Considering being an emt

[suziquzi99]

Hi Everyone. I have been considering becoming an emt for a while. Right now I have a full time 8-5 job (for the last 6 months) that I am getting burnt out on. I have been a stay at home mom for the last 9 years and have 2 years of college (maj.History min. sports med.). I have checked into going to school, watched and read anything I can get my hands on and have become excited about this pursuit.

Here is my dilema. My husband is a 4 month rookie firefighter with 24 on 48 off. I don't have a clear answer of scheduling for emt workers. We are in Greenville, SC. I don't want to go any further if this cannot work out with our family. We have a 9yr and 3yr with no other family living near.
I know each place will probably have different schedules, but I would love any insight anyone could provide. Thanks for reading!

 

[Airwaygoddess]

Welcome to the tribe!!

 

[Sasha]

Hi Everyone. I have been considering becoming an emt for a while. Right now I have a full time 8-5 job (for the last 6 months) that I am getting burnt out on. I have been a stay at home mom for the last 9 years and have 2 years of college (maj.History min. sports med.). I have checked into going to school, watched and read anything I can get my hands on and have become excited about this pursuit.

Here is my dilema. My husband is a 4 month rookie firefighter with 24 on 48 off. I don't have a clear answer of scheduling for emt workers. We are in Greenville, SC. I don't want to go any further if this cannot work out with our family. We have a 9yr and 3yr with no other family living near.
I know each place will probably have different schedules, but I would love any insight anyone could provide. Thanks for reading!

I know plenty of FF couples with children, they got on opposite shifts so when one is doing their 24 on the other is on their 48 off, and they get one day together. It works out fabulously. (One of the female halfs of one of the couples once told me if she saw him anymore than she does shed kill her husband! ) The best thing you can do is call around to the local services in your area and ask them what their scheduling is like because it is all different.

Good luck!

 

[daimere]

Depending you could work 24, 48 off. Or 8, 6, 12 hour shifts in some companies. It just depends. I'd say contact your local EMS agent for more information.

It is possible. My instructor has 3 kids and she and her husband was a paramedic/firefighter

 

[Ridryder911]

Be sure to check scheduling. It may where both are absent for 24 hour shifts and as well sometimes one may not see each other for several days. We have a couple that is on opposing shifts, they see each other about 15 times a month.

R/r 911

 

[reaper]

Greenville runs 12 hr shifts only. You may be able to hire on part time as a EMT-B. They have very few EMT-B's full time. If you get your EMT-I, you may get full time, but they really like to hire Medics in the full time slots.

The break down of full time right now is around - 6 FT EMT-B's, 12 FT EMT-I's, and 140 FT medics. So there is more of a challange for the few FT slots.

 

[suziquzi99]

Is it better to start out part time emt-b and go ahead and finish courses for emt-I?

 

[reaper]

In SC there really is not much difference. I would go all the way thru EMT-I. You will have a better chance at getting hired. Experiance is not that big a deal at that stage.

 

[BossyCow]

My husband and I referred to our child rearing days as a type of 'tag team parenting' There were a few days when we were handing off car keys as he was coming off shift and I was going to work. But the days off meant a lot of concentrated time with the kids.

Its amazing how our kids adapted. I recall a conversation I overheard my son having with a friend as they were heading down the driveway from the bus... "Okay, just so you know, it's 3pm and that's my dad's nap time, so we'll have to be really quiet going in the door, until we find out if he had a bad shift last night"

It's the little things you don't consider, like what happens to a sleepover of six 9 year olds when the tones go off at 4am. Or, my kids informing a friend sitting at our dinner table.. "BTW, my folks are in EMS and dinner conversation can get weird, so if you have a weak stomach, we can eat in the family room"

 

[suziquzi99]

Thank you for all your responses. I appreciate it greatly!