some feedback about leaving one vollie for another

[emt seeking first job]

I have posted this before.

The vollie I had wanted to join, better structured, funded and staffed, is not taking people until this fall.

For experience, I joined another one, operating on a shoestring, having been closed off an on in the past.

I like the President, he is hands on, his heart is in the righ place. Virtually all the other 'veterans' of the service are inactive of serve administrativly, many have no emt cert.

There are only two days of the week for now, there are not enough crew chiefs and too many 'observers' to get any real experience. One of the crew chiefs is very experienced, however, sort of a 'tude', he sort of makes his own rules, knowing he can, because the service needs him to be able to run an ambulance...he gets away with a lot. It influences the others in the service.

I just keep my ears and eyes open and my mouth shut.

I am torn because the President, recently voted in, is trying to turn the place around, yet, it is not going to happen overnight, it might take a year or two to get more people up to crew chief and have this service operate every day.

I really can not wait. But I go in when they schedule me so I get SOME experieince.

I am going to apply to the other one in the fall, if they accept me, I will tell the President that I need more opportunity to ride and the structure of the other service to develop my career.

This post is sort of thinking aloud, and maybe comments, good, bad, sarcastic or indifferent may prompt me how to handle this in the best possible way.

 

[94H]

Do you have the time/energy to do both?

Its an option, double your experience and if the other one turns around you wont regret leaving

 

[emt seeking first job]

Thank you for your reply.

I thought about that. However, I found out there is friction between the two. They border each other. The one I am with is accusing the other of buffing calls in their area and actually trying to take them over.

The one I am with, its starting to get to me now.

There is one guy that drives lights and sirens and weaves through traffic when not on a call.

There is a lot of needless horesplay.

A lot of time is wasted using the bus to go on errands and pick up/drop off members who live in other areas.

One crew chief is good technically, but very arrogant, it affects the others, and gets away with it because if it were not for him, there would be no buses on the road.

The place is only open for service 2-3 nights a week. Its not as if they cant eff around on theor own time....

The veterans are not interested in running the buses. They just want to admin.

The few females that are in the service rarely show up. A few of the dudes get way too vulgar sometimes.

I am the noobie. Rather than speak up, and try to affect a change, I am thinking now just quietly and diplomatically bowing out and trying the other service.

 

[reaper]

Then leave. You are under no obligation to them. If they do not practice how you feel it should be, then walk away.

 

[emt seeking first job]

I am now leaning towards just leaving, I am 98 % certain, its just that:

1) they are physically closer

2) I like the President, I like some of the members that ride the buses also, but they are influenced by some of the obnoxious people....and there is often no self-discipline, they will take the bus to go shopping or something, like they volunteer 10-15 hours a week, and that os the ONLY effin time to go grocery shopping...and that makes us miss calls, that are buffed anyway....or potentially increases response time if we actually get a call for service....

I am likely to leave, but, once your 'with' something, there is a human tendancy to want to stick with it...

 

[94H]

Just leave

your not gaining any experience (which it seems you want) by being there

Your not a CC or a driver from what I can tell. If your just riding as a third then they wont miss you

 

[emt seeking first job]

Just leave

your not gaining any experience (which it seems you want) by being there

Your not a CC or a driver from what I can tell. If your just riding as a third then they wont miss you

That is what I think in my head, however, in my heart, the President is trying to turn the place around, most of the people would be more disciplined if the leadership cracked down more on behavior in the field (but they don't, possibly because the worst offender is actually the most proficient provider).

In the short time I was there, I sort of made some connections with a few people, its hard to explain. But I really have to leave.

It is not that anyone would miss me, it was just a plan to work a bunch of new people in, after several months expanding the operational hours of the service as more people qualified to be cc's...

 

[mgr22]

Thank you for your reply.

I thought about that. However, I found out there is friction between the two. They border each other. The one I am with is accusing the other of buffing calls in their area and actually trying to take them over.

The one I am with, its starting to get to me now.

There is one guy that drives lights and sirens and weaves through traffic when not on a call.

There is a lot of needless horesplay.

A lot of time is wasted using the bus to go on errands and pick up/drop off members who live in other areas.

One crew chief is good technically, but very arrogant, it affects the others, and gets away with it because if it were not for him, there would be no buses on the road.

The place is only open for service 2-3 nights a week. Its not as if they cant eff around on theor own time....

The veterans are not interested in running the buses. They just want to admin.

The few females that are in the service rarely show up. A few of the dudes get way too vulgar sometimes.

I am the noobie. Rather than speak up, and try to affect a change, I am thinking now just quietly and diplomatically bowing out and trying the other service.

I wouldn't assume the grass is greener at the other place. You're likely to find some friction, bad driving, horseplay, personal agendas, arrogance, vulgarity, and laziness wherever you go, paid or volunteer, EMS or any other occupation. You could probably learn to deal with that. On the other hand, the suggestion about trying both agencies is reasonable. If your current agency won't allow that, or treats you prejudicially because of that, well, I know that would make my decision a lot easier.

 

[emt seeking first job]

I wouldn't assume the grass is greener at the other place. You're likely to find some friction, bad driving, horseplay, personal agendas, arrogance, vulgarity, and laziness wherever you go, paid or volunteer, EMS or any other occupation. You could probably learn to deal with that. On the other hand, the suggestion about trying both agencies is reasonable. If your current agency won't allow that, or treats you prejudicially because of that, well, I know that would make my decision a lot easier.

I have been around a bit. I am use to a level of informality. However, it is too far with the place. I am not going to tell specific stories.

 

[emt seeking first job]

Part of it also is the other place will have more older people and a mixed gender membership.

When most of the members are male, 20-27, it can get out of hand.

 

[reaper]

You have already told specific stories on all of the ten threads you have started on the subject.

You have two choices. Leave the place or suck it up and deal with it.

 

[mgr22]

Part of it also is the other place will have more older people and a mixed gender membership.

When most of the members are male, 20-27, it can get out of hand.

Ok, I understand your concerns a little better.

I'm just curious, is there that much difference in age and gender distribution between two neighboring squads? I'd have thought the demographics would be about the same.

 

[rescue99]

I have posted this before.

The vollie I had wanted to join, better structured, funded and staffed, is not taking people until this fall.

For experience, I joined another one, operating on a shoestring, having been closed off an on in the past.

I like the President, he is hands on, his heart is in the righ place. Virtually all the other 'veterans' of the service are inactive of serve administrativly, many have no emt cert.

There are only two days of the week for now, there are not enough crew chiefs and too many 'observers' to get any real experience. One of the crew chiefs is very experienced, however, sort of a 'tude', he sort of makes his own rules, knowing he can, because the service needs him to be able to run an ambulance...he gets away with a lot. It influences the others in the service.

I just keep my ears and eyes open and my mouth shut.

I am torn because the President, recently voted in, is trying to turn the place around, yet, it is not going to happen overnight, it might take a year or two to get more people up to crew chief and have this service operate every day.

I really can not wait. But I go in when they schedule me so I get SOME experieince.

I am going to apply to the other one in the fall, if they accept me, I will tell the President that I need more opportunity to ride and the structure of the other service to develop my career.

This post is sort of thinking aloud, and maybe comments, good, bad, sarcastic or indifferent may prompt me how to handle this in the best possible way.

You've made a decision. Do what is best for you. It isn't a prereq that we think of anyone or anything else except our own personal needs at any given time

 

[emt seeking first job]

Ok, I understand your concerns a little better.

I'm just curious, is there that much difference in age and gender distribution between two neighboring squads? I'd have thought the demographics would be about the same.

Yes, there is. NYC vollies are not the primary EMS. And most people these days do not live where they volunteer.

 

[emt seeking first job]

Thank you everybody.

Thank you all for listening and sharing your thoughts with me.