I have spent the past weeks trying to find out more information about being a paramedic in southern california and the general consensus is that if you don't get into a fire department it's not a good career.
I am a 32 year old female, former oil field truck driver, marine corps veteran. I have been volunteering with the Red Cross and the VA hospital and currently attend community college. I have spent months if not years trying to look for a career option that fits. If I could do my time again in the military I would have been a medic. I was at the VA recently talking to a vocational rehabilitation counselor. I mentioned my interest in being a paramedic and that it seemed like a lousy option in southern california, this counselor insisted that it is a good career with good pay even outside of a FD.
My question to you after spending a lot of time here researching but not getting a clear picture other than the FD good, Private company bad. What are the options? Is there hospitals that have their own ambulances with paramedic/emt-b team? Is the only option outside of a FD, a private company? No emergency work outside of FD? what about critical care transport?
From what I understand all paramedics in the fire departments are firefighters/paramedics so I can't get in without being qualified as a firefighter. I understand there is literally hundreds if not thousands of people applying for every position that opens up, that is when they do have hiring going on at all...
so even if I am physically and mentally capable of being a firefighter I would likely spend 3-6 years building up a resume.
I will be doing CERT training to help with my Red Cross work and Team Rubicon which I will hopefully train with this summer. I have volunteer wild land firefighting for next summer in mind although not necessarily to get into an FD just because I like feeling like I'm doing something helpful with my life.
I am a 32 year old female, former oil field truck driver, marine corps veteran. I have been volunteering with the Red Cross and the VA hospital and currently attend community college. I have spent months if not years trying to look for a career option that fits. If I could do my time again in the military I would have been a medic. I was at the VA recently talking to a vocational rehabilitation counselor. I mentioned my interest in being a paramedic and that it seemed like a lousy option in southern california, this counselor insisted that it is a good career with good pay even outside of a FD.
My question to you after spending a lot of time here researching but not getting a clear picture other than the FD good, Private company bad. What are the options? Is there hospitals that have their own ambulances with paramedic/emt-b team? Is the only option outside of a FD, a private company? No emergency work outside of FD? what about critical care transport?
From what I understand all paramedics in the fire departments are firefighters/paramedics so I can't get in without being qualified as a firefighter. I understand there is literally hundreds if not thousands of people applying for every position that opens up, that is when they do have hiring going on at all...
so even if I am physically and mentally capable of being a firefighter I would likely spend 3-6 years building up a resume.
I will be doing CERT training to help with my Red Cross work and Team Rubicon which I will hopefully train with this summer. I have volunteer wild land firefighting for next summer in mind although not necessarily to get into an FD just because I like feeling like I'm doing something helpful with my life.