15- First responder
16- EMT/junior firefighter
18- Promoted to volunteer EMS lieutenant on my 18th birthday; EMT-Intermediate that spring (same week I graduated high school); BLS supervisor on paid service after everyone above me in seniority quit. At the end of the year I moved to working for my medical director as a quality control officer and supervisor at a service he was having problems with.
19- Volunteer EMS Captain
20- Burned out the first time; went into military and became a respiratory therapist/echocardiographer
Started at 31 1/2. Will finish EMT-B a month before I turn 32. From there, I'll go on to EMT-P, possibly RN (though some still think med school is an option...)