Central Floridian seeks advice

[fortsmithman]

Understood. I have a few family members who are emts and live in NY and MA. However, that is the issue lol. I am the only one who lives in FL. I have decided this is what I want to do, and who knows, maybe it could push me towards RN. It opens a whole new can of worms. So should I get my associates in EMT/Paramedic or just do the for academy? I am kind of leaning towards the degree for the better education.

Go for the degree.

 

[18G]

Before making a decision I would find out for yourself what the job situation is in your area. It sounds like it is pretty bleak but don't make a decision based on a few people on an Internet forum.

Being a Paramedic is all in what you make it. If you want to be the best you can be and you strive to get there than I think you will have a rewarding career and feel good about your decision. If you just want the status of being a Paramedic and do the bare minimum than you will be dissatisfied and won't know what to do with critical patients and end up feeling like your not making a difference.

Paramedics do make a difference.... is there a lot of filler in between... yes, quite a bit. But it's all in what your perspective is. I personally don't care if the call is a priority respiratory or a lonely 80 year old. The compassion and attention I give the 80 year old is just as strong and effective as the medications I give the priority respiratory call.... again, its all on what your perspective is.

In Pennsylvania, we have a level of EMS provider for RNs... we call them "Health Professionals" or PHRN (pre-hospital RN). So, if your state has something similar you could get the best of both worlds with going the RN route.

I don't want to work in a office or hospital either but have been thinking about going to RN school just to have the added credential and extra knowledge base.

Good luck in whichever you decide

 

[Sasha]

It sounds like it is pretty bleak but don't make a decision based on a few people on an Internet forum.

Yeah of course. Don't listen to those who actually live and work in the area and were lucky enough to get one of the very few jobs offered. Waste your money getting a state medic certification that isn't reciprocated in a lot of places so you can go out and see for yourself, instead of finding somewhere you're likely to get a job at and going to school there.

 

[BLSBoy]

Look bro, its a gamble. If you are strong, smart and have lots of common sense, you got a shot. But have a backup plan. Get a degree, and have something else you can do.
I got hired on a FD down here while I was living in Jersey, so its not impossible. A lot of the "FireMedics" that are unemployed right now are one or more of the following, weak, stupid, lack common sense, or are just plain unlucky.

Its your life, and your call on how you wanna throw the dice.

 

[Sasha]

Look bro, its a gamble. If you are strong, smart and have lots of common sense, you got a shot. But have a backup plan. Get a degree, and have something else you can do.
I got hired on a FD down here while I was living in Jersey, so its not impossible. A lot of the "FireMedics" that are unemployed right now are one or more of the following, weak, stupid, lack common sense, or are just plain unlucky.

Its your life, and your call on how you wanna throw the dice.

Not necessarily. They may be strong, smart, and sharp, but there was someone stronger, smarter, or sharper... or the chief's nephew or something. You didn't get a job in the area he's in. It's really cut throat here.

 

[BLSBoy]

Not necessarily. They may be strong, smart, and sharp, but there was someone stronger, smarter, or sharper... or the chief's nephew or something. You didn't get a job in the area he's in. It's really cut throat here.

I dunno, we have had plenty of kids of members not get hired on with us.
And I think Hillsborough County is Central Fla. Granted its west and we don't get CF News 13, but its still in the middle part of the state.

I tried for OCFRD last year, and got eliminated on a technicality.

btw, we had of 800 applicants and less then 50 hired. Thats less then 1/16th chance getting on.

 

[reaper]

If you want to stay in FL and be a medic only, head north. Majority of N. FL is still county services, that are EMS only.

Gainesville south is a debacle. I would run from there.

Also, listen to those of us that have lived in the state and know what it is like.

 

[18G]

Florida is a pretty large state with thousands of EMS personnel. All I am saying is why make a life decision based on two people's experiences? I'm sure your experiences are the way your relating them but at the same time one has to also consider variables that may apply to you and not to him.... examples like grades, presentation, interviewability, etc, etc.

Why not take National Registry in addition to the FL state exam and than you have your reciprocity in many, many states?

 

[Sasha]

Grades have no baring on job interviews, and if they did, I promise you my grades are hard to beat. I'm very smart, and did very well in school. I also interview well and have gotten some great experiences and learned some great skills in the short time I've been a medic. But there are hundreds of people just like me milling around right now. A new fresh out of school emt or medic will be lucky to get a job, or have to know someone.

I actually live and work in the EXACT area he is looking at. I know how the job outlook is in this area. Even companies that used to take anyone with a pulse are able to have standards now because there is such an over abundance of EMTs and Medics. At my old company we had several medics working as EMTs waiting for medic positions in our company to open.

The outlook in the area he's looking for is very bleak. The companies that he may get on with, after waiting around for awhile, are crappy and frustrating.

Don't listen to people who DON'T live in the area. And 18G does not.

 

[18G]

Wow.... miss sensitive ... I wasn't saying do not listen to you guys at all.... just not to listen solely and to do the responsible thing and find out from some other sources what the job market is like. Some people may hear something from one or two people and take it as the absolute truth and shy away from looking into it any further. Perhaps it is the absolute truth... I'm not saying otherwise... I'm just advising on a principle to seek out on your own and talk to different sources before deciding.

It would be foolish for anyone regardless of what state or occupation to make a career decision based on .0001% of the workforce or demographic opinion.

 

[FutureRescue]

I am going to say thanks for the advice, and sorry this became an online brawl. This has really left me torn beyond belief. I will be 24 in March and my goal was to be living in NY or MA by 26. I was hoping I could do the schooling now and hopefully by the time I live up there the job market will have turned around even a little by then. But now, I am weary. Maybe start with the EMT/Paramedic degree and then move into RN? I want to be on an ambulance, but if RN would help me find a job easier then maybe that's it?

 

[reaper]

While central FL may not have a lot to offer you. There are plenty of places that do.

If you want to be a medic as a career, then be one. It is a good career and if it is what you want, then you will be happy.

EMS always needs good competent and caring medics. Ones that actually want to change the system from the inside. Not a bunch of people using it as a stepping stone to something else.

 

[CNAinFL]

Check out Seminole and Valencia colleges as well; they may be cheaper than Central Florida Fire Academy.

Fire jobs are IMPOSSIBLE to get around here, I know people who have been trying for several years.

EMT jobs are not much easier to get in the Orlando area these days. The fire departments are taking over most of the ambulance transport business in this entire area. It used to be that everyone wanted paramedics; however, recently the few jobs that opened up at two local companies in this area were for EMTs, not paramedics.

If you really want to be in healthcare, don't let anyone discourage you from it, BUT - I wouldn't do it if I were only able to live in Central Florida. Find out where the jobs are first. They aren't here.

Hey guys,

So basically the story looks something like this: I am 23 years old from Windermere, FL. I have found a career school called Central Florida Fire Academy. I was wondering if anyone out there has attended or heard of it? I am interested in enrolling in the April 2011 course but wasn't sure if there was anything I needed to do ahead of time, such as getting CPR certified or if they do that in the course? And also does anyone have any recommendations on good books for reading to get a little educated beforehand? Basically I going to EMT and hopefully paramedic after that. Thanks for any help and advice!

 

[BLSBoy]

Fire jobs are IMPOSSIBLE to get around here, I know people who have been trying for several years.

I'm sorry, but that really is bullsh!t. I got hired with HCFR while I was living and working in NEW JERSEY. Some people aren't good test takers, or interviewees, or in shape.

 

[CNAinFL]

I'm sorry, but that really is bullsh!t. I got hired with HCFR while I was living and working in NEW JERSEY. Some people aren't good test takers, or interviewees, or in shape.

All right, fair enough, let me rephrase that. Fire jobs are very very difficult to get around here and have been for some time, especially for brand new graduates with no fire experience. It is common for there to be at least a hundred applicants for each open position, from what I have been told by my EMT instructors, who also happen to do the hiring for their various departments.

And yes, once you eliminate people who interview badly, or have poor driving records, or who smoke, or are out of shape, or have criminal records, or are otherwise bad candidates...you have cut down the number of applicants considerably...but there are still many many more good applicants than there are jobs.

As for non-fire, EMT jobs - I did manage to get hired as an EMT, but I'm one of the lucky few. I know people who applied at all the companies and all the hospitals in this area for over a year before finding a job.

So my recommendation to anyone considering an EMT career would be - only do it if you can either afford to wait a long time to be hired, or if you are flexible and can relocate to anywhere that is currently hiring. If you are stuck in one area, especially Central Florida, you should know that the job market is extremely tight right now.

 

[FutureRescue]

Currently right now I do have a full time job and have been ok with it for almost 5 years now. I can definitely afford to wait to get a job. Lime I said, I am not sure if and when I am moving up north so I am really thinking of the 2 year degree.

 

[SanDiegoEmt7]

I don't have a full backup plan. My reason is because I wanted to get into the medical field but not work in an office or hospital setting. I would prefer to be an EMT/Paramedic because I want the ambulance job so I can move around from place to place and still be able to provide help and assistance to people who are in need. I am the kind of person where if someone is injured or sick I want to help. If I had the medical training I could do it.

Go to nursing school, make sure its a BSN (the better hospitals respect education, imagine that). You can move around to many parts of the country, many, many more than paramedics, and with much greater ease, paramedic reciprocity isn't guaranteed, and you can still have the excitement of EMS with some autonomy. If you still want to get involved with EMS you can then do it as a flight nurse (or challenge the paramedic) and at a much higher wage rate.

I have worked with many flight nurses, all were extremely skilled, had extremely exciting work, and were well compensated. And honestly even with all the prerequisites to becoming a flight nurse, I still bet it could be accomplished well before someone starting from scratch can get a job as a FF/medic, especially with out relocating.

 

[SanDiegoEmt7]

Just to put the nail in that coffin.

When I left San Diego 6 months ago, I had friends who had 2+ years of EMT experience, Medic cert, FF1 (with 2 years volunteer) and they weren't even getting interviews for jobs, and they were looking across the entirety of southern california. I was told their were ~2-3000 applicants for every job in San Diego/OC/LA

All of these well qualified firefighter/medics were working $10/hr IFT jobs dragging people to dialysis and doctors appointments, while working non-paid fire jobs just to keep in shape and their resume fresh. Most if not all either moved back in with their parents or had never moved out.

While you probably aren't looking at the left (better) coast I'm confident you'll find similar results in the northeast

 

[FutureRescue]

And yet the worry is getting worse. Ugh. I am getting discouraged.