To answer the basic question of this thread, back in the day, I was an unemployed EMS provider for I think a grand total of 4 months. About 6 weeks as an EMT, total, and approximately 10 weeks as a paramedic, with unemployment times no greater than one month between jobs. That was when getting a job in EMS was relatively easy, because the economy was relatively stable and hundreds upon hundreds of people weren't trying to find a job in EMS.
If I were to try to find a position today, I would find it much more difficult. The local ambulance companies up here do not hire new employees very often. I would also have to renew a bunch of certifications (merit badges) so that I could work as a paramedic. Hopefully, those courses will be a tax write off for me, as I will most likely need them in my job search in a few months. Perhaps one day I will decide that I should be an instructor for some of those merit badge classes... Maybe.