EMT training in New York City

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moxucd

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Hey all!
I'm a laid-off journalist looking to be an EMT. Moving to NYC from California. Starting life fresh at 28. I know it's a 6-month training program, and job prospects are pretty good right now, though the pay is not. However, I want to do it. Goal is to be a paramedic.

So I'm moving across the country and starting fresh. Need all the help I can get.

What EMT training programs in NYC would you recommend? How long after certification would you expect to wait to find full-time employment? (Provided I work hard and all) Is all the articles I'm reading about how the city needs EMTs true (meaning, jobs in NYC will be available upon certification)? I don't want to go into a dead-end field again.

Thanks, all!
 
Also, I see the FDNY has it's own academy. Anyone know how to enroll there, if possible? Would you recommend it?
Thanks!
 
NJ has tons of EMT jobs. NYC has some too, but more often than not you need some experience to get hired (at the hospitals anyway). the upside to working in NY is there are tones of places to get hired, but the pay is sometimes lacking, so 2nd jobs and OT are often needed to maintain a good level of life. plus NYC works 8 hour shifts (ewwww), but if you can find a place that works 12s, you are set. FDNY sucks, is a lengthy process to get into, but looks good on a resume.

you can also work across the river in NJ, lots of busy systems. but again, you often need experience or a connection to get hired. volunteering can often gain you the experience you need as well as make the connections to get a better job, but you will still need to have a "real job" to pay the bills.

good luck
 
moxucd said:
Also, I see the FDNY has it's own academy. Anyone know how to enroll there, if possible? Would you recommend it?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

First of all, you can not enroll in the FDNY academy. You get hired first. To get hired you must be a New York State EMT-B or NYS Paramedic.

Second, The emt class is 3 months at a community college. LaGuardia CC and Boro of Manhattan (BCC) are the community colleges. St. Vincent's hospital in Manhattan and New York Methodist is Brooklyn also teach EMT classes. All have medic programs also.

FDNY has a long hiring process. Don't expect to get hired soon. Transcare, Senior Care and Citywide are the major transports and you'll start at $10/hr. For NYC thats not much. As mentioned doing transport in Jersey gets you $13
 
I'm from NYC. I got my EMT-B in '02. Back then, a pulse and a patch were good enough for amployment, BLS or ALS, and was the same when I left in '07.

During that time FDNY EMS was constantly hiring both BLS and ALS. They had no uniformed status for a long time, and had a contract that was expired for years. Now, they have uniformed status and a better contract. Still not a livable wage IMO, but better. I think that hiring has slowed there for financial reasons. It used to be quick, especially for medics, but not at this time.

The 911 participating hospitals have always been the most difficult to get into. For some you need to know someone to get hired. For others, it's a long waiting list. In NY, everyone knows that you go to FDNY for benefits and a pension, and you go to the hospitals for money, flexible schedules to suit your needs (after some tenure) and more desireable working conditions.

I wouldn't say that it's a closed field, but a somewhat dead end one. Opportunities for advancement within the field are limited to ALS, CCEMT-P, flight, dispatch, and supervisory positions (these are usually limited, and are awarded by favoritism or a need to satisfy demographic requirements). Other opportunities for advancement are really for entry into other fields, such as emergency management, nursig, RRT, PA, and other healthcare related professions. You could also get your MBA and promote within a hospital system.

IMO EMS in NYC and the area of NJ close by give you the best on the job training. The BLS units are double EMT, not EMT/medic. You need to think for yourself, oftentimes with an extended ETA for ALS. The medic units are double medic, and are only dispatched ALS job types, not sick calls, EDP's, injuries and such. Your learning curve will be steep. Compare this to other areas in the US where the EMT just supports the medic, and the medic units get everything from the sniffles and stubbed toes up to cardiac arrests. Two places I've worked I've said to myself "I'm glad I have the NY experience, as it would take me 15 years to get the same experience (by experience I mean high acuity pts, frequently, not "BS calls") that I could get in 2-3 years in NY/NJ. I could go two shifts without doing a legit ALS call, where in NY I'll do 2-3 per shift as a minimum. Two tubes per week vs a tube every other month.

For longevity in the field, assuming you don't have any aspirations above field EMS, I would say look for a FD to pick you up after getting your medic. You can be dual role. Fire suppression isn't for everyone. Some FD's have single role medic positions available as well, such as Philly and Alexandria VA. Enjoy the benefits, $$$'s and retirement without the suppression requirements.
 
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If anyone can recommend allied health Methodist vs code one please email me, I didn't like emergency care ny, and failed twice
 
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