West coast to East coast, Job Questions?

terrible one

Always wandering
881
87
28
Currently I am working (unfortunelty) in SoCal and am considering going back East. My family is all located in the Maryland / East. PA area so I'd like to be around there but have some questions about possible employment.

I would like to work for a municpal department, either a 3rd service or FD. Not interested anymore in the private ambulance business. What places have good EMS systems in the general area?

I have two years left to finish my BS in emergency medical care so I wouldn't be moving until summer of 2013, but I would like a general feel of departments to look for when their employment opens up. I have a few years experience as a paramedic and volunteer firefighter, also an AS fire degree and fire academy. I have tried to balance my experience/education for both EMS and the fire service.

Any insight in Baltimore City FD or Baltimore County FD? Or other departments in that area?

Thanks for the help
 
OP
OP
terrible one

terrible one

Always wandering
881
87
28
nothing?
How about neighboring cities/counties in the Metro area?
 

EMS49393

Forum Captain
258
1
0
Baltimore city is full of the most disgruntled employees in the world. I don't know exactly what is going on down there but I know they are not happy. I have several friends that are city guys and I would imagine there are some pretty crappy practices going on there for them to be so unhappy. It's a higher management issue and I'm not sure they have gotten over the Owe'Malley and Steala Dixon mayoral administrations there either.

There is NO paramedic listing for BCFD. You must pass CPAT and you must complete fire I and II, even if you end up permenantly assigned to a medic. Some crapola about the F&P pensions there.

Baltimore county has a lot less pissed off employees so they must be doing something about half-way right. You can be just a paramedic, I have a few friends that have paramedic as their sole job title. The physical agility test isn't easy, but it's passable if you work out regularly.

Harford County may very well be a paid combo system by the time you plan to move. Right now they have a thing called the EMS Foundation and they provide EMT's and paramedics for various stations and two chase cars within the county. As of a few weeks ago they became actual county employees. Pay is actually pretty good, especially if you compare it to what you'd make just over the line in PA. The fire study has finally been released and there is a plan now to develop this paid department for both fire and EMS within the next few years. It will be interesting to see where it goes.

Howard and Anne Arundel counties are both Fire/EMS systems and you would have to be both to be employed. They have some pretty serious academies as well, so you would have to be in pretty good shape for them.

Cecil County also has a paid EMS department, but they never seem to have any job openings and I can't speak about the pay.

I work for one of the services in Maryland. I did work in PA and honestly, I hated it. The pay and the overall better treatment of paramedics was a big draw to bringing me back home to my native Maryland. Plus they are my people and they actually "get me." If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to try and answer them or ask someone I know for the answers.

Good luck, and everything is better on the right coast!
 
OP
OP
terrible one

terrible one

Always wandering
881
87
28
Thanks for the detailed response. Much appreciated
 

Handsome Robb

Youngin'
Premium Member
9,736
1,173
113
With a BS in EMS, an AS in Fire Tech/science, an academy, volly and Medic experience you have a pretty good resume going for you. One thing I'd say to possibly make it even better would be to take the CPAT when a service near you is testing, within a year of moving. If I am not mistaken your results are good for a year. You may still need/want to take their test but it shows dedication to your goal, which is worth its weight in gold.
 

EMS49393

Forum Captain
258
1
0
NVRob is correct about the CPAT, at least for BCFD. The results are good for a year and if you have a certificate, you bypass that portion of the process. For the paramedic/firefighter listing, all that is required is an application and successful completion of the CPAT to secure employment. They hire that postion pretty frequently as well.
 
OP
OP
terrible one

terrible one

Always wandering
881
87
28
With a BS in EMS, an AS in Fire Tech/science, an academy, volly and Medic experience you have a pretty good resume going for you. One thing I'd say to possibly make it even better would be to take the CPAT when a service near you is testing, within a year of moving. If I am not mistaken your results are good for a year. You may still need/want to take their test but it shows dedication to your goal, which is worth its weight in gold.


Thank you. I have a current CPAT right now but I'll update it when I plan on applying.

I'm pretty close to the Nard.
 
Top