A SoCal paramedic asking for some advice

[hoeyxd]

Hi there, just hit two years as a paramedic in one of those busy 911 systems near Los Angeles county. I’m pretty tired of the crappy pay that comes with 911 out here. I’m trying to figure out what my next step it, but my problem is that I have no desire to be a firefighter and I can’t move from SoCal due to family obligations out here.

Could any one help me think of routes to go around the Los Angeles area that isn’t fire fighting? Anything unique that I haven’t thought of

 

[Bullets]

Nursing

 

[DesertMedic66]

In the field of EMS you are very limited to your options.

You could possibly look into some management/training positions at your current department. HEMS is another option that has better pay than ground EMS usually. Nursing is another option. You could also look into teaching for an EMT/Medic program.

 

[RocketMedic]

Commute?

 

[NPO]

If you are ready set on staying in LA County you are pretty much out of options. Either commute, or look for a different field (firefighting, HEMS, nursing, etc)

There are dedicated event standby companies in LA, none of them are very exciting and none that I'm aware of doing ALS. There is also oil and cruise jobs.

 

[fmj]

Apply for fire departments that don’t half-*** EMS and have ambulances. The good news is that firefighting is a dying job (98% of non-police calls are for ambulances), so you can be on the ambulance your whole career. Obviously, don’t say that in your interview, because the archaic FDs wants people who live and breathe firefighting, and EMS is the cash cow that allows fire departments to survive to this day.

 

[CALEMT]

I guess I'll be the advocate since none of the cult members have shown up yet... kinda weird to be honest...

Have you thought about Hall ambulance in Kern Co.?

 

[RocketMedic]

How committed to LACo are you?


Texas is amazing

 

[hoeyxd]

Thank you all for the responses! Firefighting is a no go for me due to a rotator cuff issue. Also, I hate the chain of command bs and the idea of not following protocol because the jaded ff/captain doesn’t care about patient care.

Must be around LA county and I just want to feel like I’m getting paid more than I was as an emt and it’s not taking grandma to dialysis on a monitor. Currently living in LA but commuting out of county for “the 911 experience” but swiftly finding out that 90% of the time I’m running bls calls with stupid firemen for less than I made as an emt in LA (doing 911).

Calemt, I’m stuck in LA unfortunately. Not willing to commute that far for work

Would anyone happen to have any first hand experience or know anyone that has one of those unique medic jobs in LA? (Special event ambulance, special event standby, construction medical, oil rig, flight medic, set medic, etc etc)

 

[RocketMedic]

Too bad your family is stick there.

 

[VentMonkey]

Not willing to commute that far for work.

I completely understand family obligations, however, if being a paramedic is still something that you would like to pursue then you’re options in Los Angeles are extremely limited.

Would anyone happen to have any first hand experience or know anyone that has one of those unique medic jobs in LA? (Special event ambulance, special event standby, construction medical, oil rig, flight medic, set medic, etc etc)

Special events ambulance companies in LA are often fly by night companies that may luck out and have a movie studio reach out to for a job or so.

I don’t know how consistent any of them are with workflow, and you’re often “just an EMT” even as a set medic.

Breaking into the actual movie industry to provide movies with medical care isn’t something that is easily done overnight on ones own. It can be done, but to make it a living is quite the feat. A lot of the set medics aren’t even paramedics. They can range from EMT to RN, and possibly more.

One of the primary ALS IFT companies in LA is bound to handle whatever major rave that’s big to the LA Basin these days, but again contracts and the like change too often to keep track. And, it’s only maybe once a year when you get to function as a paramedic. The rest of the year you’re doing (questionably) ALS IFT’s.

Coachella hires event medics IIRC every year when that event comes around, but again, you have to give a little to get a little and be willing to commute, even if it’s just for that short amount of time.

Oil-rig medics? I think you’re referring to the off shore paramedic jobs. If so, those seem to be most prevalent off of the Gulf Coast. Again, the commute thing...

Lastly, the flight thing. The last time I checked REACH was the only company hiring flight paramedics for their Van Nuys base. I believe it’s for one of their hospital contracts. The only other base remotely near LA is Mercy Air’s Fullerton base.

Neither of these bases are jobs you just walk into. They also require a minimum of 3 years of “911 experience”. Again, the key word is minimum.

Truthfully if you’re committed to LA because of family obligations your best bet is a career change. If you’re not, and even in say the next 3-5 years you’re able to move then Texas is a place for career ground paramedics.

 

[CALEMT]

Calemt, I’m stuck in LA unfortunately. Not willing to commute that far for work

So an hour and a half commute to be a fully functioning paramedic thats a critical thinker vs cookie cutter is to far? Ok. Just to echo whats already been said your options are extremely limited and your best bet is a career change. If you need to be at home every night for your family then simply put this is the wrong career. Not saying that that's wrong, but this career is demanding and you won't be home all the time.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Your HEMS options are very limited in LA county. I believe REACH has one hospital based airship. LA county Fire and LA county Sheriff have airships that provide medical care but the likelihood of getting on those are slim to none since they require a lot of speciality skills.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Coachella hires event medics IIRC every year when that event comes around, but again, you have to give a little to get a little and be willing to commute, even if it’s just for that short amount of time.

We only hire temporary for data entry, RNs, and EMTs. All medics are employed with AMR in Riverside county.

 

[johnrsemt]

Weird most parts of the country people want to get into 911 for the pay raise.
Try government jobs (www.usajobs.gov) or jail/prison medics more and more are going with medics, instead of just nurses.