EMT-B Expectations

[Trek7553]

I have recently applied to an EMT-B program through a hospital EMS education program. Please could those with experience confirm if I am applying for the right reasons?

I am employed full-time and don't plan on quitting anytime soon. I hope to volunteer or work part-time either with a SAR group or on an ambulance just evenings and weekends.

In the EMT course, I expect to learn the equivalent of advanced first aid. I expect the majority of calls to be the elderly or young children where I will mostly be a calming presence and providing basic care. I don't expect to be "saving lives" or even going to dramatic vehicle accidents the majority of the time.

Outside of work, I expect my skills as an EMT to equip me to respond appropriately to minor medical emergencies that I encounter. Again, I don't expect to be saving lives, but if a friend gashes open their leg or something, I want to at least know the best way to respond until an ambulance shows up. Even if I don't do any formal work as an EMT, I don't expect the training to have been a waste. I hope to learn how to remain calm during chaos and also find out if EMS is a good career for me.

If I love it I may consider applying for a paramedic license and/or becoming a firefighter.

Any advice or insight would be great!

 

[Aprz]

Well, if that's true, yeh, it's the right career for you. I get a very strong feeling though that you are just saying what you think other people want to hear, especially with your last statement, "If I love it I may consider... becoming a firefighter." In my opinion, too many people use EMS as a stepping stone to get into the fire department for the pay and benefits, and just because of how cool firefighters look.

 

[Trek7553]

Thanks for the reply. I don't know what people want to hear, I'm just being honest.

If I love EMS, I would become a firefighter so that I could continue doing EMS work with higher pay. I have no problem admitting that money is the driving force there. I plan to have kids within a few years and I want to be able to provide for my family more than I could as an EMT-B.

 

[bahnrokt]

Just because you find EMS an interesting field doesnt mean you have to take a vow of poverty. For my agency which is a smaller suburban/rural community the typical calls are as follows:

35% Grandma/Grandpa Doesnt feel good.
20% Legit Medical Emergencies. Codes, stroke, seizures, various forms of shock.
10% MVAs with non life threatening injuries.
10% Bad MVAs
10% Juvenile trauma bike accidents, feel out of a tree, sports injury etc.
5% Assaults, Domestics and other drunks/druggies in police custody.
5% Standby. Fire rehab, sporting events, townline.
5% WTF? MCI Bus crash, Skydiver vs Barn, Prisoner accidentally maliciously falls out of a moving patrol car, ice fisherman goes swimming etc.

 

[Aprz]

Just maked me suspicious that you are more interested in fire, not EMS, and that you are telling us answers we want to hear, not being honest with yourself. If you are being honest, that's cool, but you know what they say when things seem too good to be true. I think your post is awkward, I don't see a real point to it other than for being praised for recognizing it's not like the movies.

 

[rescue1]

You can't blame someone for wanting to make money and work in EMS. Assuming fire isn't the only show in town (which it often is), it still usually pays better, has better benefits, and better promotional opportunities.
And there are plenty of good fire-based EMS systems out there, just as there are bad private or 3rd service ones.

Trek7553, are you in an area with a volunteer ambulance service? The only way to determine if you like EMS is to go out and do it, in my experience.

 

[Lfd128]

You can't blame someone for wanting to make money and work in EMS. Assuming fire isn't the only show in town (which it often is), it still usually pays better, has better benefits, and better promotional opportunities.
And there are plenty of good fire-based EMS systems out there, just as there are bad private or 3rd service ones.

Trek7553, are you in an area with a volunteer ambulance service? The only way to determine if you like EMS is to go out and do it, in my experience.

I volunteer my services as emt as well as getting paid for it. My volly paid for my card and gave me experience. If you want to do fire as well go through a volly first before you plan your financial future around a calling that fails. Speaking from experience no fires for me any more!

 

[Trek7553]

I really appreciate the insight that most of you provided.

I don't know what it's like. Obviously it's not like the movies (that should be a given...), so I appreciate the rough breakdown that bahnrokt provided. That is exactly what I was looking for.

I'm not more interested in fire; I'm interested in EMS. If I love EMS and decide to give up my IT career, I MIGHT pursue fire as a way to do EMS and pay the bills.

Aprz, I'm sorry you find my post to be suspicious and awkward. I don't stand to gain anything from lying to you or anyone else on here. Praise from strangers on the internet doesn't mean a ton to me and that's not what I'm going for. I just want to know if I have the right motivations or if I will be disappointed once I start.

Rescue1 - There is only one volunteer ambulance in my area and it's a bit of a drive for me. I may look into that, and I'll also look into part-time paid positions (if there are any). I hope my EMT instructors can also provide suggestions once class starts.

Thanks to all who replied!

 

[rescue1]

I volunteer my services as emt as well as getting paid for it. My volly paid for my card and gave me experience. If you want to do fire as well go through a volly first before you plan your financial future around a calling that fails. Speaking from experience no fires for me any more!

I agree. While I was defending aspects of fire based EMS, no one should become a firefighter (much like no one should become a paramedic) if they hate it, and volunteering is usually the best way to figure out if it is for you.

And when I said "get paid", I meant get paid well. I'm not sure how things work in your neck of the woods, but in many places the pay difference between firefighter/medics and single role medics can be very large.

In Maryland, as a 911 medic you could make $42k starting in the county I volunteered in. Two counties away, you would make $48k as a firefighter/EMT, and something like $52k starting as a firefighter/paramedic.

 

[rescue1]

Rescue1 - There is only one volunteer ambulance in my area and it's a bit of a drive for me. I may look into that, and I'll also look into part-time paid positions (if there are any). I hope my EMT instructors can also provide suggestions once class starts.

Thanks to all who replied!

Paid positions are hard to come by at the basic level if you have no experience, but it can't hurt to try. I would recommend volunteering, even if it's just a few times a month, if you can't get your paid job soon.

 

[Lfd128]

I agree. While I was defending aspects of fire based EMS, no one should become a firefighter (much like no one should become a paramedic) if they hate it, and volunteering is usually the best way to figure out if it is for you.

And when I said "get paid", I meant get paid well. I'm not sure how things work in your neck of the woods, but in many places the pay difference between firefighter/medics and single role medics can be very large.

In Maryland, as a 911 medic you could make $42k starting in the county I volunteered in. Two counties away, you would make $48k as a firefighter/EMT, and something like $52k starting as a firefighter/paramedic.

I agree with that 100%. There can be huge differences in pay. I'm suggesting that a volunteer agency would be a great way to get a feel for
The job before making a huge investment that may not work out. In the end you need to do what's right for you.