Big Bucks for Basics

[sassy_emt]

prpgfirerescuetech....you said about the wages around Allegheny General in pitsburgh being higher.....I am from just north of you and if you are lucky an EMTB will start out at 7.75/hr.....not very good benefits and have to fight sometimes to stay on the trucks constanlty because you are at the bottom of the pole an run paratrnsit most of your time.....i know of EMTs in your area working with two companies just to make ends meet......... i have been fortunate to find company that pays a little higher but as long as I am on the truck and working with my patients I am a happy girl.....

I do agree though that around here the pay does need to be higher......

cheryl

[Dustdevil]

EMS Professionals need to rise up and demand decent pay.

There aren't that many true "professionals" in EMS, so their numbers aren't significant enough to hold clout.

The vast majority of those in EMS are just labourers with a little technical training. That being the case, most are earning about what they are worth, if not more.

Once the majority of EMS professionals are actually professionally educated, and not easily replaced by the next three-week long training course grads, they will actually command fair pay.

[spenac]

There aren't that many true "professionals" in EMS

[Lone Star]

Unfortunately, the IRS and your state (if applicable) will ensure that rather than saying "I made just over 35K last year.', you will feel the reality of the bite of taxes. If you have to take comfort in the 'higher number' in this, then you're going to be sadly disappointed with this career field as a 'wealth maker'!

I'd rather look at it as "I made just under 36 grand this year" over "I made 5 grand this year".

[Lucky~13]

huh?

[Lone Star]

huh?

In a nutshell,

I hope you ain't lookin to get rich working EMS, no matter how you 'look at it' to ease the painful truth!

[Astro-Aaron]

I work in Oklahoma City for a private company. Im a EMT-B/Security Officer and I started out at $11.50/hr. But that is with a 3% raise each year and very poor benefits.

[csr]

I post in the Security Officer forums at SecurityInfoWatch and we have the same discussions/arguments over low pay vs training/professionalism. Everybody wants higher standards and higher pay but the reality is the owners of the companies who do the hiring aren't going to do more than is necessary to make a profit.

[WeHoEMT]

Don't expect sympathy from EMT companies in Los Angeles for the cost of living. Gerber pays $8.25 an hour, McCormick a little more. The way I see it I'm actually paying Gerber to work for them (debt, interest, gas!). Oh, and forget about benefits.

[jfulton50]

Back in the 70's the going rate was right at 1000/mo for EMT's in Tulsa.