EMS in Texas

[Bubba12253]

I'm graduating with a BS in Health Sciences and I have my EMT-B gettin my medic soon. I've lived in Florida all my life and I'm ready to move and see more of the world, that being said, how is ems employment in Texas? Better pay?

I'm leaning more towards Houston if anything.

 

[sweetpete]

Hey,

Houston's a great town to work in. Plenty of jobs for EMTs doing IFT, but there's alot of competition for the fire jobs. So, it depends on what you're looking for.

If you want to do 911, get your medic. If you are cool with IFT, EMT-B should be enough.

Pay's pretty good. Check out Craigslist to get an idea on the job situation.

Personally, I moved here from Ohio for a fire job and I LOVE IT!! It's amazing.

So, it just depends on what you're looking for.

Take care

 

[STXmedic]

Bubba,

Overall, Texas is great for EMS. While an EMT may struggle a little finding a job (not near as badly as some of the areas like Cali), but you should not have any problem finding a job as a medic. There are many very well paying systems with excellent protocols.

If you have an idea of what part of Texas you plan on moving to, we can help you even more.

P.s. You couldn't pay me enough to live in Houston

 

[Bubba12253]

I'm in my early 20's so I want a place that I can grow and be around a good crowd. I'd plan on being here until I apply to PA School. What's the average pay in the EMS world over in Texas? Hospital & 911?

 

[STXmedic]

I'm a huge fan of Austin for somebody young and active. I live in a suburb of San Antonio, which is nice also. Much lower cost of living than Austin, but not as much to do. A lot of great smaller cities in between SA and Austin, too.

If you're not opposed to Fire, you won't find pay and benefits better than SAFD. New Braunfels fire is also up there.

EMS only in that area: Austin-Travis Co and Williamson Co will pay 50s-60s, San Marcos- Hays Co and Schertz EMS will pay 40s. Acadian does primarily IFT, but some county 911, is in SA and Austin, and pay isn't bad. They'd be the only private in south Texas is recommend.

Others can chime in about the other areas of Texas; we've got active members from all parts of the Lone Star state

Edit: The UT Health Science Center in SA also has a pretty good PA program, if that's the path you want to go. Fairly cheap for Tx residents, too

 

[Doczilla]

Has anyone experienced or seen ETMC EMS? Are they medic only? They had a pretty compelling recruiting video

 

[xrsm002]

I did my rideouts with them when I lived in Waco they do hire medic/medic and medic/EMT trucks. They had nice equipment from what I remembered uniforms are a little like the 7 Up delivery trucks drivers though

 

[Bubba12253]

UT of SA is #18 is the country, if I could get in there I'd be beyond chipper!!
I'm strictly looking for EMS jobs, not fire, my focus is on getting my medic practicing for a good bit, and then going into PA school. I'd like to graduate and go directly into the ER which is a difficult path unless prior HCE, like EMS.

I assume the pay better then FL. Ambulance for medics top out at 12-14 an hour, and EMT's 10-11. If you work in a hospital you can make much more money 13 for an EMT, and 18 for a medic.

 

[STXmedic]

10-11 is pretty common for private emts here. For medics in the private systems, 14-16 is about average.

The er techs in SA don't make very much- typically 10-12 starting. I had a friend that kept her registration job at the ER after getting her medic, because she would have lost $2/hr at the same hospital. I don't know how the techs in Austin are paid, though.

 

[Bubba12253]

What's the typically apartment cost in your neck of the woods? Like a 1/1 or 2/1?

 

[STXmedic]

Obviously going to be a huge range depending on the area, but you can get a nice 2br in a good area for $1100 or so. $600-1k for a one bedroom; above that and you're starting to get ritzy.

 

[firecoins]

If it were so cheap where I live.

 

[Bubba12253]

obviously going to be a huge range depending on the area, but you can get a nice 2br in a good area for $1100 or so. $600-1k for a one bedroom; above that and you're starting to get ritzy.

thanks for all your help!!!

 

[txmedic07]

Looking to relocate to the DFW area and looking for a medic job. I found some valuable information on here but was wondering if there was any up to date information. One company I'm looking at is TLC EMS in Dallas. Any information would be appreciated.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Did my rideouts with ETMC-Tyler. Seemed to be a good service with fairly happy people. Most of their trucks are M/B with a few M/M trucks, at least on the 911 side.

Decent equipment too. Not the best protocols in the world, but still very very good considering what I have heard about some places in the US.

The only thing is those strange colored pants....... ^_^

 

[usalsfyre]

Looking to relocate to the DFW area and looking for a medic job. I found some valuable information on here but was wondering if there was any up to date information. One company I'm looking at is TLC EMS in Dallas. Any information would be appreciated.

Quick run down on DFW IFT, big players are AMR, Careflite, Lone Star, TLC and Guardian. There's a number of smaller outfits, some more reputable than others. Full disclosure, I work for one of the bigger companies in a management role. PM me for more info.

 

[usalsfyre]

Did my rideouts with ETMC-Tyler. Seemed to be a good service with fairly happy people. Most of their trucks are M/B with a few M/M trucks, at least on the 911 side.

Decent equipment too. Not the best protocols in the world, but still very very good considering what I have heard about some places in the US.

The only thing is those strange colored pants....... ^_^

ETMC is a pretty decent service for the most part. However, as a former patient of theirs I'm still appalled at the lack of pain management options they have available.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

ETMC is a pretty decent service for the most part. However, as a former patient of theirs I'm still appalled at the lack of pain management options they have available.

Yea I forgot to mention that.

Nubain just aint going to cut it. My sister was a patient of theirs at one point and she said the same thing.

There were so many times on rideouts where I just cringed for the patient because of the total lack of pain control.

 

[RocketMedic]

Yea I forgot to mention that.

Nubain just aint going to cut it. My sister was a patient of theirs at one point and she said the same thing.

There were so many times on rideouts where I just cringed for the patient because of the total lack of pain control.

Texas is one of those states where you've got a drastic variability in what services carry. A few miles away from those ETMC medics is a whole new set of protocols.

 

[lightsandsirens5]

Texas is one of those states where you've got a drastic variability in what services carry. A few miles away from those ETMC medics is a whole new set of protocols.

Maroon colored?