Can you be ONLY a paramedic in a fire based system?

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I'm new to fire-based EMS, I've only worked in cities that have separate fire and EMS but are both city run/funded (like Boston EMS).

I'm a paramedic, and recently moved to a different state where it is 90% firebased EMS. Can paramedics work for ALS transport fire departments without being a firefighter? or would I just be wasting my time sending in an application? Keep in mind, this is a small town dept with a population for 35k.

How would your dept handle it if I wanted to work for your fire dept as only a paramedic, and nothing else. If it matters at all, I'd be looking for a PRN position, and I go to school full time.

Thanks!
 
Alexandria, Virginia does EMS-only paramedics as part of the fire dept
 
Few actual municipal agencies hire part time.

FDNY does not but here in NYC we have plenty of hospital based ALS that will hire you part time.
 
This also occurred to me...some places will hire you as a "Firefighter/Medic" and require you to attend fire school, but will assign you permanently to an ambulance. Anne Arundel county, MD springs to mind as a place where you could comfortably remain an EMS-only paramedic despite having had firefighter training.

But again, it all depends on your state. Smaller cities like you describe would tend to be less flexible, as they tend to have less staffing and therefore more incentive to have cross-training crews.
 
Working while in paramedic school

Did you work at all--in any job--while in paramedic training? Full-time or part-time? If so, were you in school f/t or p/t?

I could do loans for the education; however, I already have significant student loan debt, so need to keep my borrowing as minimal as possible. In other words, I need to keep my present job while in school. I could probably whittle it down to a 30 hr/week schedule.

I'm interested in how you did school/work and how it was, realistically.

Thanks!
 
King county's medics only respond as medics, and we are a fire based system.
 
Good luck getting on with Seattle/King County. You have a better chance of winning the lottery!

Would be nice though, a total dream job
 
mgaska84 said:
Good luck getting on with Seattle/King County. You have a better chance of winning the lottery!

Would be nice though, a total dream job
Click to expand...

From some of the things I've heard I don't know if I'd agree with this statement.
 
NVRob said:
From some of the things I've heard I don't know if I'd agree with this statement.
Click to expand...

The dream job part or the "it's hard to get in" part?
 
EpiEMS said:
The dream job part or the "it's hard to get in" part?
Click to expand...

It's certainly a dream job in terms of pay. And since everyone lumps it all together, it's important to note that Seattle Medic One is comprised of Firefighters with at least 3 years of experience that apply to become medics. The only "non fire" paramedics in King County are employed by "King County Medic One", the service that provides paramedics to South King County. (South of Seattle to the Pierce County line.)

"Medic One" is a generic term for paramedic service in Washington. Many of the agencies that name themselves "Medic One" are NOT affiliated with the medic one foundation, although all of the King County agencies are.
 
Add these to the list:
Philadelphia Fire Department
Chicago Fire Department
DC FEMS
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (Florida)

Also, most of the FDs in King County that do ALS have some sort of rule that once the FF crosses over to paramedic, they only work EMS. (I think Bellevue FD is the exception?)
 
Maybe that's the case now, but they still have to start as firefighters, work suppression for x number of years. It's still 3 in Seattle before they can apply to work as a medic. I know a buddy of mine in Redmond was excited for OT shifts when he could ride backwards on the engine.

In Snohomish, Mason, Jefferson or Pierce Counties, firefighters are hired right out of medic school then sent to fire academy. Of course, those departments cross staff a medic unit and engine most of the time and medics are expected to fire fire as well.
 
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