Drax
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A notoriously high cost of living.
Higher Paying/Most Desired Depts.
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A notoriously high cost of living.
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SA and the surrounding area is alright. Low cost of living is nice. My only gripe about the SA area is there's not enough to do outdoors (coming from the guy who is trying hard to convince his wife to move to either Colorado or Oregon...). There's plenty to do here, just not a lot that interests me personally. It does get quite hot down here, though. And rarely gets cold (rarely below freezing)
BeachMedic
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edit - decided to be quiet instead lol.
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SandpitMedic
Crowd pleaser
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Like for instance $3000 per month rent to live in an 800sq ft shoe box on the second floor. Laundry down the street, loud busy area outside, no yard or privacy stacked up like sardines.
That's just rent...
My sister lives in SF.
The only way I'd take that job is to commute from the Bay Area or central CA. But they work 4 10's and they street post just like privates. Not to mention the crazy call volume, steep hillside streets, narrow stair and hallways, ancient tight housing areas. All that makes the job more difficult. Not saying that as a deterrent or because its not easy... It just isn't worth it to me to be stuck as a single role provider in a system like that for too long. My own opinion of course.
SandpitMedic
Crowd pleaser
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Vegas is good to me. I'm on par to make 60-65k here working 4 12's a week (one OT shift a pay period.) I'm a paramedic though, basic and intermediates make diddly unfortunately.
Cost of living is dirt cheap, there are no state taxes, and the wage is nothing to get rich off of but it is decent and enough to have some toys or buy a house.
The step raises aren't the best though as my pay won't change that much even if I stayed for a few more years; it definitely is a good place to gain experience towards that next step though.
Cost of living is dirt cheap, there are no state taxes, and the wage is nothing to get rich off of but it is decent and enough to have some toys or buy a house.
The step raises aren't the best though as my pay won't change that much even if I stayed for a few more years; it definitely is a good place to gain experience towards that next step though.
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^^Everything posted above shows how many different answers there can be to the question of "what department is best." Everyone has an individual definition of what is best for them. The overall consensus should be to figure out what you want most, find departments/areas that offer those things, and move there.
The only universal recommendation is to get out of SoCal BLS IFT.
The only universal recommendation is to get out of SoCal BLS IFT.
SandpitMedic
Crowd pleaser
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BeachMedic
Forum Lieutenant
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You wouldn't take that job for this?
http://citidex.sfgov.org/cgi-bin/dhr/findClass.cgi?MyID=H003
First row is EMT.
Second Row is Medic. (120k+ for that 40 hour week you're talking about)
Top step is FireMedic/Supression.
Don't even factor in the extra 6% for any kind of degree(including 2 year), 6% night shift differential, and 6% bilingual pay. (18% more potentially)
Then there is the pension, and paying zero into medical.
The great thing about SFFD is that is a major metropolitan FD with tons of opportunity for promotion via either the EMS or Supression route. It's not dead-end be a forever Paramedic or end up Supervisor like with privatized EMS.
The SF Bay Area is a huge place and a great place to live. I'm not one of the tech bros so I can't afford to live in the city lol. Luckily there are a ton of cities within a stone's throw with affordable living. I've been to almost every major city in the country and we've got it all here + nearby mountains, oceans, and phenomenal weather.
On the other hand, due to my own personal bias, you couldn't pay me enough to live in a place like Texas. Almost none of the outdoor things I like to do are within driving distance of the major cities. It's flat, it's hot. There is no Pacific ocean.
Not saying we don't have our problems; because we do. Just saying that as far as EMS gigs go it's a pretty good one.
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Fixed.
BeachMedic
Forum Lieutenant
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Lol. Fair enough. Urban EMS is what it is in all big cities. Definitely not for everyone.
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I'm just referring to California EMS in general. I work urban EMS and rather enjoy it.
TransportJockey
Forum Chief
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Very true. I can't stand the to lose my expansive scope or long transport times... I don't think I could do urban.
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Okay, I like urban unless I get to do even half the stuff TJ gets to while working rural... I do wish I had longer with my patients, though.
BeachMedic
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Yeah after working in Hawaii I feel a little handicapped in general coming back to California. There are a ton of amazing Medics, and a fair number of amazingly bad EMS personnel, here. EMS is just so varied from county to county in this state. (I've worked in 4 different counties now lol)
So Cal is particularly bad. Nor Cal is a bit better but we're not going to be RSIing or surgical cricing in SF anytime soon. Getting steroids on early really isn't our thing either. Fentanyl is barely starting to hit all the Bay Area counties. Our transports are almost always shorter than 10 minutes though so some things really aren't a priority for us. Nasal tubes, CPAP, and needle cric are what we have to work with.
Quality of life and things do in the area are great though. Give and take. Trade surfboards and hiking boots for an expanded scope.
TransportJockey
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I live in Albuquerque and commute six.hours one way to work because I like the location I live. Lots to do outside, good breweries, and easy to drive places and go do things. It is a givr and take, but I like functioning in the field woth lots of options
BeachMedic
Forum Lieutenant
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Agreed. Thus why I'm trying to convince my wife to move.
TransportJockey
Forum Chief
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Seven days on, seven off. But I also use my time at work to study for class lol. Plus I'm looking at staying here for two years or so max
BeachMedic
Forum Lieutenant
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Nice haha. Hope you have a good partner. That's a long time to be at work! At least the drive through NM and TX is scenic.
TransportJockey
Forum Chief
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Ummm I'll have to take some pictures of the parts of TX and NM I drive through, it's flat and boring
And we have two trucks on and we love doing things like cookouts and fish fries, so it makes the days go by quick lol. I actually drive less per pay period (2 weeks) than when I worked at my old job for AMR, though, so this works for me.