Best states for EMS?

[46Young]

Im going through the process with PWC as well as Fairfax right now, not very far into either though. Passed the CPAT for Fairfax last week and ill be taking it for PWC this weekend. ALS candidates who pass the CPAT will be able to take the polygraph the following day for PWC. I was amazed at the number of people who couldnt pass the CPAT. There were people that showed up to take it who were very fat and out of shape and obviously didnt prepare at all.

I dont have high hopes for Fairfax but it will be good to have my information in their system for future recruitment. I will be taking their written exam on Thursday, any idea whats on it? The PWC written was easy, im hoping that Fairfax uses a similar test.

Montgomery and Howard counties arent accepting applications right now but ill be checking in with them often.

Having my medic definitely helps, but im a white guy, thats going to work against me for sure. Such a shame.

It's crazy how many people fail the CPAT. It isn't anywhere near as physically demanding as what you 'll go through in the academy, let alone in a real fire. It's like these people just woke up one morning and out of the blue said, "Gee, I'd like to be a firefighter today."

Firehouse.com has a Fairfax County hiring thread. Matter of fact, FH.com has hiring threads for all the surrounding areas as well.

 

[46Young]

Hey Jon, you don't work for Suburban EMS, do you? One of my old partners from NY works there, at some station near exit 71 off of rt 78.

Edit: Palmer Township

 

[46Young]

how do i start a thread?

I think you need ten posts or some similar number before you can start threads.

It's there for a reason - to prevent spambots, especially ones that use target marketing or phishing. Some of these are hyperlinks intended to boost search engine ranking.

 

[Slinky]

All jokes aside, the Boise area of Idaho is great. I used to work for Ada County Paramedics and it is an awesome place to work. Starting salary (without experience) is the low 40s but the cost of living is very reasonable. Protocols are progressive with almost everything you could imagine (subclavian/IJ/femoral central lines were recently removed in favor of IO, but we didn't do many central lines each year anyways). Medical direction is very paramedic friendly and the focus is always on learning and improving.

Oh, and EMS anywhere is certainly not EMS everywhere, as was mentioned earlier. I have seen Boise FD's version of EMS (paramedic level), and it is taking a blood pressure and getting a name.

 

[Fish]

I used to work as a Medic in California, and it is horrible for Medics as far as Pay, Protocols, Treatment. Weather is not worth barely paying your bills.

Texas, North Carolina, Delaware in my opinion are the best states for EMS, pay, protocols, and actual competency of Medics are A LOT higher in those states.

 

[NomadicMedic]

If you're thinking about Delaware, I'd highly encourage you to come visit Sussex County and spend a day riding with one of our crews. It's a very different kind of system and certainly not for everyone.

However, if you want to do prehospital medicine in a fast paced, progressive (compared to most of the east coast) provider focused system that values education and job satisfaction among the medics... Then this is a place you should investigate. I found it by accident, and it's the best move I've made.


Sent from my iPhone.

 

[atropine]

I used to work as a Medic in California, and it is horrible for Medics as far as Pay, Protocols, Treatment. Weather is not worth barely paying your bills.

What are you talking about all the medics in my department are able to pay their bills

 

[Shishkabob]

What are you talking about all the medics in my department are able to pay their bills

Those aren't Paramedics, those are firefighters with a Paramedic certification.


And by God, they'll let you know that.

 

[Fish]

Those aren't Paramedics, those are firefighters with a Paramedic certification.


And by God, they'll let you know that.

hahaha

 

[46Young]

Those aren't Paramedics, those are firefighters with a Paramedic certification.


And by God, they'll let you know that.

It's sad that many departments make the P-card a de facto requirement to get hired. I's also sad that most others will only see a decent salary and benefits if they sell out and leave their single role EMS job and instead do their EMS through a FD (what I did).

If EMS had a real, attainable career ladder, and a better salary (four years in for me, 80k+/yr base, promotion already), I probably never would have even looked to work anywhere else than my previous hospital based EMS job, or perhaps even the county ALS 911 job in Charleston.

 

[46Young]

I used to work as a Medic in California, and it is horrible for Medics as far as Pay, Protocols, Treatment. Weather is not worth barely paying your bills.

What are you talking about all the medics in my department are able to pay their bills

Did you get laid off from your FD job? IIRC, you referred to that gig in past tense recently.

 

[Fish]

Did you get laid off from your FD job? IIRC, you referred to that gig in past tense recently.

Me? I moved away from Ca for work, Texas pays EMS professionals what they should be paid with a proper retirement and promotional ladder. Well, the City and County based services do. I do not have experience with the Privates out here.

I made $10.91 an hr as a Medic in CA, my retirement was a 401k with a 3% matching. :wacko:

 

[46Young]

Me? I moved away from Ca for work, Texas pays EMS professionals what they should be paid with a proper retirement and promotional ladder. Well, the City and County based services do. I do not have experience with the Privates out here.

I made $10.91 an hr as a Medic in CA, my retirement was a 401k with a 3% matching. :wacko:

That came out wrong; I was addressing atropine, but that sounds about right - Texas is one of the only states that pays EMS a decent wage.

 

[IRIDEZX6R]

Me? I moved away from Ca for work, Texas pays EMS professionals what they should be paid with a proper retirement and promotional ladder. Well, the City and County based services do. I do not have experience with the Privates out here.

I made $10.91 an hr as a Medic in CA, my retirement was a 401k with a 3% matching. :wacko:

what are you making outside CA?

 

[Fish]

what are you making outside CA?

Our starting Base is around 54k, with OT Medics make between 60-75K as single role Medics. And compared to Cost of living of where I used to live I would have to make 44% more than my 54k base here to be comprable.

 

[Fish]

what are you making outside CA?

And as far as retirement, it is 7% before texas, with a 250% MATCH. And that account gains 7% interest per year.

 

[Jon]

Hey Jon, you don't work for Suburban EMS, do you? One of my old partners from NY works there, at some station near exit 71 off of rt 78.

Edit: Palmer Township

Nope - Thought about applying to a few squads up there at one time, though.
Now it looks like I might be headed south.

 

[bcemr]

I left CA in March and couldn't be happier. Sure the sun is nice, but I find not much else is. I lived there 7 years and am glad to trade the sun for sanity.

 

[hoss42141]

I still say that KY isn't that bad. Cost of living isn't sky high, and pay is pretty good. I mean some places start out medics at 14.00+ and emt's at 10.00+

 

[wolfwyndd]

Here you are:

[snip]
Ohio
[snip]
LOL

Ohio needs to be a lot closer to the top.

I've lived in Ohio for about 10 years now and the FF/EMT jobs are pretty few and far between. When one does appear, there's (almost) a riot with the applicants to get it. Dayton, technically, you don't have to be certified in anything, they'll pay for your training. In reality, there are so many applicants that are already FF 240 and paramedic certified and licensed that unless you're both AND have experience, you can pretty much forget it. Same deal with Columbus and Springfield, OH. Unless you're already FF level II AND paramedic, you can pretty much forget about getting on. Don't know about the Cleveland area but I would assume it's pretty much the same way.

The good news with Ohio is that it is a National Registry state. You take the NREMT test for Basic and Paramedic and you automatically get your state license.