Volunteering in Phoenix, AZ

[davyvfr]

Hello,

I love giving back to my community and helping people out. Unfortunately, I have no medical experience and work a full time job as an Air Traffic Controller.

I am planning to get my EMT Basic License from a community college. Is this a good idea? Will fire departments pay for your license training if you volunteer for them?

Secondly, the Phoenix Fire Department doesn't seem to offer volunteer EMT opportunities to work along side a paramedic.

Please Note: I live in the Chandler, Arizona area, approximately 20 minutes away driving from Phoenix, Arizona.

 

[chaz90]

It depends on the fire department and if they do in house training or not. Most small volunteer departments won't pay for an EMT course and require their volunteers to be certified prior to working for them as EMTs. Big cities like Phoenix don't typically have volunteer EMS where you'd work with a paramedic as your partner. In more rural areas, there are usually plenty of small volunteer departments that are more than happy to have EMTs volunteer for them. I'd recommend looking around the area you live and seeing if any of the rural departments (or even Phoenix fire) let you do a couple ride alongs to get a taste of EMS. It can be extremely rewarding, and I'd absolutely recommend taking an EMT-B course at a local community college if you're interested.

 

[davyvfr]

It depends on the fire department and if they do in house training or not. Most small volunteer departments won't pay for an EMT course and require their volunteers to be certified prior to working for them as EMTs. Big cities like Phoenix don't typically have volunteer EMS where you'd work with a paramedic as your partner. In more rural areas, there are usually plenty of small volunteer departments that are more than happy to have EMTs volunteer for them. I'd recommend looking around the area you live and seeing if any of the rural departments (or even Phoenix fire) let you do a couple ride alongs to get a taste of EMS. It can be extremely rewarding, and I'd absolutely recommend taking an EMT-B course at a local community college if you're interested.

Thanks for the reply,

I will give Chandler Fire Department a call and see if they have volunteer opportunities.

 

[davyvfr]

Thanks for the reply,

I will give Chandler Fire Department a call and see if they have volunteer opportunities.

Ok, so I contacted Phoenix Fire Department and they can do a ride along and so can Chandler Fire Department. However, NONE of them allow you to volunteer as a certified EMT in an ambulance. Why is this? Other states offer this opportunity but I can't seem to find it in Arizona

 

[chaz90]

From what I can tell, Chandler Fire is a fairly large department too. Places that let volunteers ride as crew members are really small most of the time. If the call volume is higher than one or two per day, paid staff is really required to already be in the station and/or vehicle ready to respond. This debate has really been done to death in other places on this forum, but most of EMS is moving towards career rather than volunteer. It's just part of the changing culture of EMS. Perhaps try to find a part time gig at an IFT service or Event staffing company after you get your EMT licensure.

 

[davyvfr]

From what I can tell, Chandler Fire is a fairly large department too. Places that let volunteers ride as crew members are really small most of the time. If the call volume is higher than one or two per day, paid staff is really required to already be in the station and/or vehicle ready to respond. This debate has really been done to death in other places on this forum, but most of EMS is moving towards career rather than volunteer. It's just part of the changing culture of EMS. Perhaps try to find a part time gig at an IFT service or Event staffing company after you get your EMT licensure.

I figured the Fire Departments would have something like Police Departments. In other words, you can become a sworn reserve police officer and do the EXACT same task as a career officer. (Phoenix Police does this) The fire department also doesn't allow volunteers to work alongside career firefighters here in Arizona. I don't think liability reasons are an issue either.

 

[chaz90]

I've never heard of a large urban system that has anything equivalent to "Reserve" EMS or Fire to supplement their normal staffing. Part of the difference is that police vehicles are relatively cheap and more patrol staffing can easily add to deterrence. Also, many areas that have single paid LEOs in vehicles are more than happy to put free backup in the same car. Even then, I know some paid LEOs who are not pleased with their departments reserve programs due to perceived "value lost" of paid staff.

In Fire and EMS though, vehicles are expensive and you have a far larger number of personnel than vehicles. When a piece of apparatus is staffed, it's staffed at the minimum that department has determined they need for safe functioning and the roles are clearly defined. Adding a volunteer crew member that may or may not be there doesn't really work in these urban models.