# Private Services VS County..



## Sineath02 (Aug 18, 2006)

I just got a job today as a driver with a private service here in Columbia. In the past I said I would go county when I finished EMT-B and got my certification, but now that I was hired as a driver I am thinking maybe if I like this company I will just be an EMT for them. This company says they will even pay for me to go to paramedic school. I only will make 8.50 as a driver but once I finish EMT-B I will make 13.75. Does anyone know the perks of private and county services?!?!

Keith


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## Celtictigeress (Aug 18, 2006)

columbia where? SC??

Actually here in Tx as a private you make more while county offers benefits.. I make like 3 more then county ambulance service...we also are a tighter knit group and everyone knows everyone elses families...

IF your in columbia SC then go For Richland county or Sumter county.. Kershaw county doesnt make chit


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## Sineath02 (Aug 19, 2006)

*..*

Yes Columbia SC, psshhh I could move up north, maybe chicago or somewhere around there. I hear EMS is better in bigger cities


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## cmitchell93270 (Aug 19, 2006)

damn i wish i made 8.50 or even that 13 dollars, here in california  were i live we only have private and they pay  6.75 to 7.00 and thats it. they won't even pay for your medic school


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## Celtictigeress (Aug 19, 2006)

Richland county dropped their pay... used to be 14 and some change....I moved from SC so thats why I asked.. Kershaw pays VERY little..and actually your wrong chicago is 8.50 an Hour....even their Police Officers are low paid..the department I worked for as a cop only paid me 8 an hour...so No bad idea...

Sumter is where my cousin worked, put in an app with them they are decent pay benefits ect and a rather nice substation...

with ours here in Tx *grin*We have cable mwuhahahahaha though on a serious note it all depends what your looking for... a private transport service ALLOWS you experiance Plus Pay in a more subtle environment rather then just tossing you out to the wolves....


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## Jon (Aug 20, 2006)

Ok - big question - is it a "little" priviate service (you know the owner by the first name because he is your boss), a "medium" size service (1 or 2 markets, a couple of bases, supervisors, managers, dispatchers, calltakers and billing), or a nationwide service (AMR/Rural Metro)?

I've worked for a couple of small mom&pop companies, a medium-size company, and a nation-wide company. There are pluses and minuses to each.

working for the county, you will probably be doing *mostly* emergency / 911 runs... working for a priviate, around here at least, means that you are doing transports.

The pay might be better with the priviate, but goverment agencies, as a rule, tend to have better benifits.


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## Sineath02 (Aug 21, 2006)

Yeah I might just go ahead and work county...County has great benefits and in the long run I will be glad I did


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## Sineath02 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Probably go county*

 

*Base pay for a Emt-b for lexington county is $30,725 and these are the benefits.*

Lexington County offers a full range of benefits to full time employees to include health, dental and life insurance, retirement, deferred compensation and compensated leave. Some of these benefits are available to regular part time employees. The following basic description is provided as an overview of the benefits program and is not a substitute for complete information provided to employees during the employee orientation period. The information provided is subject to change. 

Health and Dental Insurance
The County of Lexington offers medical and dental coverage to all full time employees and their eligible dependents who are working at least 30 hours per week. The County's insurance program is self-funded with a third party administrator to process claims. The County utilizes the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina PPC network. 

Group Term Life
The County of Lexington provides a life insurance plan for its employees. The County provides a benefit of 1.5 times the Basic Annual Earnings (BAF) to a maximum of $50,000 (minimum of $12,500) of Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage. Employees have the option purchasing additional insurance for themselves as well as their family members. 

Flexible Benefits Plan
Full time employees are eligible to participate in the County’s Flexible Benefits Plan. The plan offers a variety of pre-tax supplemental insurance products, flexible-spending accounts, and post-tax insurance plans. Management of the Flexible Benefits Plan and the flexible spending accounts is provided by Fringe Benefits Management Company. Insurance products are made available by Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Company. 

Deferred Compensation and Tax Deferred Annuities
Employees can elect a non-matching payroll deduction to set aside income on a pretax basis through the state's South Carolina Deferred Compensation Program. The State offers a 457 and 401(K) program. 

South Carolina Retirement Systems
The County participates in the South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS) and the South Carolina Police Officers Retirement System (PORS). Benefits at retirement are based on the member's average final compensation and years of credited service. Employees contribute a pre-tax amount to the system. Employer contributions are made by the County of Lexington. 

Compensated Leave
Annual Leave: Regular full time employees earn annual leave commensurate with the number of years of service. Regular employees who are normally scheduled to work at least twenty(20) hours or more but less that forty (40) hours per week earn annual leave at a rate of one-half the scheduled accrual. 

Number of Years of Service  Annual Leave Days  
1 - 5  10  
5-10  15  
10 or more  20  


Sick Leave: Regular full time employees accrue sick leave at a rate of one (1) day per month of service. Part time employees accrue at one-half the full time rate.
Funeral Leave: All employees are granted up to three (3) consecutive days of leave with pay and without loss of accrued annual or sick leave in the event of a death of a specified relative. 

Holidays
All regular (non-shift) full time and part time employees observe paid holidays as declared by County Council. 

Direct Deposit
All employees of the County are required to utilize the direct deposit system. Earnings are electronically transferred to the employee's bank or credit union. County employees are eligible to join the SAFE Federal Credit Union.


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## Celtictigeress (Aug 21, 2006)

lexington county also houses all of sc rejects that couldnt "mak it"as does newberry county....it is not the bst place to work imho


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## Sineath02 (Aug 21, 2006)

Celtictigeress said:
			
		

> lexington county also houses all of sc rejects that couldnt "mak it"as does newberry county....it is not the bst place to work imho



My buddy works for richland county, he seems to like it a great bit. He has been working with them over a year now


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## Celtictigeress (Aug 21, 2006)

sorry about all the typos...laptop had an "oops" and my left hand is broken....

Lexington houses the idiots, Richland actually expects something out of you..

Sumter is great too countywise and you can advance, My cousin worked with them for 15years but last year a serious runin with a semi took her out of commission, she will no longer be a paramedic..

she loved it I know my cousin if she didnt and there wasnt anything great she wouldnt have stayed...she actually wanted me to come work there with her...so look into sumter too

BTW guys I make 14 an hour at the private I work heh its a great place to boot....


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## ffemt8978 (Aug 21, 2006)

Out of curiousity, how did you break your hand?


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## JDFEMS (Aug 22, 2006)

First off,
 Sorry bout the broken hand Celtic. Much condolences.... 
Now, as to private vs County, for my two (little) sense: Here in Tejas, as a newly (Mar '06) Certed Basic, the general rule of thumb seems to be is go for a private company coming out of school, build up your xp, make a few bucks (and lets face it, it is ALL a FEW wherever you are in this U.S.), pray they can pay for Medic school (which my National company can, and is the reason I'm with them) and then RUN, nay, SPRINT to the nearest County or City Dept your two feet can carry you to. The benefits and retirement package can't be beat at a County/City level, (so I've heard), and that explains why my new company has such high turnover, However, I'm looking to add little ones to my family, so stability and benefits are muy importante..and untill I get my Medic and FF, no moving for me. Cides, I'm holding out for that ULTRA Lucrative Basic spot in Honolulu..... NOW, that being said, I'd LOVE to volly for a county service here in Tejas on a shift scheduale...Living in the middle of this Maze of asphalt that I do means that it's not possible, I live outside the fire district of everyone and anyone I've come in contact with!! It's pretty crappy, I hear up north there are LOTS of Volly slots open, but NO pay!!


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## Celtictigeress (Aug 22, 2006)

one word...horses

exactly the private gives xp...many departments have issues hiring "Fresh faces"


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## JDFEMS (Aug 23, 2006)

I guess I can understand not wanting to hire "fresh Faces", the trick is finding the private company that is losing people for the "right" reasons (promotions, leaving for county, etc) and not because dispatch can't run a zone system and you get all the sucky calls. As far as *I'm* concerned, I'm a VERY new  Basic, am looking to build my xp, and quite frankly, don't have the xp to complain about anything crappy in my system yet. I'm going to keep my nose as clean as possible, stay out of the office politics, go to medic school, do my 2 yrs repayment, and live my life


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