks aren't everything. In fact, they aren't even "enough." The gloss wears off pretty quickly. Then you are left with nothing but the daily grind, low pay, horrible hours, and no job security. At least there is a lot less competition for the woman than there is for a single EMS job.

How many guys do any of us know personally who ever retired from non-FD based EMS job? Medical retirement doesn't count. Even after nearly four decades in EMS, I still haven't run out of fingers on my first hand counting them. Hell, I probably wouldn't run out of fingers and toes just counting those who have spent ten years with the same employer.

In other words, your long term prospects for any kind of career satisfaction and/or longevity are minimal in EMS. And to have even those minimal prospects, you need to either have the very best educational preparation, and/or incredible luck. Preferably both.

That's not bitterness. That's reality. And even on Prozac, that's about as well as I can sugar-coat it.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Ok, maybe I'm not seeing it but how is this kid at age 18 a network analyst. Unless he's pretty damn smart then I don't know of many network analysts who are 18 and working for the DOD.

I'm curious as to what a 18 year old who's a network analyst is doing for the DOD and if he's that smart to be a network analyst already then why go to a big step DOWN into EMS when the sky is the limit in the DOD.

Maybe I'm not understanding what he is actually doing. Is it just a title and all he's doing is watching the computer screen and the job is a glorified computer operator with a neat nifty title?

Plus, why are multiple words in your post connectedtogether? Is it carelessness or something else?

Edited May 19, 2011 by Ruffems

[Dustdevil]

Plus, why are multiple words in your post connectedtogether? Is it carelessness or something else?

Now you know where the phrase, "close enough for government work" comes from.