Promotional Problem?

[AZFF/EMT]

Right now I am torn about what to do with a promotional opportunity. I am currently a 2 year Fire medic with a small fire district. We have 2 eng co's, 1 lad co and a squad co. along with 7 ALS rescue ambulances.

My current rotation is around 50% engine time and 50% rescue time.

We are testing for engineer again next week, which would mean if I got promoted I would no longer be on a rescue therefore getting a lot less patient contact time and a lot less experience actually treating patients because usually the engine/ladder co. initiates treatment and the rescue medic does the als and of course transport. I have only been a medic for 6 months and I feel i will be cheating myself if I never work on a rescue again. But I scored #1 on the written and I am being pressured by BC's and captains to take part in the practical and oral portion coming up.

We have several guys who try to race to the top of ladder and promote so early that they are really lacking treatment skills and also have not gained much firefighting experience to be in a leadership position. I do not want to be one of those guys. I love the firefighting aspect of my job as well and by becoming an engineer right now would also mean no more first due structure fires on the nozzel, no more car/debris/brush fires on the nozzel as well.

This is more of a rant but if anyone has words of advice or similar experiences fire away.

 

[rescue99]

No guarantees you'll get it it the end and I assume there's aways a way to politely turn it down later....after giving it much thought of course :>) I can see so many ways this could pan out. The experience of testing for a promotion is always a plus.

 

[medic417]

This is another reason people should be allowed to be medical professionals, or fire professionals. By requiring both people end up doing what they don't want and patients ultimately suffer. I hope that if your desire is to be a medical professional you will do what you need to make that your focus.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

If you want to be a paramedic, go work for a department that doesn't make your title a rung on the promotional ladder underneath firefighter. If you want to be an engineer, then do that, but be prepared to leave EMS behind. If you want to be right where you are now, then stay right where you are now. But you have to decide what exactly it is you want to do. Nobody here can make that choice for you.

 

[AZFF/EMT]

Thank you guys. Paramedic and engineer are basically the same on the rung. I love both ems and firefighting so for now I think I will stay a firefighter/paramedic and some timedown the road when the opportunity arises for captain's positions I will focus on that. The most disturbing thing for me is when company officers have less experience fighting fire, and are very shaky with their ems skills. This is usually a problem with small dept's that are growing fast.

 

[AlphaButch]

Have you talked to your superiors about your concerns? Would it be possible to keep your 50/50 rotation or whatever percentage would make you happy? Maybe they moved all the prior guys over to mainly fire after their promotions because those guys wanted to go fire. This is an issue to address with your command.

From experience, turning down a promotion = bad, it may not come again or may be many years down the road. Command may lock you in because mentally they believe that you don't or can't handle the promotion as you've turned it down once already. Taking a promotion and adapting to fit your workstyle and skillset isn't as bad and sometimes can turn out darn good.

I would discuss it with a superior I trust after I do a quick career goal assessment.

 

[46Young]

Can you work for a third service EMS only provider part time in your area to keep your skills sharp?

 

[SES4]

Can you work for a third service EMS only provider part time in your area to keep your skills sharp?

My exact question. If you can do this than why not take the oral and practical portions of the Engineer test. It never hurts, and even if you do not end up getting the promotion it will still positively impact how the higher ups view you as well as give you valuable promotional exam experience. All positive things in my book!

 

[Flight-LP]

You can't have your cake and eat it too.

Either you want to be a medic or a firefighter. You cannot be successful as both within the same department, despite the opinions that it can be done. It sounds to me as you want the promotion. Go for it and work as a medic elsewhere.

 

[46Young]

One caveat with working as a medic elsewhere - if your fire career requires you to have medic status as a condition of continued employment, having your P-card pulled for a clinical error at your side job could cause you to lose your position within the FD as well. Be careful.

 

[8jimi8]

My question, why did you take the test if you are happy where you are at?

Sounds like you already made your decision, but i would second the idea to talk it over with a trusted superior, but to also see if there is some way to keep your 50/50 rotations. I never understood why anyone wanted to be an engineer... lol but i don't even care to fight fire. i volunteer with the fd just for the 80% medical calls hehe. You should have seen their jaws drop in the interview when i said i didn't think that i would ever want to rush into a burning building.


:shock: "MAN THAT'S THE JUICE!!" ... lol juice away brotha, i'll be here in the rehab with some O2 for ya...

 

[AZFF/EMT]

No way to continue a 50/50 schedule as an engineer. You are the driver all time.
I took the test because of pressure to do so from capt and bc, I feel I am pretty good at the job, and I can do the math with anyone, but doing it everyday isn't what I am looking for right now in my career, I still need to fight more fire before I move on. And as an engineer you don't get to fight fire unless 3rd or maybe 4th due engine, and that is usually overhaul. I like being a move-up and driving every once in a while. I love firefighting and ems equally. We get ems everyday but not fire so I always crave more fire duty.

Also working for a private agency around here isn't really ems like I am used to. I do work part time on a IFT rig and it's interesting, but not exciting at all. I am actually about to start working part time for another fire dept on an engine, so maybe if the PT gig works out good I will reconsider testing at my career job in a year or 2.

I just like hearing other's point of views or experience.