It is because you work in IFT in Southern California. The environment down there taints the way that EMTs see the world and it is sad. That attitude is pervasive down there. Nobody seems to care at most companies. Owners do not care about their employee. Employees do not care about the company or the equipment. Dialysis centers and hospitals view the EMTs as "ambulance drivers." Those ambulance companies are businesses plain and simple. All they care about is the bottom line. Why do you think with dozens of companies in LA County only several will even bid on 911 contracts? They exist solely to make the owner money, just like any other for profit business. The sad truth is, most of those companies are not even close to being real EMS. Those companies work pre scheduled calls from dialysis centers and hospitals discharging the patients. They run wait and return calls to doctors appointments. While those are no doubt important aspects of keeping the healthcare system running, it is not EMS. In LA County, you get on scene and are an IFT company and it is an actual emergency, you are supposed to call 911 and let them handle it and not even use your skills. Let that sink in....an AMBULANCE calling 911 for another ambulance since you are not part of the 911 system.
With conditions like that, think of the type of the type of people that the "shady" companies attract. A lot of the employees are either one of two types. Both types are willing to make $10 an hour and there is an endless supply of them. These types of people do not deserve more than $10. #1. People who want a paycheck, that do not give a darn about EMS, and are happy being glorified medical transport drivers. They like the job because you can sleep between calls, and relax. This type often has their shirt untucked, boots unzipped, and does not appear professional. Do those people deserve more money OR........#2. The wanna be firefighter types. You get people who think that running granny to dialysis 3 times a week is somehow going to get them into that dream fire job. The type that wear fire department shirts under their uniforms and post selfies in the unit with #savinglives on their Instagram because they want the opposite sex to think they are something they are not. You can find them in bars on their days off bragging about their job and making up war stories because all they do is IFT. Most of those people do not give a darn about the job either because it is but a "stepping stone" to their glorious fire career. Those type of people also do not deserve more than $10 an hour. People who actually care about their job in LA County are a dwindling few. From some of your other threads it seems like you fall into the category of people who still care about their job, but you should realize you are in the minority.
There are better places.
I moved several hours north to be a paramedic. I make significantly less money than an IFT paramedic down south, but I get to use my skills. When you get to do actual EMS, it makes it all worth it. It was the best move I could have made. I love my job as do all the paramedics I work with. Most of our EMTs also love their job and are treated well. Our ambulances are always clean and stocked because we care. We have MDTs, portable radios, and every paramedic is issued his own computer for PCRs and med bag. We keep our equipment up. The pervasive bad attitudes from down south are not present up here. We are genuinely part of our community and they love us. We are present at all the community parades, football games, carnivals, do school presentations and basically are ingrained in the fabric of the city we serve. Our companies care about us much more. I have a 401K, generous PTO, 100% employer paid Blue Shield PPO with vision and dental included, a responsive HR representative, paid CEs (including ACLS, PALS, etc), good work schedule, and ambulances that are only several years old. Our owner drives a Toyota and lives in a 3 bedroom house. If you go to other states, Texas, Colorado, Nevada, etc the working conditions get even better. But then again, people who just view EMS as a entry level job or are wanna be firefighters who view EMS as below them do not survive long in our systems with those attitudes.
