How did you get your first EMS job?

[MMiz]

So how did you do it?

I went to a website (typical dork move), called them up, and the rest was history.

What about you?

 

[joemt]

First EMS "job" was as a volunteer..... and basically I just signed up and they took me. First paying job was as an Instructor, and I worked my Arse off to get it... lots of proving had to be done.

 

[DT4EMS]

I told them the story of how their service picked up my dad when he was electrocuted.....that made me want to be an EMT. They hired me.

 

[emtbuff]

I got on from my mom putting my name in and they said okay. This was for a volley squad.

 

[TTLWHKR]

First calls I ever took was as a volunteer, my father was a volly, his father was a volly, etc. I still do sometimes.

 

[Jon]

First "job" was volunteer.

After I turned 18 and got out of high school, I was hanging around the squad, trying to decide what to do with my summer. There was a group of 3 friends at my one co... Jim, Mark, and Kevin - Mark and Kevin are brothers... Jim and Mark have since moved on...

Anyway, they were all working overnights at a downtown Transport Co... they'ed been there for a year or two, and had moved to the West Philly base after "their" base had closed.

Anyway... I remarked on my lack of a full-time job one day, and was told "why don't you go apply at Network? They just had a Shift bid come back last week, and 30 people didn't get what they wanted... and walked off." That SHOULD HAVE been a warning... It wasn't. I worked there for a year... the other 3, and their friends, were all gone 2 months after I started... they REALLY didn't like it anymore.

We were overnight crews and usually stayed in Philly... Philly was busy - lots of psych runs, and they cut crews down weekly, until the overnight crews were running almost straight through the night.

If we went over to Jersey, the night started off busy with Dialysis runs... last pickup for return was 10pm.. then it was ER runs until early dialysis at 0430-0500.

I went to Days in October after I got burned out on nights.
Jon

 

[FFEMT1764]

Well if you count volly as a job, I was 16 almost 17 and walked in to the local squad, showed them my 1st responder card, and they said welcome aboard. First paying EMS job came 8 months later for a different squad, got paid to drive while I waited finish EMT school and get my card. From then I have workeda few other EMS jobs in different states, byt always ended up back here in SC, and the rest is well, you know the rest...

 

[Lisa]

I crossed over from Fire/Rescue.. Got interested in Emergency Medicine early on....took the First Responder class, and the EMA Director pushed me to go for my EMT license.I took a rapid course and had my license in 16 weeks. I did part time work here and in surrounding counties until a full time slot came open a few months ago.I finally got the job last week!!!!!!!

 

[ResTech]

Sent my resume, called for an interview, got hired... typical process for a job I guess.

 

[coloradoemt]

Started out as a FF, found out its mostly medical runs, applied to an ambulance company, been doing it since.

 

[smurfe]

First EMS related was on the fire department. The department only ran fire calls when I was hired. I wanted to be an EMT so I convinced them to train us. That was 26 years ago. You have to be a paramedic to even apply with that department now.

Smurfe B)

 

[Ridryder911]

RIght out of high school took my Paramedic class then took the Basic afterwards.. I know... strange, but that is how it happened. So to those whom always say... remember what it was like to be an EMT .. No !.. never was just an EMT.

R/r 911

 

[Margaritaville]

Met the Ambulance Captain, slept with him - got hired.

 

[Margaritaville]

Haaaaaaaaaa - Gotcha!!

I couldn't resist! Now for real -

Got my EMT, my grandfather needed to go to a cardiac center, there were no available crews - so the (65 year old) owner asked if I would help them out. After the transport, they offered me a job, because my college schedule was flexible. I am grateful for the job experience. The owner was a very religious fella, and he gave me advice that has served me well for the past 22 years. He has passed on now, but every once in a while I wonder if he still looks down and says " see I taught her that".

 

[Wingnut]

ROFLMAO!!!!


That's a cool story Margarita

 

[RALS504]

I started out volunteering with a Fire Dept. and they paid for my EMT-I. I rode out with the local EMS for about a year. When I decide to change jobs I started with a hospital based EMSthat I rode out with. Three years later I work for the same healthcare org. in the Adult ICU and ED.

 

[coloradoemt]

Met the Ambulance Captain, slept with him - got hired.

Thats awesome!!! I needed the laugh!!!!!

 

[BrandoEMT]

Volunteer Squad for 2 years at college and now I'm just finishing my orientation and start Monday morning with my FTO. So we'll see how this goes!

 

[ffemt8978]

First EMS related was on the fire department. The department only ran fire calls when I was hired. I wanted to be an EMT so I convinced them to train us. That was 26 years ago. You have to be a paramedic to even apply with that department now.

Smurfe B)

Welcome to our own little corner of dysfunction. I was just checking out your site, and it looks good so far.

 

[podmedic@mac.com]

I started with (and am still active with) a volunteer company. Maryland offers free training to volunteers for EMT-B. Once done with that my county offered free paramedic training, so I just kept going. For younger members of our companies, many of the area school districts started offering a high school Vo-Tech Fire Science program that includes EMT-B and that has been very successful at bringing in new recruits since the students must be volunteer company members to apply.

I think that in Maryland, most of the paid service providers (both paid transport and public service) have come up through the ranks as I did. I am always surprised at the people that talk about paying to get their certification. All of the classes here are taught through the U of MD and meet all DOT EMT-B requirements for National Registry.

I wonder if the shortages in other states could be addressed by free training programs like Maryland's. I'm sure other areas offer similar programs, right?