# Baltimore City Fire Department (EMS)



## Everett (Apr 30, 2012)

Greetings and good morning!

Well, I'll be blunt. I plan on attending the University of Maryland Baltimore County where I hope to earn by Masters in EMS along with my NREMT-P, etc. My question is ...

*If your already a paramedic, do you still have to go through the academy for Baltimore City Fire Department?

Is it required that your a fire fighter as well?

What is the ALS/BLS ratio? (I.e., is one partner a medic and one an EMT, etc.) Also, how many trucks for each, etc.

What is the command structure?

What is the salary?*

I've googled all these and no source can give me a reliable answer.

Any and all help is much appreciated!!


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## CANMAN (Apr 30, 2012)

Are you asking about the current job opening or looking for the future, like post-graduation?

Baltimore City is currently hiring now for Paramedics. Yes you have to get your firefighter I & II, yes there is a academy style orientation. The command structure is what you would find in a large metro department. On the EMS side you have EMS supervisor's but still fall under a battalion etc. 

The city operates all ALS transport units, most with one ALS provider and a Basic level provider. Most units run the entire shift. Tons of abuse of the EMS system in Baltimore. Moral is low and the pay is crappy. Decent retirement, can't callout sick without checking into a doc in the box due to 1/2 of the department abusing sick leave. 

Paramedic EMT-P Salary:  $41,992 - $63,730 Annually (From the posting)

What are you looking to do with a Master's, specifically in EMS?


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## Everett (Apr 30, 2012)

Thanks for your help.



CANMAN13 said:


> Are you asking about the current job opening or looking for the future, like post-graduation?



I'm looking for 4-5 years from now, since I will have to achieve my bachelors first as well as masters. 

*Is there a way to bypass the medic portion of the academy if your already a medic or is it through and through?

Is every firefighter a paramedic or EMT?*



CANMAN13 said:


> What are you looking to do with a Master's, specifically in EMS?



I love EMS. I always have, even since I was little. I wanna be a paramedic and if possible get on an EMS Rescue like in Pittsburgh but you only find those in large departments. As far as masters, the more I have the bring to the table the more marketable I am?


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## CANMAN (May 1, 2012)

Yes every firefighter is at least a EMT-Basic, and no there is no way to by-pass the academy if you are a Paramedic. The city cross-trains all of its members, as do most fire departments now-a-days that have anything to do with EMS at least. 

If you want my honest opinion. If you are a rescue guy, and want to do rescue without firefighting, either learn to like firefighting as well or go to Pittsburg. To find a true heavy rescue company that serves a large urban department, and that is not staffed by firefighters is extremely rare. Firefighters are doing almost all of the rescue in large city departments, with a few rare exceptions. 

Pittsburg is a unique system in the fact they have the Paramedic rescue companys. 

Also I would not waste time knocking out a Master's degree if doing "rescue" type grunt work is what you want, at least in the inital phase of your career. A Bachelor's will more then prepare you and make you marketable. Your Paramedic card is what will get you hired. You can always get you Master's later, while employed, being that most of the department's schedules make it easy to go to school as well. A Master's degree in the fire/ems service is going to gear you more in the management direction, which is good for later in your career when you are busted up and tired of doing the grunt work. 

As far as a plan for you based off of what you have told me. Go to UMBC for their Paramedic program, get your Bachelors. In the meantime join a volunteer station that has a busy rescue squad. Get training, ie: Firefighter I & II, and Rescue Tech and start riding. To be good at rescue you need to know your :censored::censored::censored::censored: and have experience, simple as that. Once you got your degree and medic apply ASAP to get hired in a department of your liking. The goal is to get hired quickly and start building retirement. The sooner you get hired the sooner you can retire. You will not make it to a heavy rescue squad your first day but follow those recommendations, and continue to volunteer and get that experience and you will be on your way. 
Cheers.


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