Florida Paramedic Seeks Advice on Fire/Rescue

[jthadu4u09]

I am 29 y/o/f in search of advice on what to do. I am debating between attending a 6/month long fire academy in January of 2012 OR...starting my prereqs for a Nursing program next month. I live in South Florida and do not want to move far from this area. I am a female so I know that is a bonus. I have my BA in communications, AA in EMS and I will be fire certified. I honestly do not know what more I could possibly do to be hired but I am afraid to drop $3000 on fire academy (which is why I have put it off for a year) for no reason. I already paid almost $7000 for EMT/Paramedic programs and now I am trying to figure out if my dream is even worth pursuing at this time. No one seems to really be hiring down here except for a few municipalities and cities here and there. 12 spots open for 400-500 applicants. (Granted I have heard different sides of it considering I am a female and there is a grant for depts to hire females so it would move me closer to the top of the list). It is all information that I have been able to gather here and there. I am looking for someone that is "In the biz" to give me advice as to what route I should take. What is my job outlook if I go the fire/medic route? My prerequisites will cost me approx. the same as the fire academy so it is an even $ amount. I can get my RN paid for through scholarship and signing on with a hospital. I just really want to get hired as a FF/Medic and if that outlook is slim to none I cannot stand sitting and waiting around. I am an extremely driven individual and need to get moving in a direction. This waiting around crap is for the birds! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[nemedic]

I am 29 y/o/f in search of advice on what to do. I am debating between attending a 6/month long fire academy in January of 2012 OR...starting my prereqs for a Nursing program next month. I live in South Florida and do not want to move far from this area. I am a female so I know that is a bonus. I have my BA in communications, AA in EMS and I will be fire certified. I honestly do not know what more I could possibly do to be hired but I am afraid to drop $3000 on fire academy (which is why I have put it off for a year) for no reason. I already paid almost $7000 for EMT/Paramedic programs and now I am trying to figure out if my dream is even worth pursuing at this time. No one seems to really be hiring down here except for a few municipalities and cities here and there. 12 spots open for 400-500 applicants. (Granted I have heard different sides of it considering I am a female and there is a grant for depts to hire females so it would move me closer to the top of the list). It is all information that I have been able to gather here and there. I am looking for someone that is "In the biz" to give me advice as to what route I should take. What is my job outlook if I go the fire/medic route? My prerequisites will cost me approx. the same as the fire academy so it is an even $ amount. I can get my RN paid for through scholarship and signing on with a hospital. I just really want to get hired as a FF/Medic and if that outlook is slim to none I cannot stand sitting and waiting around. I am an extremely driven individual and need to get moving in a direction. This waiting around crap is for the birds! Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

While you are correct being a Female will help, times are such that out of the 4-500 people for each open position, I'd put up money that there are at least 40 females, with quite a few with the academy and some experience under their belts. Long term prospects and $$$ is better in nursing. I'd say go nursing, but good luck either way

 

[legion1202]

i`m not a female but after this semester i`ll be in the same boat. I`m going to FA but i will be starting Nursing school in Jan to be on the safe side. PBCC has a bridge over program and I already have the classes I need to start. i believe its a yr or 16 mos part time. Most departments do get a grant for hiring female fire fighters but I think that grant is going away from what some people are telling me. The departments also get a grant for hiring ex military i believe or they get some bonus out of it. I am not either ex military or a female but have education helps to. I`ll have my ems degree and a BA plus another AA. if I do nursing...

IMO do the FA fill out apps and you might get lucky.. A lot of departments will be hiring next year. They will only be hiring 10-12 people but you know as much as I that there a lot of fire departments. Get a job in ems to help with experience, join a reserve department and go to nursing school... You will be golden.. Plus when you retire you can still make a crap load of cash!

 

[jthadu4u09]

Thanks for the insight. Yeah, I will have exactly what you have as far as education goes legion. Thanks guys. I am pretty sure I will end up doing the nursing route. I qualify for the loans still and I spoke to someone earlier today about fin aid. I am planning on going to PBCC as well legion. I am going to bridge but it is still 2 years for RN and 1 year for me to finish pre reqs. Looks like I have to get motivated this summer to get all of the requisites completed. 2 years no break seems like a long haul but the $$$ r worth it. Job security is way better in that profession as well. I just hate being this age and swapping careers 5 million times. If I want to FF later on and they r hiring I can always go back to the academy. I just need to get some Medic experience under my belt. Any good idea where I can look? I applied to a couple hospitals but have no heard anything back and I also applied to a Urgent Care.

 

[Pneumothorax]

finish nursing school first.

id rather be in the field myself as well.

i also think having a nursing degree will help you out. i know a chick who has some serious rank @ her FD, shes RN, EMT-P.. so its not unheard of having a rn at a fire dept

 

[legion1202]

It would be a year for me since i have my pre recs.. The test to get in is hard though so be warned and theres a wait list so get your *** in gear haha.. I`d apply for medics, AMR, etc.. If you live in pbcc like I do join the the volly squad for pbfr.. As far as I know there not accepting apps but they always do as people get hired. I theres a few other departments that do volly too. Hospitals down here are staying away from medics in the ER.. They can find a nurse or lpn to do the job for some reason. It sucks because that what I was planning to do after medic school. Look into AMR or Medics... I`ve heard there hiring but becareful there... I`ve seen a lot of bad :censored::censored::censored::censored: at both of them..I`d go to FA and get your pre recs done online... Then by Jan you can start nursing school... :censored::censored::censored::censored: you might see me there. GL!