BEST EMS Job/Agency in 2019?

[FiremanMike]

all true things (24/72 is even better), but many departments are less than stellar EMS providers, because Your department seems like an exception to this, but most EMS units get ran into the ground, at least compared to their suppression counterparts. Many of those FFs want to be FFs, they have no desire to do EMS, and if the ambulance (and EMS runs) went away tomorrow they wouldn't miss it. In fact, if they missed a few EMS runs because they were on a detail, oh well, but if they missed a structure fire or a rescue assignment... the guys wouldn't be happy. If it's your week to be on the ambulance or you are on an EMS run, and you miss a fire in your first due because you are tied up on a respiratory

My point was really that if there are folks looking for an EMS job that don't want to be firefighters, they could get an FD job and then turn it in to "EMS only" for themselves by giving up their fire truck rotation days.. Few folks are going to argue with them on that..

 

[johnrsemt]

Government gig; strictly EMS;
Starting is GS 7 (which is approx. $38K a year plus locality pay which varies: here is 15% more) plus here we get 25% bump over base pay due to shifts. Without OT, I make approx. $65K a year, last year I made $76K this year I will make more.
48 hours on/5 days off.

Great leave (after 3 years you get 12 hours a pay period) I just took off from July 8 to August 8, and I still have 26 weeks of leave left.
Benefits a pretty good after that.
We live on the base, cost of living is decent; ultimate small town and gated community, and no crime;

Slower than crap is the drawback. I have transported 1 patient this year.

I drive 118 miles 1 way to work approx. 48 hours a month to keep my skills up

 

[FiremanMike]

Government gig; strictly EMS;
Starting is GS 7 (which is approx. $38K a year plus locality pay which varies: here is 15% more) plus here we get 25% bump over base pay due to shifts. Without OT, I make approx. $65K a year, last year I made $76K this year I will make more.
48 hours on/5 days off.

Great leave (after 3 years you get 12 hours a pay period) I just took off from July 8 to August 8, and I still have 26 weeks of leave left.
Benefits a pretty good after that.
We live on the base, cost of living is decent; ultimate small town and gated community, and no crime;

Slower than crap is the drawback. I have transported 1 patient this year.

I drive 118 miles 1 way to work approx. 48 hours a month to keep my skills up

Sounds like a great retirement job..

 

[Tigger]

I know I'm going to get nailed for this, but for the most part the "best" EMS jobs are with fire departments. Highest pay, best benefits, generally 24/48. Work environment depends entirely on your crew/partner, so those things can change.. You may or may not want to ever fight fires, but if you can make it through the fire academy and probation, very few folks would argue with you if you said "I want to ride the medic, you guys can have my fire truck spot".

These are the times I feel quite privileged...I work for an FD as an "EMS medic" which requires only a wildland cert. I make the exact same as the FF/Medics, same union, same bennies, same treatment. The only thing I have to worry about is career progression though with what our pay scale is, that's more of a personal motivation and not a financial one.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Interesting, all paramedics? Would you mind elaborating on here for the masses?

Yeah, we’re trying to be a little disruptive here. The majority of our 911 calls are BLS, as are our routine transports. It makes no sense to put medics on an ambulance and have them drive EMTs to the hospital for BLS calls. It’s my belief (and my boss shares this) that fewer medics in squads will allow them to see more acute patients, to be nimble and move from call to call as needed, and we can be more selective and only hire the best... Because we’ll need fewer of them.

The big challenge is Quality Management. 100% review of every call that is downgraded by a medic to BLS. There are many other moving parts in the background. But yeah... medics in squads. Fly cars. Sprint cars. SUVs. Whatever you want to call em.

 

[RocketMedic]

Yeah, we’re trying to be a little disruptive here. The majority of our 911 calls are BLS, as are our routine transports. It makes no sense to put medics on an ambulance and have them drive EMTs to the hospital for BLS calls. It’s my belief (and my boss shares this) that fewer medics in squads will allow them to see more acute patients, to be nimble and move from call to call as needed, and we can be more selective and only hire the best... Because we’ll need fewer of them.

The big challenge is Quality Management. 100% review of every call that is downgraded by a medic to BLS. There are many other moving parts in the background. But yeah... medics in squads. Fly cars. Sprint cars. SUVs. Whatever you want to call em.

I’ve always thought a Charger or other large sedan is a pretty sweet ride. Saves some $ too...you don’t need an F450 to haul around an ALS kit.

 

[NomadicMedic]

I’ve always thought a Charger or other large sedan is a pretty sweet ride. Saves some $ too...you don’t need an F450 to haul around an ALS kit.

We have a non standard group of squads. An older Expedition (my favorite) a Tahoe, a Chevy Trailblazer and a Toyota 4 runner.

I think the idea squad is something like a Subaru Outback.