emt to medic or fire?

[amg1322]

i am currently enrolled in EMT-b training. my long term goal is to be fire rescue. would you suggest going straight to the academy after EMT or doing my Medic first? any opinions or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!

 

[rescue1]

For Florida, I'd take firefighter first, there are still places that hire FF/EMTs, and then most will pay for your paramedic.

Worst case, no one hires you as an FF/EMT and you take your medic afterwards.

 

[med51fl]

I would say go medic first. Departments are in a higher need of paramedics and it is cheaper and faster to send you to fire school than medic school.

 

[NYMedic828]

9/10 times, the fire department job is harder to get. If said opportunity presents itself, take it.

 

[Ramis46]

In California, Most paid Services wont ever look at your application unless you have your paramedic.

 

[rescue1]

But in Florida, NO department will look at you without a Florida Firefighter certification. At least, none that I've ever seen.

 

[amg1322]

oh that i know for sure, i just don't know if its worth doing my medic and then fire or just doing my fire first and doing my medic later once i hopefully have been picked up.. any thoughts? or personal experiences? any insight on departments?

 

[rescue1]

Honestly, either could work. You get your FF first and you can start to apply to FDs, though you won't be as competitive. Or you can get your medic first and apply to private ambulance companies to pay the bills and get experience before you get your FF.

Worst case scenario (if you don't get hired with just one cert) it doesn't matter which you take first anyway.

 

[PVC]

Independently of the choice for studies you might take, I would suggest that you spend time watching firemen behavior when the cameras and photographers are not around. That way you can be sure that the work environment is one that agrees with you. If you go medic first you would always have something to fall back on if the firehouse environment is not agreeable with you.

 

[blachatch]

I am in the same spot as you, I decided to go from EMT right into medic as I was in the EMS mindset already. I will do my Fire Academy next year if i make it through medic schook.

 

[firemedic0227]

Here is my $.02, I went from EMT-B class straight into Paramedic class and I too am looking at the Fire Service as a firefighter/Paramedic. I didn't have any FD experience but I did have all my FF Certs through the Military. If you really want to go the FD route, enroll in paramedic school while applying for FD's because it's easier and cheaper to train someone to be a firefighter than it is to train someone to be a Firefighter then a Paramedic down the road so most departments will take you as a Paramedic and train you to be a firefighter and Paramedics are more apt to get a job faster than someone that has just EMT-B and no FF background. Find a small department (Volunteer/Part-time) gain some experience then apply for bigger departments. That's what my route has taken me and it's helped out greatly.

 

[amg1322]

i strayed a bit from my studies for personal reasons and am getting back on track and came across this thread that i had started. emt-b is now done and i was once again contemplating which route to take, but thanks for everyones advice so far. i'm looking into both medic classes and academy still, but i'm leaning towards medic first.
if anyone else has any opinions or stories of their own i would greatly appreciate it!