EMT'Bs and minimum wage

[AVPU]

So I'm finally hired on with an agency and now just waiting for paperwork from the state. Making a whole $8.55 an hour with not much room to rise. It's what I expected...I'm not here for the money...but sh*t. Isn't it comforting to know that in a life-threatening emergency, the person saving your *** is making minimum wage?!

Why do EMT-Bs make so little? From what I gather it's the same everywhere. Are there really so many of us?

 

[TransportJockey]

There's a surplus of EMT-Bs everywhere, and they just aren't worth paying more due to that and that they're not educated enough to be worth more

 

[socal399]

thats crazy man. just as much as the guy at mcdonalds, you would think emts would make more. congrats on getting the job

 

[socal399]

There's a surplus of EMT-Bs everywhere, and they just aren't worth paying more due to that and that they're not educated enough to be worth more

makes sense

 

[MDA]

Always a topic/issue. I've come to grips with it. Would I be active in a change if a possibility came up? Of course. BUT, I'm not going to hold my breath or be bitter/upset about it.

I've worked many jobs, I was a probation officer making a lot of money, I was a dairyman running a LARGE dairy in texas (my house was paid for, for me, all utilities, and I was salaried), but I got tired of it all, and that alone made me hate life, the money didn't change anything.

I came back to EMS because I loved it. It's the one thing I regretted leaving, when my wife and I had the career change discussion, we both agreed all or nothing. Even though we have a young son, she looked at it in a positive light and decided to get a part-time job to get out of the house. We're making due, but the difference is we're both happy, loving life and it has really helped us out as a family because we dissolved a lot of issues I brought home being unhappy.

I know it's kind of off-topic to your questions, but that's my experience and where I am. I mean say I work 72 hours a week, either 3 24's, or 2 24's and a 12 here and there it works out. The overtime bumps the checks up pretty good. I mean it's still mediocre but it makes it more tolerable.

I don't know the real "issue" that's holding up change, but from my understanding this is how it will be, how it was, and how it will be in the future.

 

[AVPU]

Well said, I follow all the responses. I'm just amazed given the critical nature of the work. I know EMT-Bs don't have a lot of power, hardly any at all, but c'mon. Meanwhile the paper pusher in the cubicle working for Verizon or some corporation makes ten times that. I'm like MDA, I had another career before coming to EMS. Always been interested in it.

 

[JPINFV]

Why do EMT-Bs make so little? From what I gather it's the same everywhere. Are there really so many of us?

Supply and demand with an insanely low barrier to entry.

 

[MDA]

There's a surplus of EMT-Bs everywhere, and they just aren't worth paying more due to that and that they're not educated enough to be worth more

Pretty much exactly spot on, but it raises the question, if we're not educated to be worth more, should we have the responsibilities we do? A lot of factors play into it, such as job stress, working conditions and so on. It's unfortunate.

Sort of funny story, a friend of mine was talking to someone today we haven't seen in a while that we use to be friends with and during their conversation I heard him mention "oh, he's an ambulance driver." I just shrugged it off, but maybe people don't really know what we do.

A lot of it (that I've seen) has been company issues too. Lets be honest, right now in this economy, if you're demanding $12 an hour, and there's 50+ qualified applicants, you can bet just about anything someone will take the job for less. It's another unfortunate truth but a lot of people use this career as a stepping stone or experience, so the true career oriented people are overlooked in a sense.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely can't wait to become a Medic, but more money would be awesome. Haha.

 

[ah2388]

Pretty much exactly spot on, but it raises the question, if we're not educated to be worth more, should we have the responsibilities we do? A lot of factors play into it, such as job stress, working conditions and so on. It's unfortunate.

Sort of funny story, a friend of mine was talking to someone today we haven't seen in a while that we use to be friends with and during their conversation I heard him mention "oh, he's an ambulance driver." I just shrugged it off, but maybe people don't really know what we do.

A lot of it (that I've seen) has been company issues too. Lets be honest, right now in this economy, if you're demanding $12 an hour, and there's 50+ qualified applicants, you can bet just about anything someone will take the job for less. It's another unfortunate truth but a lot of people use this career as a stepping stone or experience, so the true career oriented people are overlooked in a sense.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely can't wait to become a Medic, but more money would be awesome. Haha.

Most places, even running 911 calls...EMT's arent a whole lot more than "ambulance drivers", that isnt to say that they arent vital to a medic/EMT team, because EMT's perform the "grunt" work that comes with prehospital patient care. However, get used to being the "low" man on the totem pole because thats what we are in terms of education. As far as responsibility, the truth is EMT's are responsible for far less than providers in other areas of healthcare. Its not until the paramedic level that liability and responsibility increases to begin being compared to other similar healthcare career fields.

And despite the language in this post, I dont want to make it seem like EMT's arent more than "ambulance" drivers. Having done clinicals for services that run single medic, I cant say how important the EMT member of the team is.

 

[MDA]

Most places, even running 911 calls...EMT's arent a whole lot more than "ambulance drivers", that isnt to say that they arent vital to a medic/EMT team, because EMT's perform the "grunt" work that comes with prehospital patient care. However, get used to being the "low" man on the totem pole because thats what we are in terms of education. As far as responsibility, the truth is EMT's are responsible for far less than providers in other areas of healthcare. Its not until the paramedic level that liability and responsibility increases to begin being compared to other similar healthcare career fields.

And despite the language in this post, I dont want to make it seem like EMT's arent more than "ambulance" drivers. Having done clinicals for services that run single medic, I cant say how important the EMT member of the team is.

I know what you're saying.

I am an ambulance driver, but that's only one part and aspect of the job I do.
I just don't think the general population knows that.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

a "flagger" (the guy who holds the stop/slow down sign) receives less technical/vocational training than an EMT-B and makes twice as much money.

The same can be said for almost any job that requires any type of formal certification and over 100 hours of vocational training and hundreds of dollars in training and cert cost.

 

[Shishkabob]

A 911 EMT with the same employer, just in the city next door, makes $1.50 more than I, an IFT medic, makes... and all they do IS drive, compared to me doing much the same work the 911 medic does.

 

[MDA]

a "flagger" (the guy who holds the stop/slow down sign) receives less technical/vocational training than an EMT-B and makes twice as much money.

The same can be said for almost any job that requires any type of formal certification and over 100 hours of vocational training and hundreds of dollars in training and cert cost.

Speaking of which, I recently saw an advertisement for a SCHOOL that teaches you how to hold a slow/stop sign. I almost lost it.

Does someone really need to know how to let traffic through construction areas?

 

[JPINFV]

a "flagger" (the guy who holds the stop/slow down sign) receives less technical/vocational training than an EMT-B and makes twice as much money.

The same can be said for almost any job that requires any type of formal certification and over 100 hours of vocational training and hundreds of dollars in training and cert cost.

How many people are applying for flagger positions versus EMT-B positions?

 

[ExpatMedic0]

How many people are applying for flagger positions versus EMT-B positions?

Probably a lot more emtlife members now that the cat is out of the bag.

 

[Sassafras]

chin up. We make more than McDonald's workers. Trust me. I just quit there. LOL

 

[CAOX3]

EMTs here start at fifteen and top out at twenty-five, medics start at twenty and top out at thirty.

Once at top step you then recieve COLA raises which is dependent on negotiations.

I have yet to meet the EMS provider who doesnt make the majority of their salary working overtime.

It is what it is, but no one around here is making eight bucks an hour in EMS.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

EMTs here start at fifteen and top out at twenty-five, medics start at twenty and top out at thirty.

Where is this? Are these private or municipal employees? I can not see a private ambulance company paying an EMT-B $25.00 an hour unless your cost of living is more than new york city or something

 

[medic417]

Low education. Saturation of emt's. Emt's doing it for free. = Low wages.

 

[CAOX3]

Where is this? Are these private or municipal employees? I can not see a private ambulance company paying an EMT-B $25.00 an hour unless your cost of living is more than new york city or something

Sorry I dont offer any personal information about myself or my employer.

I notice you dont have a problem with them paying medics thirty an hour with no traditional education requirements.