being on 2 depts

[rescue123]

how many of you are on 2 different depts and working a full time job.

any thoughs

[medicgirl05]

I work a full time and a part time job. My advise is this-always put your full time job first. If you feel yourself getting stressed or burned out cut back on the hours of your part time job. Your full time job is your bread and butter, appreciate that.

[MetalMedic]

I work both a Volley and Paid Service as well as assist in teaching new EMS students. I love both services as they are two different animals.

The volley service we are both R1 and R5 so we control the scene over the FD when it comes to PT care. We also have a Paramedic that comes from the hospital when needed (most of the time dispatched at the same time we are). It's nice to be able to go in and take over the scene and be able to have the story in full from start to finish. I usually do about 24 hours a month +/- and started that once I was certified.

The paid service has two primary towns we work in where in the FD's have control of the scene and usually have paramedics at scene pta- generally we are transport unit, unless the call is downgraded. In the paid service it's kind of nice to have someone else control the scene and give report to us if it's downgraded. Most of the time we don't have to worry about calling a paramedic as they are already on scene. We also get to do "cool" calls such as Air Ambulance transport assists, picking up PT's from the airport with TacAir, riding with the Childrens Hospital Teams, etc. It's a wider range of calls in general. I work full time at about 48-60 hours a week.

The assistant teaching is a "when ever" job and is through one of the Level 1 Trauma Hospitals here in the state. Normally I teach about 2-4 times a month. It also offers other opportunities such as assisting with NREMT practical exams and standby's for Marathons and other planned MCI's.

Over all I enjoy EMS more than any other job I've had. There are pro's and con's with working with each type of service. It's just a matter of finding if you prefer one over the other or if you like doing both.

And the above poster is correct, if you find yourself getting burnt out, take a break from the part time job.

A lot of the people I work with at the paid service also ride on the FD's in our primary service areas. I find that there is a lot of people who work several paid/volunteer non-commerical services in EMS as well as one paid service because they are so different... and it's a good way to keep up your skills and to keep yourself on your toes.

Does that help at all?

-MetalMedic

Edited April 11, 2012 by MetalMedic

[Richard B the EMT]

I was with Peninsula Volunteer Ambulance Corps (Rockaway Beach, Queens County, NY) from it's opening in 1973 to it's closure in 1996, overlapping through 5 different non 9-1-1 ambulance services from 1975 through 1985, and then municipal service with NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation EMS, and the merger of EMS into the FDNY, from 1985 through 2010.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Richard B the EMT

[mikeymedic1984]

I always say, if you got a job that paid you to have sex 100 hours per week, sooner or later you would get tired of having sex. Be careful about doing the same job at a ridiculous amount of hours, you will get burned out. Instead of increasing income, try to reduce expense, the 2 job thing is a trap that is hard to get free from.

[Just Plain Ruff]

Why not do this. Work one EMS job and another job that is NOT EMS. What a concept. I'll bet dollars to doughnuts that the non-ems job might just pay more.