Job prospects and Career Path

[shauniedarko]

Hey all, I'm Shaun, I'll be starting my EMT-B training in a few weeks. This is the start of a second career for me (I'm 28 now). I've done a lot of reading and I'm hoping to maybe clear some things up.

After I finish my EMT-B training, I'll either stay where I am (in West Palm Beach, FL) for 6 months and then move to Seattle, or move to Seattle right away. Does anyone know what the prospects are of working in Seattle or the surrounding counties as an EMT-B? Do the FD's handle all the BLS calls? I know in King County they have Medic One which handles all the ALS calls, and that it's VERY difficult to get into their program.

I know that here in West Palm the Fire Rescue handles most of the emergency calls and AMR handles mostly transport, so the best prospects for a long-term career are with Fire-Rescue. Does anyone know anything about Washington state? Basically I've heard if you don't go fire in WA/Seattle, job prospect's aren't good.

Any help would be awesome.

Thanks y'all

Shaun

[chbare]

Shauniedarko, welcome to the city. I do not know about the Seattle area, however, most of the areas that I have seen are tight on EMS employment. If you are serious about a career in EMS, I would recommend you stay in school and complete paramedic. (Get a degree if possible.) Nothing against EMT's, however, I have found that newly minted EMT-B's have a hard time finding employment in many areas. Good luck and hope to meet you on the forums.

Take care,

chbare.

[shauniedarko]

I thought about doing that, but a lot of people told me to get EMT experience before going after paramedic, and some places won't even let you take paramedic classes without a couple years EMT experience.

**EDIT** And thanks for the welcome. You guys are awesome.

[paramedicmike]

If you're planning on going to Seattle and want to work for Medic1 it doesn't matter if you have your paramedic or not. If you survive their hiring process they send you to their own paramedic school regardless if you have an ALS background or not. Getting hired, however, is the tough part.

I believe, as far as BLS and transports go in the Seattle area it's AMR.

If you're looking to move to Washington State I suggest on waiting until you move there to go to paramedic school. A friend of mine is not trying to go through the reciprocity process and it is, to say the least, unreasonably impossible.

I suggest you do a search of these forums regarding EMT/Paramedic and the experience needed/desired/wanted between the two. Some people will say you need experience as a basic before P school. Others will say it's not needed. It's all been said before in these forums. Please do a search and find out what was said.

-be safe.

[Nate]

Dustdevil once pointed out something on this site...nurses are released at the RN level after being in school for two years and going in as a guy/girl off the street. I have seen paramedics that were long term EMT's prior to paramedic, and those that were truly green.

My point is that there are good and bad ones from both groups...it is what you choose to do with the classes, how much time/effort you put into the classes, and how you conduct yourself that will determine if you will be a good paramedic or not.

I do however suggest to most of the EMT's I work with that are going through EMT-I that they keep going and do not stop.

Nate