# Fdny ems



## Fish (Jan 1, 2012)

Anyone on here work for FDNY EMS? If so I have a few questions...


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## Handsome Robb (Jan 1, 2012)

Didn't northernmedic or something like that work there for a while?

Might be worth a PM. I haven't seen him around in a while though.


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## Spider2891 (Jan 13, 2012)

I am brand new to this message board.
Yes, I work for FDNY-EMS. Ask away, I'll give you the best answers I can or find out.


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## emergancyjunkie (Jan 13, 2012)

thank you fish for starting this thread it saved me from doing it. I took my pa state emt test what do i have to do to take the test in NY


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## ExpatMedic0 (Jan 13, 2012)

I have thought about working for FDNY EMS for years. Its why I joined the forum 7 years ago haha, to ask that same question!

I still do not have the guts to do it though, the pay on the website looks   terrible for Paramedics vs the cost of living. As for EMT's, its even less.
 Its been so long sense I looked into this but... is that pay chart accurate on the website or do you guys make a lot more than the listed base salary? Will FDNY EMS count any years of ALS experience prior to NYC towards your starting base wage?


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## Spider2891 (Jan 13, 2012)

Junkie, a cursory Google search gave me this:
www . health. ny.gov/nysdoh/ems/certification/reciprocity.htm

I know several people that came from other states as EMT basic or better and had no problem with the reciprocity. The fact is, NYS has been dumbing down it's curriculum for some time now, the state exam and practical I took last year was a grade school effort compared to what I took in 1996.

Schulz, The pay is terrible. The conditions can run the gambit from completely unbearable to "I think I can do this for the next 25 years". 
I am 99% sure that as ALS (paramedic only , NYS EMT-P) you can get bumped up in pay for experience. As for the actual pay, you need to look at someone's check and figure it out. 
Here's why:
As a "after 1 year" EMT the poster says I should make $33,740 which would equate to 648.84 a week equaling $16.22 an hour. But this is based on a 40 hour work week. We don't get paid weekly, but bi-weekly and we don't work a 40 hour work week but 75 hours every two weeks (this comes from our 5 on 2 off, 5 on 3 off schedule which forces the days off to rotate). When I look at my pay stub, and I'm giving you what is actually on my stub, it says 75 hours = $1333.69, this equates to $17.78/hr. There is a running joke at my station that you'll need a masters in math to completely understand the pay system. As far as OT, there is none built into your schedule, but it is fairly easy to pick up. However, it is never a good idea to budget yourself or make a career decision when you have to rely on the OT before you're on the job yet. Then you have to take into account the few additions to the check like 'meal money' (a pitiful excuse for compensation for not getting any meal break during a shift) as well as night differential. But there are also the deductions, and there are many:Taxes, Fed, NYS & NYC; Pensions, NYCERS, 25 yr. 414H, 401K & 357B; then of course your union dues.


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## Spider2891 (Jan 13, 2012)

Junkie, remove the spaces in the link, the website wouldn't let me post a link because I don't have 5 posts yet.


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## Fish (Jan 13, 2012)

I have heard that even if you are already a Medic you must first work as an EMT. with FDNY before you are allowed to work as a medic. Where does everyone live if wage is that low? How does the Fire suppresion division of FDNY treat the EMS folk? Do they have trouble with recruitment and retention with pay like that?


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## Spider2891 (Jan 13, 2012)

If you are already a medic you go into the academy in a PTOP class (Paramedic Training Orientation Program) The FDNY has 3 ways of getting medics on the street, PTOP which is for outside medics to enter, Medic Basic which is for existing FDNY EMT's to go through a pretty intensive 9 month medic class at the academy, and MUP (Medic Upgrade Program) which is for existing FDNY EMT's who take a medic class outside at a local school or college and then take a short class at the academy to make sure they are up to speed on FDNY protocols.
NYC is a big place and unlike in sitcoms, most people don't live in lofts and fancy multi-room apartments in the nice areas of Manhattan. Most people live in the outer boros, and most of the single people I know on the job have room mates. FDNY-EMS is also made up of a lot of younger people that are lucky enough to still live at home. I personally work on the side as a machinist fixing printing presses to help make ends meet.
Suppression is hot and cold, in recent years a lot of people take the promotional to that side so they know what our job entails. There are a lot of tools on that side that just don't care, but where I work in the South Bronx, most engine co.'s are on point.

FDNY-EMS relies on the fact that people who usually work in the field of EMS are a self sacrificing type that just want to help people and are willing to work for any salary for the opportunity to wear that FDNY patch and / or have the opportunity to move over to suppression. That coupled with the fact that we have a small union (about 3000 EMT's & medics) with very little membership support so it makes it very easy for the city to walk all over us. Recruitment is easy... Work for us and maybe you can be a firefighter. I couldn't know what their retention plan is, the people I work with are the only reason I go to work every day.


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## Fish (Jan 13, 2012)

This sounds like not the best conditions, everyone joining just to have a crack at being a Fire fighter.

Is the salary on the website accurate, or is it based off of 07?


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## Spider2891 (Jan 14, 2012)

To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out how my pay is figured out. I still can't find a chart that accurately depicts my current scale.


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## Fish (Jan 14, 2012)

Spider2891 said:


> To be honest, I'm still trying to figure out how my pay is figured out. I still can't find a chart that accurately depicts my current scale.



Are you able to ask any of the Medic you work with about the Medic pay for us?


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## Fish (Jan 14, 2012)

What is your opinion of this site? http://www.fdnyemswebsite.com/


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## Spider2891 (Jan 15, 2012)

Fish, I printed up the EMS rates as of August 2009. these are the latest rates that we have on our intranet. This is for New hire Medics only and is the bi-weekly base salary minus any other monies that might be added as well as the hourly rate as best as I can tell:
New Hire $1675.78 - $22.34/hr.
1 year $1845.97 - $24.61/hr.
2 year $1921.30 - $25.61/hr.
3 year $2119.37 - $28.53/hr.
5 year $2266.04 - $30.51/hr.
Unlike most other jobs where your hourly rate is posted somewhere on your check, it is not on NYC paychecks. 

As for the website, I actually looked at that right before and while I was in the academy and took a lot of what the author said to heart. While I was training I was waiting for NYC DEP to call me for a sewage treatment workers job ($83K/year) and was justifying leaving FDNY for DEP because of what this guy was *****ing about. Then I hit the streets in the South Bronx and was able to really experience the job and see that the firefighters weren't all that angry about going on EMS jobs, that some bosses are real jerk offs, but others aren't. I don't know who made the site but can only assume it was someone who was on the job when it was HHC and was just not happy with FDNY taking over and not providing everything they said they would in the time frame they promised. The fact is, since becoming part of FDNY, there are more ambulances on the streets, there is a medic basic program that pays EMT's to become medics, and in recent years there have been new stations constructed. So my opinion is, don't take the word of a couple of people that are just disgruntled and check it out for yourself.


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## Fish (Jan 15, 2012)

Spider2891 said:


> Fish, I printed up the EMS rates as of August 2009. these are the latest rates that we have on our intranet. This is for New hire Medics only and is the bi-weekly base salary minus any other monies that might be added as well as the hourly rate as best as I can tell:
> New Hire $1675.78 - $22.34/hr.
> 1 year $1845.97 - $24.61/hr.
> 2 year $1921.30 - $25.61/hr.
> ...



That Salary is a lot better than what is listed online, thanks for all the info Spider


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## 46Young (Jan 15, 2012)

Spider2891 said:


> Fish, I printed up the EMS rates as of August 2009. these are the latest rates that we have on our intranet. This is for New hire Medics only and is the bi-weekly base salary minus any other monies that might be added as well as the hourly rate as best as I can tell:
> New Hire $1675.78 - $22.34/hr.
> 1 year $1845.97 - $24.61/hr.
> 2 year $1921.30 - $25.61/hr.
> ...



There were many that left after the merger, mostly for the hospitals, which payed much better than FDNY, and also had better schedules. Employees got tired of working eight hour shifts for poor pay with conditions bosses hammering them every day. 

To give you an example, I was hired by NS-LIJ in 2003 as an EMT for $15/hr. After six months, I was getting $17 something, and just over $20/hr after only a year. I upgraded to medic in 2005. I started at $22/hr, $26 something after six months, and over $30/hr by 2007. Meanwhile, back then FDNY EMS was without a contract and may have just won their uniform status, finally. The EMT's were topping out at around $35k and medics around 50k per the main site. We also had 12's and doubles (16 hour shifts) available, so most of us had 3-4 day workweeks, not working every day like FDNY. 

I have two cousins that are ex-FDNY medics that left for the hospitals after the merger. The job was not compatible with raising a family. A Haz-Tac medic and a few other ex-FDNY EMS left for my department, as well as four others from my old hospital. More than a few FDNY EMS employees said that they were using FDNY for the experience, and as a good resume builder, although they intended to work there for the full 25 years when they first got on.

After the merger, the common thought was that if you wanted benefits and a pension, you went to FDNY EMS. If you wanted better pay, a better schedule, and much better working conditions, you worked for the hospitals. Hospital EMS also allowed the employee to restructure their schedule so that the could go to college or medic school without fear of mandations (forced OT). The KVO program was only in effect when it served the FDNY, and was suspended several times.

I started the process for FDNY EMS as a medic in late 2005, but then I decided to drop that idea, get nationally registered, and move out of state where I can better support myself on an EMS salary. I miss the urban environment, but I don't miss sitting on street corners killing my back, and having to work a lot of OT and per diem work just to survive.

FDNY EMS is getting paid better than when I left NY (2007), but it's still much less than police and fire, you work much harder than any other services, and can't afford anthing other than an apartment in a so-so area at best. I would be disgruntled too, just like the guy on the website.


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## 46Young (Jan 15, 2012)

@ Fish, I wouldn't trade my NYC 911 experience for anything, so I would recommend that you try it out, but don't plan on attaining any real wealth while you continue to live in NY. Give it 3-5 years tops, keep your NR-P current, then look for a department that pays well, with a good retirement, in an area with a much lower cost of living, like in Texas, for example.


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## Fish (Jan 15, 2012)

46Young said:


> @ Fish, I wouldn't trade my NYC 911 experience for anything, so I would recommend that you try it out, but don't plan on attaining any real wealth while you continue to live in NY. Give it 3-5 years tops, keep your NR-P current, then look for a department that pays well, with a good retirement, in an area with a much lower cost of living, like in Texas, for example.



I got good experience in a busy area(not as busy as NU 1.3 mill calls a year) then moved to a slower, better performing better paying system.

Now it would take a VERY good salary and great working conditions to leave my Job, I love it here and want to retire here but I can't help but ask questons and wonder about other places.

Where do you work again? Fairfax or Richmond?


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## 46Young (Jan 15, 2012)

Fish said:


> I got good experience in a busy area(not as busy as NU 1.3 mill calls a year) then moved to a slower, better performing better paying system.
> 
> Now it would take a VERY good salary and great working conditions to leave my Job, I love it here and want to retire here but I can't help but ask questons and wonder about other places.
> 
> Where do you work again? Fairfax or Richmond?



Fairfax, the county.


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## Fish (Jan 15, 2012)

What are promotional opportunities like with FDNY EMS?


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## NYMedic828 (Jan 16, 2012)

Sorry folks wasn't aware this thread existed until Fish directed me to it.

I work as a medic for FDNY.

As far as the pay, starting medic salary works out to be roughly $21 an hour, with EMT being $16 an hour roughly.

It is near impossible to figure out the exact numbers because the pay system is so whacked out how it works. 

FDNY has been pretty good for me in the 3 years i've been with them. Can't beat getting paid to take 9 months of class and then get a promotion.

What you can beat, is the absolute horrible pay as mentioned above. Senior EMTs working for the hospital units make far more than I do as a Paramedic. Some top pay hospital unit providers make $28-30 an hour.

Like most, I am just there for the promotional opportunity. If you truly want to make a living out of EMS, you can much better support yourself and family by working for another agency in the region. It could be a difference of $10-20,000 a year...

As far as experience increasing your payscale as a new hire, unfortunately the only experience accepted is that of another NYC agency.

For example if you worked in the NYC 911 system for NS-LIJ for 4 years, you would be hired at 4 year pay.

If you worked for any agency that does not operate in the NYC 911 agency, you get squat and start at the bottom of 44,000 a year.

The biggest issue with FDNY EMS, is our union blows and the people in charge are back stabbing pieces of trash. No boss there is trustworthy as your friend. There is minimal feeling of brotherhood. The job of a conditions supervisor, is simply to find ways to spend their day busting your balls and making you miserable. They really serve no other purpose than helping you to restock your vehicle at the station.

The captains and chiefs are even bigger pieces of trash. I think this stems from the fact that once you make lieutenant, the only way to get to captain and beyond is by being "Appointed." Lieutenant is the only rank which is appointed by exam. After that, its all about a good set of knee pads.

The fire side lives the dream. They make $100,000 a year at top pay to work 2 days a week and have unreal benefits. Fireman are commended for everything they do, whereas EMS only gets news if it is bad news. They all look after one another and have a powerful union. Recently we have been trying to follow their model more, but the leadership of EMS is what is holding us back.


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## Bosco578 (Jan 18, 2012)

NYMedic828 said:


> Sorry folks wasn't aware this thread existed until Fish directed me to it.
> 
> I work as a medic for FDNY.
> 
> ...


 
You pretty much described my service,other than our pay is a bit better,no morale,long hospital waits,fire can do no wrong.......


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## lwhite2012 (Feb 2, 2012)

*?*

Hey guys new to the forum. i wanted to kno how often the fdny offers the test to become ems? i know that they just offered sign up last sept but, I wanted to kno  is it offered once a yr or twice a yr ..thanks for ur help


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