How far would you drive for a 24/48?

[gotbeerz001]

Yeah

CAL FIRE 48/96 never gonna happen...
not without taking the corresponding pay cuts...
or drastically cutting staff due to loss of SchA contracts...

 

[johnrsemt]

My partner used to drive 4.5 hours 1 way for 48 on 120 off (2 on 5 days off). She moved closer. As a Basic she was making about $55K plus very good benefits.
Coworker now, drives 5.5 hours 1 way for the same shift. As a medic he is making about $60-65K plus very good benefits.

 

[DesertMedic66]

So you drive 150 minutes each way to get to work? hopefully you are working a 48 hour shift.....

That's pretty cool that they give you an "off duty house" to use (although I'm not sure exactly what that mean, other than provides you with a place to sleep when off duty).

If there is no traffic then yes it is 150 minutes. Today it took 180 minutes to get home due to Monday morning traffic.

We do 24 hour shifts currently (management is looking at the rules and regulations to see if we could go 48 hours). Our shifts are XOXOOOOO and then repeat. So in that day off I have between my shifts I can either drive home just to turn around that night and drive back or stay at our off duty house. The house is 3 bedroom, 2 bath, full kitchen, fully furnished, TV service, pool, etc. it’s mainly for our pilots to use since they do 12 hour shifts as required by FAA but clinical members are welcome to use it.

I’m in no way saying this is the best option as I am transferring to a base that is only an hour away from my house once a certain EMTLife member gets released from training to backfill my spot.

 

[CALEMT]

CAL FIRE 48/96 never gonna happen...
not without taking the corresponding pay cuts...
or drastically cutting staff due to loss of SchA contracts...

Rumor is a drop in pay and/or less vacation days or something like that.

 

[gotbeerz001]

Rumor is a drop in pay and/or less vacation days or something like that.

And give up PERSable income? Nah.
If you want a 48/96, better to just find a new employer.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I’m in no way saying this is the best option as I am transferring to a base that is only an hour away from my house once a certain EMTLife member gets released from training to backfill my spot.

That's what I'm talking about. For a great opportunity, it might be worth it to put up with a really long commute for a limited period of time. Six months? A year? It obviously depends on lots of factors.

A long commute essentially adds uncompensated work hours to your week, not to mention the associated monetary costs. More importantly, it cuts into your life. Every hour you spend commuting (or in a crew house or hotel) is an hour that isn't really yours. You aren't spending time with your family or friends, working out, or doing whatever it is that makes life worth living to you.

Doing that for a period of time might just be one of the sacrifices that we choose to make now in order to make an investment in our career that will hopefully pay dividends later. Not entirely unlike spending a couple years in school getting a degree that you don't need but you know will open doors later, or taking that first job with an employer you really don't want to work for, but you know will provide you with the experience you need to get the job you do want.

But after a while, you will reach a point where it just isn't worth it. You are investing more than you will get back. You just have to figure out where that it.

Work to live, don't live to work.

 

[RocketMedic]

Options are being considered. I don’t really mind commutes less than 2 hours, but I certainly don’t love commuting 1.5 hours for a job I don’t love.