The abundant OT you're talkng about (Marshmallow), 80 hours or so on a paycheck when OT is typically slow (Oct-Nov), suggests to me a few possibilities:
There is high turnover, which results in lots of vacancies
There is frequent sick leave abuse, which may be due to burnout, or inability to use vacation leave
ATC-EMS does not staff positions with full timers for the purposes of vacation/sick relief (referred to as pad personnel), but just has enough full timers to staff what they run on a daily basis
ATC-EMS would prefer to pay OT up to a point rather than hire additional employees (or hire less than they otherwise would), as this saves them money
For example, a new FF/EMT costs my employer as much in benefits as it does to pay their salary. Off the bat, there's the county'ss 33% contribution to the pension fund, their 75% of the medical insurance premium, vacation/sick days, paid county holidays, hiring, training, and uniforms. So long as the county doesn't pay $100k in OT to staff a FF position ($50k in salary + $50k in benefits), they make out. That's also one less pension to pay.
Which brings me to another point - this isn't directed at ATC-EMS, but just a general observation:
Employers may use a generous salary, particularly a generous starting salary to attract qualified employees, and also to divert attention away from undesireable features of the organization. Employers may like high turnover, since it greatly reduces their future pension burden. If the average employee stays only a few years, the employer's off the hook for the pension. The high pay keeps the application pool filled so that they don't miss a beat.
Take notice when an employer spends little to no resources on your orientation. For example, CCEMS gave us a one day orientation, then it was just me and my FTO on the bus (I was minimal staffing, no riding third)starting day #2. NS-LIJ CEMS in NYC had a two week in-class orientation, and then a few weeks riding as a third. My current hospital based IFT second job had a few days of orientation, and then as many ride-alongs (3rd person) as the trainee needs to be comfortable. My FD has a 24 week fire academy, and a four month ALS internship, Two months of which is riding as a third, and four hour class sessions weekly for the entire four months.
If a place throws you out on the street as minimum staffing as quick as possible, then they obviously choose not to invest money in orientation, since they expect the employee to not last too long. It's cheaper to hire someone else and put them through a one day orientation than try hard to keep the employee, and have to pay them a pension, and also their salary increases over the years.
