In my experience, it's not licensure standards that are different, but rather the expectations of administrators and the public.
Volunteer Paramedic?
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In my experience, it's not licensure standards that are different, but rather the expectations of administrators and the public.
purdue1014
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Don't have time to read the whole thread...But I've heard of a couple medics that work full time 911, (who have/already had a good job, etc.) and get their paychecks automatically forwarded to a local charity....Just an idea...
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Wes
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I'm VERY late to this thread, having just joined the website today.
However, I'm a volunteer paramedic. In fact, I got my EMT-B, then my paramedic AFTER law school. I practice law full-time and volunteer as a paramedic near Houston.
For me, the hardest part has been finding a department that actually wants and welcomes volunteers at any level about EMT-B/first responder.
Fortunately, the department I'm with is very open to volunteers and, in fact, I now coordinate our volunteer program.
However, I'm a volunteer paramedic. In fact, I got my EMT-B, then my paramedic AFTER law school. I practice law full-time and volunteer as a paramedic near Houston.
For me, the hardest part has been finding a department that actually wants and welcomes volunteers at any level about EMT-B/first responder.
Fortunately, the department I'm with is very open to volunteers and, in fact, I now coordinate our volunteer program.
dstevens58
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I started out as a volunteer fire department with a first aid card, then entered the Navy (corpsman).
After 13 years in the military, then 20 years in law enforcement, I came back to my hometown and went back to the volunteer fire department (heck, I live right across the street).
There are only three of us (EMT-B's) and no medics and we have to rely on a mutual aid agreement with a neighboring community for ALS.
I asked our department and they welcomed me with open arms and paid for my EMT-B school, in hoping I would be participating as a volunteer in the department (which I have). They are also using some grant monies to pay for my medic training.
I'm older (snow on the roof, but fire in the furnace); unemployed (not by choice) and have plenty of time to run when the tones go off.
After 13 years in the military, then 20 years in law enforcement, I came back to my hometown and went back to the volunteer fire department (heck, I live right across the street).
There are only three of us (EMT-B's) and no medics and we have to rely on a mutual aid agreement with a neighboring community for ALS.
I asked our department and they welcomed me with open arms and paid for my EMT-B school, in hoping I would be participating as a volunteer in the department (which I have). They are also using some grant monies to pay for my medic training.
I'm older (snow on the roof, but fire in the furnace); unemployed (not by choice) and have plenty of time to run when the tones go off.
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I just stared to vounteer as a paramedic because I never to get to get much patient contact or the lame CHF/diabetic calls that ppl are bored with. I need more patient contacts as all I get are serious trauma, were they need a OR, not some guy to play doctor on them. Dont care what ppl think ( not u guys), I have a job
I just stared to vounteer as a paramedic because I never to get to get much patient contact or the lame CHF/diabetic calls that ppl are bored with. I need more patient contacts as all I get are serious trauma, were they need a OR, not some guy to play doctor on them. Dont care what ppl think ( not u guys), I have a job
JJR512
Forum Deputy Chief
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There's at least one volunteer paramedic at your station. Not sure who it is, but on the county intranet, I read a story about some call your station ran recently, and the article mentioned the crew who worked the incident, and one of the people was listed as a volunteer paramedic.
I can't find the article right now on the intranet site.
well for all the studying that medics go through, I believe they deserve better than $15-17/hourly...if ppl start volunteering as medics...it causes a greater surplus of medics vs. the demand...and pay wouldnt go up...i know that there are currently volunteer medics already...and i mean man that is great if you would do all that to give back to the community...but dang...lol...seems like a lot to go through to give back...not saying anything is wrong with it...but if i ran an ems company...Id probably keep a volunteer over a paid person to save money...but it would suck for that person who did all the work and lost his job....
Cup of Joe
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The volunteer medics I know WERE career medics working in city EMS and it was time for them to move on. People are getting heavier and further away from the ground floor....and stairs are cheaper than elevators. :rofl:
I guess they loved what they did and wanted to continue it in a less physically demanding environment.
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DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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I call BS on this. you are describing what is known at "the big lie theory" if I shout something loud enough, and get enough people to believe it, despite it being grossly untrue, it will be accepted as fact.
Volunteering doesn't affect pay wages, except under one condition:
if you are in a combination department, where you have paid and volunteer working together, than yes, the argument can be made that volunteer do cause wages to go down. But I think its rare (but not unheard of) to have paid staff lose jobs because active volunteers are staffing enough to do the job without them.
but in an all 100% paid system, volunteer paramedics have no bearing on your salary... and anyone who tells you otherwise is a lying manager looking to screw you out of your money by blaming someone who has nothing to do with the situation.
and upstate NY has a lot of volunteer paramedics and volunteer critical care medics.
slb862
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I am a volunteer medic. I started out with a volunteer EMT-B service (back in the early 80's), worked for 2 services, and got the chance to go to medic school. I worked fulltime management, and Paramedic, CC-P, transfered to another city worked for another 5+ years as a 911 Paramedic and CC-P transfer medic. I decided that I wanted to retire, or so I thought. I moved back to where my mother was living and was invited to join a Volunteer Paramedic service. Which I do in my spared time. I feel as strong and skillful as the day I left a full-time paramedic service. I enjoy the time away, but it is something that comes naturally to me. AND now I am thinkling of going back to it full-time. (oh, what am I thinking). Quick someone talk me out of it?!?. jk Point is: do what works for you, volunteer or work full-time. It could become very gratifying. Obviously it did for me! Take care and keep looking for that something to point you in the direction. Keep your head up or you may miss something!!!
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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as for the OP, the biggest problem with being a volunteer paramedic is the lack of experience when compared to a full time paramedic. education is usually the same, but a full time career paramedic will, on average, see more sick patients than a volunteer paramedic, perform more critical life saving interventions than a volunteer paramedic, and in general have more patient contacts than volunteer paramedics.
this isn't a knock on volunteers, just simple numbers.
the more times you use a skill, the more proficient you become at it.
you can be a doctor, educated more than any paramedic, but if you only see a sick patient once a month, than how good will you be at treating that train wreck that falls in your lap? and how do you think that doctor will do against an equally educated doctor who deals with trainwrecks 2 and 3 times a day?
this isn't a knock on volunteers, just simple numbers.
the more times you use a skill, the more proficient you become at it.
you can be a doctor, educated more than any paramedic, but if you only see a sick patient once a month, than how good will you be at treating that train wreck that falls in your lap? and how do you think that doctor will do against an equally educated doctor who deals with trainwrecks 2 and 3 times a day?
Dont get your panties in a bunch...Im not even sure...I didnt say I have proven facts and that we are going to debate on the situation...I was just saying what I thought COULD be possible...I have no problem with people volunteering...But 70% FF are Volunteers and this makes it hard for people to get a paid position...so I was relating it to that...Did not mean to make you upset or cry...
MonkeySquasher
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What he's saying is that just having volunteers available doesn't affect a person's pay or job status, except in few situations. There's many other factors than just "Hey, these people will do it for free"... There's call volume, tax base, and what the public expects. If a mayor takes away a full-time paid EMS and Fire Dept for some volly squads with twice the response time and, possibly, half the training*... He won't be re-elected, no matter how much money he saved the municipality.
*(This was said merely for example, not for an inflammatory response.)
That's not always true, I've been on a volunteer squad for the past 18 months. Our squad covers the same territory as 6 county/city ambulances. As far as calls, patient contacts, and transports, my ambulance is the busiest in the city/county this year. I've done double the calls of the nearest county unit, and almost 4 times the calls of the city units.
Of course I have been running the same kind of hours per week as the city/county crews, 35-45hrs/week. I see it as a great place to keep my skills sharp while waiting for my non volunteer spot to open up.