# Tips for Climbing the EMT Ladder?



## Shoduke (Aug 25, 2011)

Hey guys,

I recently started working as an EMT-B for my university's (The George Washington University) student-run EMT group. I want to eventually become a crew chief and hopefully even a supervisor in the next 3 years before I graduate in 2014. What tips do you have for someone looking to accomplish my goal(s)?


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## Shishkabob (Aug 25, 2011)

Understand small unit politics.


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## Shoduke (Aug 25, 2011)

Linuss said:


> Understand small unit politics.



Like understanding the innerworkings of small groups?


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## adamjh3 (Aug 26, 2011)

Keep your head down when it comes to station politics. Always step up to do the dirty jobs. Be persistent about wanting to advance. Get rid of all your facebook friends.


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## JPINFV (Aug 26, 2011)

Shoduke said:


> Like understanding the innerworkings of small groups?



Yes.


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## Sandog (Aug 26, 2011)

And hope someone is going to retire for that position to open up.


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## MrBrown (Aug 26, 2011)

Learn something about people and resource management


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## JPINFV (Aug 26, 2011)

Sandog said:


> And hope someone is going to retire for that position to open up.


If it's a student run agency, people graduate and they can make everyone what ever rank they want.


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## Sandog (Aug 26, 2011)

JPINFV said:


> If it's a student run agency, people graduate and they can make everyone what ever rank they want.



Ahh, yes I did seem to forget that point. I am now president of my condo parking space.


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## lawndartcatcher (Aug 26, 2011)

To quote Montgomery Burns: 

"Family, religion, loyalty... these are the demons you must slay if you want to be successful."


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## usafmedic45 (Aug 26, 2011)

Read some books about a fellow named Reinhard Heydrich.  He was extremely upwardly mobile in the organization he was involved with. LOL


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## abckidsmom (Aug 26, 2011)

usafmedic45 said:


> Read some books about a fellow named Reinhard Heydrich.  He was extremely upwardly mobile in the organization he was involved with. LOL



Lol, does this invoke Godwin's law?


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## usafmedic45 (Aug 26, 2011)

Quite distinctly so....that would be the point.


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## usafmedic45 (Aug 26, 2011)




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## samiam (Aug 26, 2011)

When I climb ladders I usually move my right hand then right foot then left hand then left foot and keep my eyed on each rung. I also make sure to always have three point of attachment.h34r:


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## Wes (Aug 26, 2011)

All of the suggestions are good ones.  But I'll add one more -- get more experience somehow.  Being a leader in your first responder group means that people will be counting on you.  And having been involved with similar types of first responder groups, being involved in ONLY that group will not give you anywhere near the experience you need to be successful.


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## silver (Aug 26, 2011)

1) Don't take anything to seriously, you'll miss some great college experiences with your friends otherwise. 2) Its all child's play, which you'll realize if you want to advance your carrier in healthcare or if you go into any real organization/business.


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## AlphaButch (Aug 27, 2011)

Let the right people know that you want to advance. 

The key is finding the "right" people in your organization.


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## mikeward (Aug 30, 2011)

Shoduke:

Congrats.

1) read all of the articles about the service in the Hatchet and GWToday

2) Stop by my office and we can talk.

A student-staffed ems service, administered by the university police, with a unique workload (a cardiac arrest every 2 years, a dozen drunk colleagues every September weekend) has interesting dynamics.

Mike Ward
2131 K St NW 510
(look up my GW email/phone/faculty page on the university website)


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## JPINFV (Aug 30, 2011)

...and then there's networking...


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## mikeward (Aug 30, 2011)

:lol:





JPINFV said:


> ...and then there's networking...


:lol:


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## mcdonl (Aug 31, 2011)

Just wait around. I find that if you just simply stick it out through the politics you will end up becoming cheif due to length of time on the job.

I have been on my department since the summer of 2008 and have seen three chiefs and turned down several officer positions. I was offered the positions because to the majority of the crew, I have been there longer than anyone.


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## DrParasite (Aug 31, 2011)

The interesting thing I found about college based EMS agencies was they tended to turn off a lot of people who came with experience.  When I was on the college squad we had maybe a dozen people who came with experience, EMT certs, from busier agencies than the college squad.  Almost everyone who was in EMS prior (myself included) left within two years.  

all their supervisors were home grown (as in all their experience was college based), and many people were using supervisor positions just as a resume booster, nothing more.  They "promoted" seniors to CC status, and if you were in the clique (prereq was being home grown), you were given the chance to succeed, if you weren't, you had no chance to advance.  Also, I found it helpful to think of the agency as a private EMS agency, instead of a real 911 agency with an actual primary coverage area.

Oddly enough, quite a few homegrown people did go on to join local EMS agencies, a couple became EMT-Is and paramedics, and some even started working per diem for the local 911 service while in college.

but small agency politics, who likes who/who is sleeping with who/who wants to sleep with who, and who is part of the in-crowd (unfortunately) played a much bigger role in deciding who was a crew chief, instead of who actually knew what they were doing.

maybe my experience was unique, good luck on your journey to climb the ladder.


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## starkel (Sep 1, 2011)

Always know what you are talking about, if you don't keep your mouth shut. Respect and listen to those who know more than you if you hope to one day be in their shoes. I was lucky when I first started in the EMS field to have 4 people who had over a century of combined experience training me. I learned more on the rides back to the station than I could have ever learned from a book. I also learned that just because someone had more experience does not mean they have more knowledge, one of the worst medics on our service has a PhD and I don't trust her to carry the trauma bag and even though she has 3 years over me she drives and I ride. It's not about brown nosing it's about knowledge and confidence in that knowledge. People will begin to respect you as a medic, you don't need a title to be a leader just people who will follow you.


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## VCEMT (Sep 2, 2011)

Take credit for the work of others, be loud, be nosey, interrupt conversations and do it loudly, ask questions you already have an answer to, and bring up topics that you know nothing about and be one sided about 'em.


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