# Where to go?



## NomadicMedic (Feb 17, 2011)

I’ve been thinking about moving on to new opportunities.

It’s got to be a great place to live, in a warm climate, with outstanding private or third service paramedics. I’m not really interested in a fire/medic system. A forward thinking MPD and liberal protocols are a plus, too. Oh, if there’s a chance to get involved in EMS research and education, that’s an even bigger bonus.

Anyone have any ideas? Thoughts? Reviews on their own dream service? Let’s hear ‘em!


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## Veneficus (Feb 17, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> I’ve been thinking about moving on to new opportunities.
> 
> It’s got to be a great place to live, in a warm climate, with outstanding private or third service paramedics. I’m not really interested in a fire/medic system. A forward thinking MPD and liberal protocols are a plus, too. Oh, if there’s a chance to get involved in EMS research and education, that’s an even bigger bonus.
> 
> Anyone have any ideas? Thoughts? Reviews on their own dream service? Let’s hear ‘em!



Fantasy land? 


Just kidding, there are some great services out and about, but the trick is getting on when they are hiring.

Make sure you can visit and ride along before you sign on the dotted line though.


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## TransportJockey (Feb 17, 2011)

Texas sounds like the place to start looking. WCEMS, AtCEMS are good places to start looking.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 17, 2011)

I know. It sounds like a fantasy. 

I've been thinking about ATcoEMS. That is on the list. Also EMSA in Oklahoma City. Acadian in LA sounds great, except for the SSM. (I'm too tall to sit in a truck all damn day)

Any others?


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## TransportJockey (Feb 17, 2011)

It's not warm all the time, but Lincoln County EMS in NM (run by Presbyterian Healthcare) just posted a medic position. They're one of the top services in the state of NM.


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## usalsfyre (Feb 17, 2011)

*Texas...*

A/TCo and Wilco are both great places in central Texas. Around Houston Montgomery County Hospital District and Cypress Creek EMS both are mentioned as top places in the state. Three of the four offer state retirement. All have progressive protocols, livable wage and a real career ladder.  All are selective and are able to pick the cream of the crop.


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## shfd739 (Feb 18, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> I know. It sounds like a fantasy.
> 
> I've been thinking about ATcoEMS. That is on the list. Also EMSA in Oklahoma City. Acadian in LA sounds great, except for the SSM. (I'm too tall to sit in a truck all damn day)
> 
> Any others?



Don't rule Acadian in LA out. Not all of the areas are corner posting and go back to stations between calls. The rest are so busy that you can't make it to a station or a street corner. 

If you're able I'd look at some of the others listed first. Much as I know Acadian is good Cypress Creek and others have us beat at some things.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 19, 2011)

Anyone familiar with Harris County ESD-1, just outside Houston? Seems like a decent organization.

And Cypress Creek EMS looks like they have their stuff together, if the website is any indication.

Now, to figure out reciprocity...


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## 46Young (Feb 19, 2011)

Lee County EMS in FL? I'd suggest Charleston County SC for the climate and lifestyle, but their EMS system wasn't my cup of tea. For example, check out what I wrote on the thread about mandatory OT.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 19, 2011)

46Young said:


> Lee County EMS in FL? I'd suggest Charleston County SC for the climate and lifestyle, but their EMS system wasn't my cup of tea. For example, check out what I wrote on the thread about mandatory OT.



Lee County in FL is about the _only_ place in FL I'd consider. I hear they are top notch, but it's very difficult to get a job there. I know they're not currently accepting any applications,

And I'll pass on South Carolina. I was considering MEDIC in Charlotte, but some personal reasons will keep me far away from there.


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## bigbaldguy (Feb 19, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> And Cypress Creek EMS looks like they have their stuff together, if the website is any indication.



I'm a volunteer with Cypress and they are a good outfit. My understanding is they tend to hire from within generally. Cost of living in cypress area is low and I think they take pretty good care of their people.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 19, 2011)

bigbaldguy said:


> I'm a volunteer with Cypress and they are a good outfit. My understanding is they tend to hire from within generally. Cost of living in cypress area is low and I think they take pretty good care of their people.



That's what I hear... but I'll still submit my stuff. B)


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## 325Medic (Feb 19, 2011)

I would love to work for Wake County EMS in Raleigh N.C. Medic in Charlotte is also a dream job.

325.


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## CANMAN (Feb 19, 2011)

Yeah wake county is where it's at. Also WakeMed for Critical Care/Flight. Their teams are on point.

My dreamjob: www.starflightrescue.com but I need to become a better swimmer before I apply.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 19, 2011)

CANMAN13 said:


> Yeah wake county is where it's at. Also WakeMed for Critical Care/Flight. Their teams are on point.
> 
> My dreamjob: www.starflightrescue.com but I need to become a better swimmer before I apply.



I just looked at Wake County again, and the wages are a less than I expected. Starting at $11.62 to $24.45. 

Is that a decent wage in Raleigh?


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## CANMAN (Feb 19, 2011)

I think 11.00/hr is very lowball, I believe the norm is around 14 and up. I don't live there so I am not 100% sure but I know the cost of living down their is cheap. 

Thats the one thing that makes Texas so attractive to me. I can mvoe there make the same amount of money, and my cost of living will be almost half of what it is now. I paid 310K for my Baltimore townhome and my father who lives in Texas paid 176K for 6BR4Bath brand new brick construction :sad:


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 19, 2011)

CANMAN13 said:


> Thats the one thing that makes Texas so attractive to me.



Amen. I'm still in financial straits. It would be nice to be able to get ahead, even a little!


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## CANMAN (Feb 19, 2011)

I feel ya man, have three jobs and work 80+hr weeks to make ends meet. If my fiance wasn't in school I would have moved along time ago. It's almost a no brainer to me. Plus you can freely carry a gun and defend yourself there :usa: unlike MD/Baltimore where the murder and violent crime rate is skyhigh and the only people who have firearms are the crooks.


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## 46Young (Feb 19, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> I just looked at Wake County again, and the wages are a less than I expected. Starting at $11.62 to $24.45.
> 
> Is that a decent wage in Raleigh?



Some will tell you to that it's okay to accept lower pay in an area with a lower cost of living. You have to be careful. I saw Charleston's starting medic pay listed at a rate of 38k to start, up to 44k after six months and a promotion to crew chief, with a top out of 68k after ten years or so. I thought that would be a liveable wage in the Deep South. Not the case. Housing was cheaper. Everything else was the same, or more expensive (I came from NYC). Groceries were no different, gas was marginally cheaper, gym memberships were the same, clothing was the same, so was dining. Services were actually more expensive. car repairs were unreasonable and by the book regarding hourly rate, my wife paid way more to get her nails and hair done. 

I don't know if you come from a system that works only 40 or 42 hours a week on average, but most systems in the Southeast work a 24/48 with no kellys, for an average 56 hour workweek. That means that I was only making 11 something an hour myself to get that yearly quoted salary of 38k. That means that when you do OT, it's only 16 to 17 dollars/hr. If you were working a 40 hour week, you would be getting around 20/hr to get that 38k, and your OT would be around 30/hr. Big difference, huh? So, in addition to the low pay, you're literally getting less bang for your buck when doing OT as well. You're getting screwed both ways. Be sure and factor that in when calculating your cost of living. 

Furthermore, you have to consider retirement. Let's say you get a defined benefit (pension) of 50% average of your highest three years of compensation. What's more, 50% of 50k, or 50% of 100k? This detail is arguably the most important when comparing cost of living and salary, since that's what you're locked in for, for the rest of your life. You can always relocate from an expensive area to a cheaper one after retirement, with your larger pension benefit. That's how us New Yorkers ruined FL.

Lastly, see if your prospective employer has a DROP, also called a TERI in SC. This is where you retire, lock in your final pension benefit, then continue to work for a few more years, getting your pension checks deposited into a deferred comp acccount while you still draw your regular salary. You're double dipping, and mathematically, it doesn't cost the employer anything extra, at least in my county. Everybody's happy.  That's huge! We have FF's getting an extra 190k added to their deferred comp in their three years of the DROP. We have Captains and BC's geting upwards of 250K. We pay full price for our health insurance post retirement, so that DROP money, properly invested, provides income to pay for the insurance.

Lastly again, be wary of depts that pay a generous starting salary. More often than not, they're paying that much to direct your attention away from any number of undesireable qualities of the dept. Look at FDNY, the NYPD, and to a lesser extent, FDNY EMS. A quick search will show you their salary progression. Their starting pay is around half of what they top out at. The biggest jump is at the five year mark, when they top out. This low starting pay is to allow higher compensation for the more tenured employees. Most people leave in the first five years. This is a wise financial strategy, IMO.


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## 46Young (Feb 19, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> I just looked at Wake County again, and the wages are a less than I expected. Starting at $11.62 to $24.45.
> 
> Is that a decent wage in Raleigh?



When I was looking to leave Charleston County EMS, I looked at Wake County. It's a phenominal dept, but the low pay was a deterrent. I made 53k in the fire academy (NOVA), 65k afterward, and now I'm making 80k, only three years in, and a promotion already. It's a shame that you can't make this much in single role EMS. Alexandria Fire and EMS single role medics do okay, but not like this. Matter of fact, they have medics working there coming as far away as NC, NJ, and NY. They only work two days out of every eight, 24/48/24/96. This may be an option for the OP'er. You only need to travel less than twice a week.


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## 46Young (Feb 19, 2011)

CANMAN13 said:


> I feel ya man, have three jobs and work 80+hr weeks to make ends meet. If my fiance wasn't in school I would have moved along time ago. It's almost a no brainer to me. Plus you can freely carry a gun and defend yourself there :usa: unlike MD/Baltimore where the murder and violent crime rate is skyhigh and the only people who have firearms are the crooks.



Amen. VA has castle doctrine as well. You break into my house, I tell you to leave, you don't, I can shoot you, as long as it's not in the back. It's a joke. If enough people own a gun, there are less home invasions and car jackings. I used to live in Stafford County, VA. Not much goes on besides mailbox baseball. Lots of military and gov't workers, such as FBI agents and such.


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## CANMAN (Feb 19, 2011)

^^^ Smart dude right here, excellent post. What department are you working for?


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## 46Young (Feb 19, 2011)

CANMAN13 said:


> ^^^ Smart dude right here, excellent post. What department are you working for?



Fairfax Co. VA.


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## CANMAN (Feb 19, 2011)

Nice, I often considered applying in Northern VA but the commute with traffic would make me want to punch babies..


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## 46Young (Feb 19, 2011)

CANMAN13 said:


> Nice, I often considered applying in Northern VA but the commute with traffic would make me want to punch babies..



We start officially at 0700, but most of us get there by 0600, well ahead of traffic. My commute from out west is around an hour and fifteen minutes, is unmolested by traffic, and I have several options if 66 is jacked up. Oh yeah, 3200 sq. ft colonial, 5br, 2 1/2 bath, 1700 sq. ft basement, desireable area, 292k, total w/ insurance, taxes, and HOA around 1800 bucks a month (4 1/4%). We have people commuting from VA Beach, Baltimore, WV, two guys from NYC, and various affordable areas in VA, such as Stafford, Fredricksburgh, Gainesville/Bristow, Warrenton, Frederick Co/Winchester, Culpepper/Orange County, etc. 

As a new FF/medic, you gey around 50k in the academy, 53k afterward with 4800/yr in ALS cert pay, 2-3 dollars/hr in riding pay as the ALS provider on the engine and medic unit respectively, holiday pay, night diff, and FLSA. You're getting well over 65k right off the bat, and a gimme promotion to EMS Technician in two years, for another 10%. Just sayin'      

We can own guns, too.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 19, 2011)

Sounds like a great gig, and if I wasn't so set against the idea of working as a fire/medic, I'd be all over it.

It's just not something I'm interested in.

Now, where's that muni third service that pays medics 80k after 3 years?


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## 46Young (Feb 19, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> Sounds like a great gig, and if I wasn't so set against the idea of working as a fire/medic, I'd be all over it.
> 
> It's just not something I'm interested in.
> 
> Now, where's that muni third service that pays medics 80k after 3 years?



Somewhere in Canada, maybe?


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## MrBrown (Feb 19, 2011)

Metro Auckland is hiring Qualified Ambulance Officers


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 19, 2011)

Well, I'm an American medic, so I'm obviously not qualified.


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## MrBrown (Feb 20, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> Well, I'm an American medic, so I'm obviously not qualified.



If you are a barely homeostasasing looser cookbook Parathinktheyare from the local patch factory for those with inadequate cerebral perfusion then yes otherwise not at all.

We have several American EMTP ("Intensive Care Paramedics")  here.


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## boingo (Feb 22, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> Now, where's that muni third service that pays medics 80k after 3 years?



The northeast where it is cold, 4 seasons and a lot of traffic.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 24, 2011)

boingo said:


> The northeast where it is cold, 4 seasons and a lot of traffic.



I grew up in New England. I'd move back if there was a great service to work for.


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## boingo (Feb 24, 2011)

You want the 80K or a great service?


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 24, 2011)

I'll take a great service and a liveable wage. 

(And please don't tell me Worcester Mass EMS!)


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## harryb714 (Feb 24, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> I'll take a great service and *a liveable wage*.
> 
> (And please don't tell me Worcester Mass EMS!)



most wages are livable if you live within your means... and are single with zero children, don't mind living in a 2 bedroom apartment with 6 roommates and not interested in dating women with expensive taste


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 24, 2011)

harryb714 said:


> most wages are livable if you live within your means... and are single with zero children, don't mind living in a 2 bedroom apartment with 6 roommates and not interested in dating women with expensive taste



Yeah. I'm not 21 any longer. I'm a little beyond roomamtes and ramen noodles.


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## boingo (Feb 24, 2011)

n7lxi said:


> I'll take a great service and a liveable wage.
> 
> (And please don't tell me Worcester Mass EMS!)




No, I was thinking further east.....why not Worcester?  Never heard anything but positive about them.


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## NomadicMedic (Feb 24, 2011)

boingo said:


> No, I was thinking further east.....why not Worcester?  Never heard anything but positive about them.



I have a friend there. He's not thrilled with it.

Where are you thinking?


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