Hello all. I have seen a few posts requesting information on EMS and training in Hawaii and I remember also searching for info back in the day so I figured I would try to put some info out there for inquiring minds. If you have any other questions feel free to ask.
I just moved back to the mainland from Honolulu. I did my EMT training there and a month and a half on the road with City and County of Honolulu EMS.
They are a very progressive department but there is a lot of upheaval as of late because of the decision to merge with fire. They recognize EMT-B and Paramedic (MICT), not I/85. City and county does Oahu and AMR is the only private ambulance company, which picks up the slack for C&C and private transport. More importantly AMR has the contract for all of the outer islands, 911 and BLS.
City and county is hard to get on with not because of local preference but because reciprocity is difficult. You must have training which equals Hawaii standards, which is over 600 hours classroom and 240 hours clinicals for EMT-B. This is at Kapiolani Community College, the only EMT training on Oahu (20 credit 1 semester program), until the city started doing a paid training academy last year. Lots of debate over this bc KCC puts out some quality EMTs.
KCC also does the Paramedic program which if you sign a 2 year contract C&C will not only pay for your school but pay you full time salary while in school. So you go to class 3 (or 2?) days a weak and work the rest of your hours on the truck.
That being said, its not a bad gig. As a B you start around 40,000 a year but with required overtime you will make 60,000 to 80,000 or more. I don't know if this will hold true after the merge goes through. And you must also consider the cost of living. 40,000 in Hawaii is like 25,000 on the mainland.
With the merge and the new training academy it would be very hard as a B to get a job on Oahu and it is almost impossible to get a job on the outer islands with AMR. Paramedic may have an easier time.
If you are thinking about going there it is a wonderful place to live and work EMS, after all there is very little gun crime, no bad weather to contend with ( you will respond to some of the most famous beaches in the world). It is not without its challenges (if it were easy everyone would move there).
Hope this quells some your burning questions out there. Feel free to ask more!
Aloha!
I just moved back to the mainland from Honolulu. I did my EMT training there and a month and a half on the road with City and County of Honolulu EMS.
They are a very progressive department but there is a lot of upheaval as of late because of the decision to merge with fire. They recognize EMT-B and Paramedic (MICT), not I/85. City and county does Oahu and AMR is the only private ambulance company, which picks up the slack for C&C and private transport. More importantly AMR has the contract for all of the outer islands, 911 and BLS.
City and county is hard to get on with not because of local preference but because reciprocity is difficult. You must have training which equals Hawaii standards, which is over 600 hours classroom and 240 hours clinicals for EMT-B. This is at Kapiolani Community College, the only EMT training on Oahu (20 credit 1 semester program), until the city started doing a paid training academy last year. Lots of debate over this bc KCC puts out some quality EMTs.
KCC also does the Paramedic program which if you sign a 2 year contract C&C will not only pay for your school but pay you full time salary while in school. So you go to class 3 (or 2?) days a weak and work the rest of your hours on the truck.
That being said, its not a bad gig. As a B you start around 40,000 a year but with required overtime you will make 60,000 to 80,000 or more. I don't know if this will hold true after the merge goes through. And you must also consider the cost of living. 40,000 in Hawaii is like 25,000 on the mainland.
With the merge and the new training academy it would be very hard as a B to get a job on Oahu and it is almost impossible to get a job on the outer islands with AMR. Paramedic may have an easier time.
If you are thinking about going there it is a wonderful place to live and work EMS, after all there is very little gun crime, no bad weather to contend with ( you will respond to some of the most famous beaches in the world). It is not without its challenges (if it were easy everyone would move there).
Hope this quells some your burning questions out there. Feel free to ask more!
Aloha!
