Best states for EMS?

wolfwyndd said:
Ohio needs to be a lot closer to the top. ;)

I've lived in Ohio for about 10 years now and the FF/EMT jobs are pretty few and far between. When one does appear, there's (almost) a riot with the applicants to get it. Dayton, technically, you don't have to be certified in anything, they'll pay for your training. In reality, there are so many applicants that are already FF 240 and paramedic certified and licensed that unless you're both AND have experience, you can pretty much forget it. Same deal with Columbus and Springfield, OH. Unless you're already FF level II AND paramedic, you can pretty much forget about getting on. Don't know about the Cleveland area but I would assume it's pretty much the same way.

The good news with Ohio is that it is a National Registry state. You take the NREMT test for Basic and Paramedic and you automatically get your state license.
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How does this make Ohio a good state for EMS? If every firefighter is a medic, there is not going to be a lot of excellent medics, because no one sees sick patients with any regularity.


Sent from my out of area communications device.
 
bcemr said:
I left CA in March and couldn't be happier. Sure the sun is nice, but I find not much else is. I lived there 7 years and am glad to trade the sun for sanity.
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Where did u move to?
 
hoss42141 said:
I still say that KY isn't that bad. Cost of living isn't sky high, and pay is pretty good. I mean some places start out medics at 14.00+ and emt's at 10.00+
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Where at in KY?
 
wolfwyndd said:
Ohio needs to be a lot closer to the top. ;)

I've lived in Ohio for about 10 years now and the FF/EMT jobs are pretty few and far between. When one does appear, there's (almost) a riot with the applicants to get it. Dayton, technically, you don't have to be certified in anything, they'll pay for your training. In reality, there are so many applicants that are already FF 240 and paramedic certified and licensed that unless you're both AND have experience, you can pretty much forget it. Same deal with Columbus and Springfield, OH. Unless you're already FF level II AND paramedic, you can pretty much forget about getting on. Don't know about the Cleveland area but I would assume it's pretty much the same way.

The good news with Ohio is that it is a National Registry state. You take the NREMT test for Basic and Paramedic and you automatically get your state license.
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This doesn't mean it is a good state for EMS, just means that jobs are hard to come by.
 
Fish, Ambulance Inc. of Laurel Co. figures up to be a little over 19.00 an hr. Madison Co. is close to that as well. There is currently around 20 positions posted just for medics. Hope this helps.
 
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Fish said:
This doesn't mean it is a good state for EMS, just means that jobs are hard to come by.
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Thank you, Fish. That's exactly what I meant. Ohio's a horrid state for EMS.
 
Jon said:
Nope - Thought about applying to a few squads up there at one time, though.
Now it looks like I might be headed south.
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Were you at Alexandria's CPAT this past Saturday? It was held at our Wel-Fit Center in Chantilly (Fairfax hold's and proctors Alex's CPAT's).
 
I was born and raised in Riverside, CA and moved out to Cape Cod a couple years ago. I actually like it out here better. As far as jobs go, I've seen quite a few posts talking about how people are on a long wait list for jobs out in so cal (unless you want to go out to the middle of nowhere). However, it seems that for Mass' long list of ambulance companies available to work at, none ever seem to be hiring (even when they are) and I've noticed that the state tends to favor the "who you know" instead of the "what you know". I will say though the jobs out here aren't bad, the average EMT-B pay is 11.25-11.75, which isn't that horrible depending on where you live.

I was curious though about how Kansas or Oklahoma was. Anyone there have any advice on how those states are for EMS jobs (availability, regulations, salary, etc.)?
 
Straycoyote said:
I was born and raised in Riverside, CA and moved out to Cape Cod a couple years ago. I actually like it out here better. As far as jobs go, I've seen quite a few posts talking about how people are on a long wait list for jobs out in so cal (unless you want to go out to the middle of nowhere). However, it seems that for Mass' long list of ambulance companies available to work at, none ever seem to be hiring (even when they are) and I've noticed that the state tends to favor the "who you know" instead of the "what you know". I will say though the jobs out here aren't bad, the average EMT-B pay is 11.25-11.75, which isn't that horrible depending on where you live.
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Err say what? I knew no one at the company I worked at and had no prior ambulance experience but I got an interview scheduled as soon as I finished the application and an offer at the end of the interview. I am a college kid who can give them 4-5 months of work max. And they still hired me. If you want a job you have to make some sacrifices for it. That might mean applying to companies an hour a way in person, applying to less well known companies, or giving them a lot of availability. There is no better way to to get a job than to offer 100% availability. Tell them you'll work any shift with little notice and they'll love you. Sure it sucks in the beginning, but you want a job right?

There is always a place that is hiring, it might not be the your top choice place. Oh well, sometimes a job is a job right? Not that many people live on the cape, so there not going to be many EMS jobs compared to Boston, and commuting to Boston from the cape sucks real bad. The only real trick to getting hired is to try harder than the next guy. If they hired me, they'll hire you, you just have to get to that point first.


Sent from my out of area communications device.
 
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Im in Kansas, where our Paramedics are called Mobile Intensive Care Technicians... For now, lol. We have some good services, and some cocky ones, but overall we rock our S*it like a bauce. lol
 
AmeriMedic21 said:
Im in Kansas, where our Paramedics are called Mobile Intensive Care Technicians... For now, lol. We have some good services, and some cocky ones, but overall we rock our S*it like a bauce. lol
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How do these Mobile Intensive Care Technicians rock said S*it?
 
"There is always a place that is hiring, it might not be the your top choice place. Oh well, sometimes a job is a job right? Not that many people live on the cape, so there not going to be many EMS jobs compared to Boston, and commuting to Boston from the cape sucks real bad. The only real trick to getting hired is to try harder than the next guy. If they hired me, they'll hire you, you just have to get to that point first"

: ( I've applied to just about everywhere I could find. I've put in applications in new bedford, boston, even out in western mass. Everywhere I go they say they aren't hiring new EMTs because they want more skilled workers. Cape Cod ambulance is hiring right now for wheelchair cars (better than nothing) but I'm competing with about 17 people for 3 slots. You got any spare luck you wanna bottle for me? lol I'd love you for it.
 
Straycoyote said:
"There is always a place that is hiring, it might not be the your top choice place. Oh well, sometimes a job is a job right? Not that many people live on the cape, so there not going to be many EMS jobs compared to Boston, and commuting to Boston from the cape sucks real bad. The only real trick to getting hired is to try harder than the next guy. If they hired me, they'll hire you, you just have to get to that point first"

: ( I've applied to just about everywhere I could find. I've put in applications in new bedford, boston, even out in western mass. Everywhere I go they say they aren't hiring new EMTs because they want more skilled workers. Cape Cod ambulance is hiring right now for wheelchair cars (better than nothing) but I'm competing with about 17 people for 3 slots. You got any spare luck you wanna bottle for me? lol I'd love you for it.
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Cataldo will hire without experience as long as you can pass the tests and they are holding prehire tests pretty much monthly. Alert will not be hiring in the Boston area any time soon as they just lost the Boston and Brockton VA contracts. I would apply at Brewster or contact them if you have already applied. With them picking up the VA contracts that Alert lost they will be looking for a lot more people. Someone here said they were most likely going to be doubling the amount of BLS trucks they have in the field for the VAs.
 
AmeriMedic21 said:
Im in Kansas, where our Paramedics are called Mobile Intensive Care Technicians... For now, lol. We have some good services, and some cocky ones, but overall we rock our S*it like a bauce. lol
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Good Lord I hope you made that spelling error on purpose, otherwise, I'll be staying out of Kansas.

I'm in Oregon, and while I do like the fact that we require an AAS to be a paramedic, I don't know if it's the best state for EMS. A lot of EMS out here is fire-based, so of course with that you have some good, and some bad paramedics. There's a good mix of urban and rural EMS out here, and a lot of the private companies pay pretty well with decent benefits (my company starts around $40k/year with 100% matching 401K, medical, dental, and a few other goodies). Protocols here aren't anything extraordinary, most agencies that I know of have RSI protocols, surgical/needle crics, CPAP, etc.

That being said, there are places out there that are better for EMS, and places that are worse; however, I think Oregon is a pretty good place for EMS.
 
MassEMT-B said:
Cataldo will hire without experience as long as you can pass the tests and they are holding prehire tests pretty much monthly. Alert will not be hiring in the Boston area any time soon as they just lost the Boston and Brockton VA contracts. I would apply at Brewster or contact them if you have already applied. With them picking up the VA contracts that Alert lost they will be looking for a lot more people. Someone here said they were most likely going to be doubling the amount of BLS trucks they have in the field for the VAs.
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Any idea why they lost that contract?
 
Straycoyote said:
"There is always a place that is hiring, it might not be the your top choice place. Oh well, sometimes a job is a job right? Not that many people live on the cape, so there not going to be many EMS jobs compared to Boston, and commuting to Boston from the cape sucks real bad. The only real trick to getting hired is to try harder than the next guy. If they hired me, they'll hire you, you just have to get to that point first"

: ( I've applied to just about everywhere I could find. I've put in applications in new bedford, boston, even out in western mass. Everywhere I go they say they aren't hiring new EMTs because they want more skilled workers. Cape Cod ambulance is hiring right now for wheelchair cars (better than nothing) but I'm competing with about 17 people for 3 slots. You got any spare luck you wanna bottle for me? lol I'd love you for it.
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Could you join a combo or volunteer fire department on the cape? That would give you experience. I'm not sure I got lucky getting a job, I just didn't stop contacting companies (respectfully and in a non-nagging way) until they told me straight up they aren't hiring. No answer =/= not hiring.
 
Steam Engine said:
Any idea why they lost that contract?
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VA contracts go out to bid every few years (like most hospital networks), presumably Brewster underbid them, or offered more service for the same price. 12 BLS and 2 ALS ambulances have been added.
 
fast65 said:
(my company starts around $40k/year with 100% matching 401K, medical, dental, and a few other goodies)
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Hehehe, $43k AND 150% match to 401(a) :cool:



Hmm.. shocking. Not a single person has denied that Texas is one of, if not THE, best states for EMS. Coinky-dink?
 
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