Medic to Firefigther is a promotion in FDNY???

bryncvp

bryncvp

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I know some of you guys out there are in the FDNY...why is it a promotion to go from Medic to FF?? I mean I know they are different jobs...but why arent they viewed as equal or part of the same job? In RI, most FF have to be EMT-B's at least but arent viewed as one being below the other...as far as I know.

Am just curious.
 
I am only speculating here but this could be purely from a salary/benefits point of view.

In the FDNY, Paramedics start at 43k and max out at 59k while firefighters start at 43k and max out at 99k. Yes...$99,104. Paramedics can retire in 25 years while Firefighters can retire in 20 years. Am sure there are other things that can be listed but those 2 items alone I feel are fairly significant.
 
Because a certain group of EMS personnel think it's below them, or stupid, to do EMS.


Let them get "promoted" to FF. I don't want someone who doesn't want to do medicine have access to 60+ drugs and the ability to kill me be in charge of my care.
 
Lets see....

1. Better pay
2. Better benefits
3. Better retirement
2. No posting

Hmmmm...Seems like a promotion to me.
 
A little history:

FDNY EMS was originally NYC EMS, under NYC HHC. They were their own entity. They were happy. They had great equipment, decent pay, and good working conditions. Then, FDNY absorbed them in 1996 (I think). They've cannabilized EMS, and have allocated the lion's share of funding to the suppression side. FDNY EMS was made the victim of having an expired contract for many years stuck at the same pay/benefits, having to work with substandard equipment in various states of disrepair, and increasingly deplorable working working conditions - copious mandatory OT, taking away of paid time off as punitive measures, numerous unneccesary NOI's (notice of infraction), welfare wages to name a few.

FDNY EMS didn't even have uniform status and a real union (local 2507) until just a few years ago, and were finally able to negotiate a new contract. To make matters worse, as they were working in these substandard conditions, they saw us in the NYC 911 prehospital participating provider business enjoying great pay, benefits, working conditions, etc.

On top of that, FDNY more or less got along with EMS prior to the merger. For one, post merger, the engines became CFR, and now had to go on higher priority EMS jobs. The fire culture is that EMS are mutts, an inferior class of people, and don't deserve to have "FDNY" on their sleeve, as it's brings a bad image to the FDNY. The interesting thing is that FDNY doesn't have this attitude towards hospital EMS, just their own. We wctually got along well with fire.

What's more, NYC is one of many places that have become militant with quota hiring at the expense of merit, as in the most qualified for the job. One of the mechanisms created to advance the quota hiring agenda is the FDNY EMS to FF promotion. There are many more minorities in EMS than FDNY. If you "backdoor" your way onto the FDNY FF hiring list, you're given a number on the list that's above anyone on the competitive list. You're chosen first, above everyone else.

CA&O3 hit the nail on the head. As a FF you work a 24/72, have great benefits, a 20 yr retirement, a liveable wage, a better career ladder, no street posting, and you get to enjoy firehouse life. To boot, if you like EMS, you can still per diem at a hospital with all that time off. It's an apples to oranges promotion, but can be viewed as a promotion nonetheless.

Edit: I decided to promote myself and take the FF/medic positon in VA. I've got the best of both worlds, as I see it.

Two websites for reference and entertainmant:

http://www.afscme2507.org/

http://www.fdnyemswebsite.com/

Also, check on firehouse.com. There are several threads on the EMS to FF promotion. It'll explain a lot.
 
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Just read some of that stuff....let me be clear by saying that I am NOT looking to move to NYC to take a job. I was just overheard some of the guys in my EMS class talking about it and was curious.

Sounds like a lot of people are down about working in the FDNY on the thread either as a FF or an EMT/medic. Granted, that thread was started a few years ago, but a lot of them are saying..and I am paraphrasing...'dont be dumb..go somewhere else where you can afford to live and buy a house'. Is it that bad there or are they over exaggerating??
 
Unfortunately, the part about the high cost of living in New York City is true. For example, if you examine the average cost of rent for a 1 bedroom apartment outside of Manhattan, it is common to see them start as high as $1000 a month. This in itself may also be an indication of how expensive goods and services may cost in that area as well.
 
Oh yeah I am aware..I use to live in Queens and worked at St John's...I judge the cost of living by the 'beer' factor....how much does it cost for 1 beer in a bar..when I lived there..it was 8+ bucks for a Coors Light....ugh.
 
bryncvp said:
Granted, that thread was started a few years ago, but a lot of them are saying..and I am paraphrasing...'dont be dumb..go somewhere else where you can afford to live and buy a house'. Is it that bad there or are they over exaggerating??
Click to expand...

Yes, it is that bad. That's why I left. Making 70k a year doesn't get you much. Not when a house is 400-600k in a somewhat desireable area, a 2BR apt goes for 1500-1900/month, 1BR 1100-1500. City tax, sky high car insurance, high cost for everythng, really. I wanted to be able to afford a decent home, then another to rent out, and also have a generous retirement. It's working out quite well so far.

NYC is a good place to be from, but you can't enjoy a high standard of living unless you work two FT jobs, while your spouse also works FT, while someone else raises your kids.
 
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