# EMT Basic in Oregon



## EMT21 (Jan 14, 2012)

Hi I live in the Salem area of oregon. It looks like i'm going to start my EMT B course in the Summer or fall of this year (being 2012). My plan of attack is to get my EMT Basic certification and work for a few years, then go to back to school again to get my full EMT P Certification. I've been looking up various Ambulance companies such as Rural/Metro Salem-Eugene, Metro West and AMA. I found that Rural metro doesn't have a wheelchair division, but they have BLS Ambulances that are for non-emergency transports, Metro west has a wheelchair division, not sure about AMA. But I have a few questions about the EMT B position(s).

1. Do you always start in the BLS side or Wheelchair division of any ambulance company when you are a EMT Basic?

2. Is it possible to work Full time as an EMT Basic in Oregon?

3. I know that the pay isn't the best if you're a EMT B...but what is the average 
pay? 10-12 hr??

4. Is it hard to find a job as an EMT Basic after you graduate?

I'm very excited about being a future EMT, if somebody could please answer these questions for me, that would be GREAT!!

Thanks


----------



## EMS_Monkey (Jan 24, 2012)

I got my Oregon EMT-B in Aug of 2010. Volunteered for about a year with a rural EMS agency. Just moved to Eugene and am getting on as volunteer with a rural FD in the area. Cant say ive found much in the way of jobs for basics in Oregon. Maybe I havent looked hard enough. I may be too bust searching for a school that is still offering EMT-I.

I would really recommend trying to find a local agency that takes volunteers. The experience is quite valuable and will go along way when it comes to getting higher certs IMO.


----------



## nwhitney (Jan 25, 2012)

First welcome to EMTLife.

_*1. Do you always start in the BLS side or Wheelchair division of any ambulance company when you are a EMT Basic?*_
This is pretty standard to start out in wheelchair.  You'll hear from many people that this is where they learned a lot about patient care & medications. 

_*2. Is it possible to work Full time as an EMT Basic in Oregon?*_
Sure but it's tough.  Probably will need 2 part time jobs.

*3. I know that the pay isn't the best if you're a EMT B...but what is the average 
pay? 10-12 hr??*
Sounds about right though I'd say $12 is a little on the high end.
*
4. Is it hard to find a job as an EMT Basic after you graduate?*
I don't know about this as I was offered a job before I got my cert.  I hear some companies near me are pretty much always hiring basics for their wheelchair division.


----------



## fast65 (Jan 25, 2012)

I'm sure I'll be reiterating what nwhitney said, but here it goes anyways.
*
1. Do you always start in the BLS side or Wheelchair division of any ambulance company when you are a EMT Basic?
*-It's pretty typical for you start out in the wheelchair division, it helps you get a feel for the area and find out where the local hospitals, SNFs, and other care facilities are located in the area. 
*
2. Is it possible to work Full time as an EMT Basic in Oregon?* -It is possible, but it can be tough depending on the area. I know quite a few people who work as an EMT-B and do just fine. But it's not uncommon for an EMT-B (or EMT-P) to have a second job. 
*
3. I know that the pay isn't the best if you're a EMT B...but what is the average * *
pay? 10-12 hr??
*-Where I work the wheelchair division makes more per hour than the ambulance division, but that is largely due to the OT people acquire on the ambulance division. The wheelchair division pay range is around $10-$12 per hour, and they work around 40+ hours week. The ambulance division starts around $9 per hour, but get's at least 40 OT hours per pay period, not including all-calls which are completely OT. I can't really tell you how standard that pay is for the rest of Oregon, but that's how it is at my company. 
*
4. Is it hard to find a job as an EMT Basic after you graduate?
*-Yes, it can be. You just have to be persistent and look everywhere possible. There are probably a few places hiring for basics right now, but I can't really say that for sure.


----------



## EMT21 (Jan 25, 2012)

fast65 said:


> I'm sure I'll be reiterating what nwhitney said, but here it goes anyways.
> *
> 1. Do you always start in the BLS side or Wheelchair division of any ambulance company when you are a EMT Basic?
> *-It's pretty typical for you start out in the wheelchair division, it helps you get a feel for the area and find out where the local hospitals, SNFs, and other care facilities are located in the area.
> ...




Thank you all for the encouraging and helpful information you have submitted..I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing (getting my basic, working AS a basic, then going back to school while I get my EMT-P).
I've checked out Rural Metro, Metro west and AMR...They seem like very good companies. Also I'm going to Chemeketa this summer for the EMT B course. Anybody have any information as far as websites or books i can get to learn a little before the class begins so i'm not green? I'm reading a PHTLS book that's been helpful, just would like to get some good feedback from you guys.


----------



## fast65 (Jan 26, 2012)

EMT21 said:


> Thank you all for the encouraging and helpful information you have submitted..I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing (getting my basic, working AS a basic, then going back to school while I get my EMT-P).
> I've checked out Rural Metro, Metro west and AMR...They seem like very good companies. Also I'm going to Chemeketa this summer for the EMT B course. Anybody have any information as far as websites or books i can get to learn a little before the class begins so i'm not green? I'm reading a PHTLS book that's been helpful, just would like to get some good feedback from you guys.



All three are good companies to the best of knowledge. I know MetroWest also owns three other companies on the coast: Medix in Astoria, Bay Cities in Coos Bay, and Pacific West Ambulance in Lincoln county, so consider those when you're looking for work. 

As far as books, consider getting a good college level anatomy and physiology book and reading that. A good A&P book will be of much greater use than a PHTLS book at this point in your education.


----------



## EMT21 (Jan 30, 2012)

fast65 said:


> All three are good companies to the best of knowledge. I know MetroWest also owns three other companies on the coast: Medix in Astoria, Bay Cities in Coos Bay, and Pacific West Ambulance in Lincoln county, so consider those when you're looking for work.
> 
> As far as books, consider getting a good college level anatomy and physiology book and reading that. A good A&P book will be of much greater use than a PHTLS book at this point in your education.



Ok. Yea I've actually been reading an a & p book. Have learned a lot already!! Also do you know how hard the basic course is??? Again, I'm going to be attending chemeketa community college in salem, I heard AMR has a program as well. But chemeketa seems good...


----------



## Basermedic159 (Jan 30, 2012)

I don't know about Oregon but I am from NC and as soon as I recieved my cert. I was hired in the emergency division of our county EMS agency. If I were you I would try to get hired to respond to emergency calls. Working on a wheel chair van gives you no experience and the skills you are taught in class become stagnant because you won't ever use them. Go for emergency, it's alot more rewarding, you get to use your skills you learn in class and when the medics get to know you, and they know that YOU KNOW your stuff, they will probably let you do more than you thought you would. "What happens on the truck stays on the truck." You learn by doing not by watching. Plus if you've never driven an ambulance, a van isn't going to give you the "feel" for having that "big box" behind you. It's up to you but EMERGENCY IS WHERE IT"S AT!


----------



## fast65 (Feb 1, 2012)

Basermedic159 said:


> I don't know about Oregon but I am from NC and as soon as I recieved my cert. I was hired in the emergency division of our county EMS agency. If I were you I would try to get hired to respond to emergency calls. Working on a wheel chair van gives you no experience and the skills you are taught in class become stagnant because you won't ever use them. Go for emergency, it's alot more rewarding, you get to use your skills you learn in class and when the medics get to know you, and they know that YOU KNOW your stuff, they will probably let you do more than you thought you would. "What happens on the truck stays on the truck." You learn by doing not by watching. Plus if you've never driven an ambulance, a van isn't going to give you the "feel" for having that "big box" behind you. It's up to you but EMERGENCY IS WHERE IT"S AT!



911 jobs, especially for basics are not prevalent here, a lot of EMS is fire-based in Oregon and private agencies just don't have that many openings for basics (or paramedics for that matter). Driving a wheelchair van may not give experience in the "emergent setting", but it will get you familiar with the area, and it will get you experience with patient contacts. Those patient contacts will help you communicate more effectively with your future patients, and that is a skill that seems to be in short demand these days. So really, although it may not be fun to drive a wheelchair van, it is actually rather helpful in getting familiar with the area, and getting used to dealing with patients.

As for the "what happens on the truck, stays on the truck" comment, it seems to imply that if you know your stuff, then the medics will let you operate outside of your scope of practice. Please don't expect such a thing to occur, because it is rather negligent of a medic to let his partner operate outside of their scope. But that is outside the realm of the current discussion.


----------



## Tigger (Feb 1, 2012)

Basermedic159 said:


> I don't know about Oregon but I am from NC and as soon as I recieved my cert. I was hired in the emergency division of our county EMS agency. If I were you I would try to get hired to respond to emergency calls. Working on a wheel chair van gives you no experience and the skills you are taught in class become stagnant because you won't ever use them. Go for emergency, it's alot more rewarding, you get to use your skills you learn in class and when the medics get to know you, and they know that YOU KNOW your stuff, they will probably let you do more than you thought you would. "What happens on the truck stays on the truck." You learn by doing not by watching. Plus if you've never driven an ambulance, a van isn't going to give you the "feel" for having that "big box" behind you. It's up to you but EMERGENCY IS WHERE IT"S AT!



Many people (myself included) find 911 to a more interesting setting to work in, but I know plenty of people that also enjoy the IFT setting, including a current partner who holds his medic license and worked on a 911 truck that is now working a BLS transfer/occasional 911 truck by choice. 

Plus for a lot of us, gaining entry into a 911 system means spending a couple of years running on non-dedicated 911 trucks. If you want to skip that you need to get on a third service or FD based service, which are often quite competitive in large population settings.


----------



## EMT21 (Feb 1, 2012)

Tigger said:


> Many people (myself included) find 911 to a more interesting setting to work in, but I know plenty of people that also enjoy the IFT setting, including a current partner who holds his medic license and worked on a 911 truck that is now working a BLS transfer/occasional 911 truck by choice.
> 
> Plus for a lot of us, gaining entry into a 911 system means spending a couple of years running on non-dedicated 911 trucks. If you want to skip that you need to get on a third service or FD based service, which are often quite competitive in large population settings.



Tigger: Thank you very much for the helpful information, I'm willing to start out in BLS and I understand that it takes a little bit of time to work your way up. I visited Rural Metro in Salem (just to get my foot in the door) and they said that they have both ALS and BLS Ambulances....I just want information on how Ambulance companies work now-a-days and where most EMT-Bs start out at...But i'm going to try very hard to do 911 calls once i'm there...But BLS wouldn't be bad as well.


----------



## Basermedic159 (Feb 1, 2012)

EMT21 said:


> Tigger: Thank you very much for the helpful information, I'm willing to start out in BLS and I understand that it takes a little bit of time to work your way up. I visited Rural Metro in Salem (just to get my foot in the door) and they said that they have both ALS and BLS Ambulances....I just want information on how Ambulance companies work now-a-days and where most EMT-Bs start out at...But i'm going to try very hard to do 911 calls once i'm there...But BLS wouldn't be bad as well.



I guess different states operate in different ways. But whatever you decide, good luck!!! I started as an explorer and I have been hooked ever since then.


----------



## Aidey (Feb 1, 2012)

fast65 said:


> 911 jobs, especially for basics are not prevalent here, a lot of EMS is fire-based in Oregon and private agencies just don't have that many openings for basics (or paramedics for that matter). Driving a wheelchair van may not give experience in the "emergent setting", but it will get you familiar with the area, and it will get you experience with patient contacts. Those patient contacts will help you communicate more effectively with your future patients, and that is a skill that seems to be in short demand these days. So really, although it may not be fun to drive a wheelchair van, it is actually rather helpful in getting familiar with the area, and getting used to dealing with patients.
> 
> As for the "what happens on the truck, stays on the truck" comment, it seems to imply that if you know your stuff, then the medics will let you operate outside of your scope of practice. Please don't expect such a thing to occur, because it is rather negligent of a medic to let his partner operate outside of their scope. But that is outside the realm of the current discussion.



Several of our EMTs have started on a WC van before moving onto an ambulance. The ones who do tend to have a better grasp of where things are and are better at communicating with nursing home staff than the people who go straight from class to the ambulance.


----------



## fast65 (Feb 1, 2012)

Aidey said:


> Several of our EMTs have started on a WC van before moving onto an ambulance. The ones who do tend to have a better grasp of where things are and are better at communicating with nursing home staff than the people who go straight from class to the ambulance.



Exactly, with my company, most people start out in the wheelchair division for that very purpose. It allows them to get familiar with the area hospitals/staff, as well as a few other hospitals around Oregon. Best to learn your area of operation during non-emergent transports, rather then when you're driving code 3 to a call.


----------



## EMT21 (Feb 2, 2012)

fast65 said:


> Exactly, with my company, most people start out in the wheelchair division for that very purpose. It allows them to get familiar with the area hospitals/staff, as well as a few other hospitals around Oregon. Best to learn your area of operation during non-emergent transports, rather then when you're driving code 3 to a call.



All of you guys have great points here...I'm looking forward to communicating with you guys more.....also what's the difference between a emt and a phtls???


----------



## RipCity (Feb 2, 2012)

EMT21 said:


> All of you guys have great points here...I'm looking forward to communicating with you guys more.....also what's the difference between a emt and a phtls???



PHTLS is a cert you get by going to a class, it isnt a different level of EMT or anything. Its Pre Hospital Trauma Life Support.


----------

