# looking for Info about.............



## Fish (Sep 11, 2011)

Hello, I am looking for info on the following Departments, anything you can tell me about any of them would be greatly appreciated. Pay vs Cost of living, benefits, Moral, EMS and Hosp. Relations, Shifts, etc....

Prince William County Fire & Rescue(VA), DC Fire & EMS. Baltimore FD & EMS, and Philadelphia FD & EMS

Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated, I have done my research online but would like to hear from others what they know! Looking for more than what web searches can tell me. Hopefully there are some employees of these departments on here, or people who know people who know people who know people, who know an employee. 

Thanks in advance.


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## Anjel (Sep 11, 2011)

I know guys who work DC fire and EMS. 

They are strictly fire base. Their EMS runs about 20-21 calls per ambulance per day. They do 24hr shifts.

Cost of living in DC from what they told me is pretty high. 

I am not sure what their pay is. 

They say their biggest issues are all of the tourists and homeless people. And mass transit. 

They all loved working there and were close. I spent a week with 6 of them, and still talk to them now and again.


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## Fish (Sep 11, 2011)

Anjel1030 said:


> I know guys who work DC fire and EMS.
> 
> They are strictly fire base. Their EMS runs about 20-21 calls per ambulance per day. They do 24hr shifts.
> 
> ...



With a call volume like that, you wonder how long one can last without getting run down. Is it a 24/48 Schedule?

When I was on the DC website, ti seemed as if the EMS providers where single role and were not Fire Fighters, is this the case that you know of? If so I wonder how EMS and Fire gets along if all they have in common is the same name DCFD. This being said, I know that DCFD is trying to go to an all hazards agency but has yet to cross train all of their EMS providers.


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## Anjel (Sep 11, 2011)

What they were telling me is this. 

They all work out of the same station. 

You either work fire or EMS. But you have to be a firefighter regardless. 

So you can go there and say I only want to work EMS and that's what you would do. Or you can say I only want to work fire. 

But they said that even the fire fighters have to work EMS from time to time. And no one likes to because of the high call volume. 

It is DC FEMS. Fire and EMS. All one entity.


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## usafmedic45 (Sep 11, 2011)

For cost of living, type in "cost of living index" and the name of the city into Google.


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## Fish (Sep 11, 2011)

usafmedic45 said:


> For cost of living, type in "cost of living index" and the name of the city into Google.



I already did this, with bankrate.com good site. However that can only tell you so much. I am lookin can a person support a family of the one income or is that not a good lifestyle, and if your dollar truely goes far in that area.

I haven't really hard of anyone from philly on this site, which is a bummer cause I am interestd in hearing about that place.


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## usafmedic45 (Sep 11, 2011)

> if your dollar truely goes far in that area.



What do you think the COLI is?



> I am lookin can a person support a family of the one income or is that not a good lifestyle



Depends on your definition of a good lifestyle.  In my book, you'd probably be living pretty close to unacceptable conditions but then again I don't work for less than $17 an hour, $20 if I am actually expected to do anything of significance.  

Here's what you do....look up the crime stats, find a place you're not likely to get robbed or murdered and then look up the average rent.  Figure up what your other expenses will run and then call the departments in question and ask what the average starting salary is.  Do a basic budget and see how the two sides of the balance sheet shake out.


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## ArcticKat (Sep 12, 2011)

usafmedic45 said:


> I don't work for less than $17 an hour, $20 if I am actually expected to do anything of significance.



Holy crap!! Want a job?  I'll pay you $19.50 an hour and you might get one call a day.   Don't even have to stay at the base.

Here I thought Mexico was a good source for cheap labour.


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## MedicBender (Sep 12, 2011)

Living around DC on a DCFD salary is possible, but don't expect to have a lot of wiggle room. Most people I know who work for DCFD commute in. They are a very aggressive and well thought of fire department... EMS is another story. They don't exactly have a stellar reputation for patient care. Last I heard most ambulances were staffed with BLS providers, and medics road on the engines and upgraded units as necessary. They are a very busy system like Anjel said. As with most fire departments around here, they are all about fighting fire, and tend to look down on EMS as the red headed step child of emergency services. There are far better departments to work for if you enjoy being a medic. If you got your medic to ride fire trucks, DCFD is a good choice. 

If you're still looking to stay in the same area, Fairfax Virginia has a very well respected department. They came to scout medics in my medic class, and from what I remember you end up pulling in a little around $70k/year as a medic/fire fighter. They are very pro-medic and are trying to turn their department 100% ALS. 

Other counties to consider are Montgomery, Prince Georges, Anne Arundle, and Howard. All are fire department based services. Prince Georges just hired a class, and Anne Arundle is supposed to be opening up in January. 

OK on to Baltimore... There are 2 departments for Baltimore. Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Baltimore city IIRC has dedicated firefighters and dedicated paramedics. I'm not entirely sure on that, I'll check with a couple friends who work there. Baltimore County has dedicated firefighters and dedicated paramedics. There are also various volunteer fire departments who hire paramedics to run their ambulances. It's a goofy system. Last I heard the county was still pretty corrupt, and getting hired was a little difficult. 

Most departments work 24/48 or 24/72. It's fairly easy to commute in from far away if you don't mind the drive. I have friends that live in PA, NJ, VA, and on the eastern shore of MD that commute up to 3 hours. Most of them don't mind the drive. Cost of living goes down quite a bit when you get out into the country, especially up in PA. 

PM if you have any more questions, I've been a volly with a county around here for a few years and have friends in most of the local departments. 

Good luck!


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## Fish (Sep 12, 2011)

MedicBender said:


> Living around DC on a DCFD salary is possible, but don't expect to have a lot of wiggle room. Most people I know who work for DCFD commute in. They are a very aggressive and well thought of fire department... EMS is another story. They don't exactly have a stellar reputation for patient care. Last I heard most ambulances were staffed with BLS providers, and medics road on the engines and upgraded units as necessary. They are a very busy system like Anjel said. As with most fire departments around here, they are all about fighting fire, and tend to look down on EMS as the red headed step child of emergency services. There are far better departments to work for if you enjoy being a medic. If you got your medic to ride fire trucks, DCFD is a good choice.
> 
> If you're still looking to stay in the same area, Fairfax Virginia has a very well respected department. They came to scout medics in my medic class, and from what I remember you end up pulling in a little around $70k/year as a medic/fire fighter. They are very pro-medic and are trying to turn their department 100% ALS.
> 
> ...



Thank you for the insight, very helpful. How is Baltimore Cities EMS Deparment? Good Rep, good Protocols?


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## MedicBender (Sep 13, 2011)

Fish said:


> Thank you for the insight, very helpful. How is Baltimore Cities EMS Deparment? Good Rep, good Protocols?



They have good medics and bad medics. Most are looking to get into a fire department and ride fire trucks. Protocols are a few years behind. MD EMS isn't very progressive, one of the reasons I'm leaving the state. 

Protocols can be found here: http://www.miemss.org/home/default.aspx?tabid=106


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## Fish (Sep 13, 2011)

MedicBender said:


> They have good medics and bad medics. Most are looking to get into a fire department and ride fire trucks. Protocols are a few years behind. MD EMS isn't very progressive, one of the reasons I'm leaving the state.
> 
> Protocols can be found here: http://www.miemss.org/home/default.aspx?tabid=106



Come work for us down here in Texas


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## MedicBender (Sep 13, 2011)

I'm in the process of doing all my paperwork for TX, I just need to find time to take a road trip down there to do the finger printing


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## Fish (Sep 13, 2011)

You don't have to come here for the finger printing, get it done where you live and then mail your prints to the company that Texas List on the application form.

Once you get that all done, go to www.wilcoems.org


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## jemt (Sep 14, 2011)

A friend of mine is a medic for Philly fire. He said they are non stop but he makes over a 100k a year with all the OT he gets.


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## Fish (Sep 14, 2011)

jemt said:


> A friend of mine is a medic for Philly fire. He said they are non stop but he makes over a 100k a year with all the OT he gets.



Wow, really? I noticed there starting is Mid 40s, they must get good step increases and a lot of OT. Do they Run a 24/48?


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## jemt (Sep 14, 2011)

I'm not sure their starting rates but I know hes been on for around 8 years or so. His permanent schedule is 3 12's in a row plus mandatory OT and whatever other shifts he picks up.


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## Fish (Sep 14, 2011)

Thanks for all the info, do you know how often they hire, how competitive it is, what the testing process is like?


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## Wes (Sep 14, 2011)

Fish -- you trying to get out of Central Texas?


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## Fish (Sep 14, 2011)

No, I just get curious.

But heck if we keep having summers like this last one then who knows!


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## jemt (Sep 14, 2011)

http://www.phila.gov/fire/about/about_employment_paramedic.html


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## bigdogems (Sep 14, 2011)

Fish said:


> You don't have to come here for the finger printing, get it done where you live and then mail your prints to the company that Texas List on the application form.
> 
> Once you get that all done, go to www.wilcoems.org



You can mail in prints for the state check but the company that does the fingerprinting will only do the Federal check in TX


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## bigdogems (Sep 14, 2011)

I dont care how hot it gets. We dont get snow! I can still drive without a problem even when it's 110


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## MedicBender (Sep 15, 2011)

bigdogems said:


> I dont care how hot it gets. We dont get snow! I can still drive without a problem even when it's 110



This is my one issue with moving to Texas, I'll miss snow and cold weather to much


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