Big Bucks for Basics

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

I thought some might get a kick out of this.....A couple of the paramedics at work complain constantly about what they make per hour. Most of them start out at 14/15.00 an hour. The other night my partner was whinning to the ER staff about what he makes, I finally, fed up, turned to him and said, I make $8.75 an hour, and they gave me the .75 cents as bonus for being an EMT for 18 years!!!

good luck to all with the money problems, but in the commonwealth of PA we dont make crap.

You would if you moved closer to a major city. There are basics making twice what you are near Philly, Pittsburg, and in the area of Allegany General, and Harrisburg. the between areas are much different.

PRPG

[Dustdevil]

Dust- Don't know why noone has called you on this.... maybe all are too tired to do the math..... but you are way off... 9.50 a day X 40 hours a week X 52 weeks = 19,760 dollars.

Well, you worried me for a moment there. Just long enough to recalculate the numbers. I stand by my figures.

$9.50 x 24 hours = $228.00

$228.00 x 10 shifts per month = $2280.00

$2280.00 per month x 12 months = $27,360.00 per year before overtime or benefits.

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

Well, you worried me for a moment there. Just long enough to recalculate the numbers. I stand by my figures.

$9.50 x 24 hours = $228.00

$228.00 x 10 shifts per month = $2280.00

$2280.00 per month x 12 months = $27,360.00 per year before overtime or benefits.

where are you getting ten shifts a month?

should be 8...9 at most...right?

[Ridryder 911]

Most Kelly shifts (24/24 or 24/48 ) are usually 10 days a month....

R/r 911

[Dustdevil]

Just rough approximation, thus the rounding. I never claimed to be supplying authoritative standards to satisfy the Dept. of Labour or anything. Sheesh, guys!

Thirty days a month. One shift every third day. Ten shifts a month. Rough math. The way we have been approximating it for the last 30 something years. Don't get all testicalogical on me. :roll:

[cosgrojo]

Most Kelly shifts (24/24 or 24/48 ) are usually 10 days a month....

R/r 911

Never heard of such a shift... We are based on a 40 hour work week.... I believe standard across the professional (for lack of another term ) board. That is a lot of hours to make standard. If you say that's how it works in Nova Scotia, Dust.... I guess I believe ya'. 8)

[Ridryder 911]

Ironic there is only 1 EMS in my state (200 services) that I am aware of that works a 40 hr shift.(8 hr shifts, few of the hospital based left) In fact, very few here even works 12 hr. Most EMS work the Kelly shift, like the F.D. either 24 on 48 off or 24 on 24/off for 3 shifts then4 days off..= 10 shifts a month.

These shifts are VERY common in Midwestern parts..

R/r 911

[cosgrojo]

Consider me suitably educated on the shift patterns of the mid-west.

[Dustdevil]

Yeah, almost every FD in the country I am aware of operates like this. How else would you work it?

And if you worked it any differently, it would negate the value of doing 24's in the first place, lol!

[Katiebug]

In Memphis BLS services start out at 9-10 bucks an hour. If you want to make a decent living you can try to get on the FD, but your chances are about 1 in 2000. Even if you do, you have to split your time between the ambo and pumper because all ff have to be EMT certified.

Paramedics have a better than 50/50 chance of being hired on the fd and spend 99.9% of their time on the ambulance. Almost all trauma calls are routed through the FD so the pm's run their arses off while the ff play x box. That also means that almost all private does here is transports.

I don't know what private pays pms here, but the fd starts out at 45,000 /yr + OT and benifits. Max out at 60,000. The shift is 24, off, 24, off, 24, four days off.

I'm taking a 2.50 pay cut to run transports until this time next year when I graduate pm training. It's a sad state of affairs when I take a pay cut to leave Home Depot to make sure someones beloved grandmother stays alive from point a to point b. I want job satisfaction though, so I'll take the cut.

This time next year I'll be a fd paramedic and making well above average income for the area. I'm just sorry no one offers that kind of pay and bennies in the private sector.