How much should EMS providers make?

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CANDawg

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Given the significant number of posts on EMTLife outlining pay concerns, it got me thinking: what is a fair wage for an EMS provider?

I know it's a bit subjective, and dependant on a lot of factors (region, training, etc.), but if you try to control those, what do you think is a fair annual wage for a full time EMT and Medic?

Should larger scopes = more pay? Should 911 get paid more than IFT? Should an EMT on a BLS rig get paid more than an EMT on an ALS rig? (Assuming the medic performs more of the direct patient care...)

Thoughts?
 
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It's all relative, so I shall make all of my opinions in terms of each other.

IFT is generally a low-stress, low work-volume gig so I think it deserves less compensation than 911 which in most areas tends to be higher stress and higher work volume.

In terms of area-tax base has a lot to do with it--even though suburban departments usually have lower run volumes compared with urban ones, if they can afford it, those guys should get paid more (which consequently allows these departments to be more selective in hiring people to fit their needs and who work well with the other members of the department).

EMT on BLS vs ALS - I think before any EMT gets partnered up with a medic, he needs experience, because he isn't just a driver--he also provides patient care on scene and his assisting the medic and being familiar with the procedures and the individual medic can make or break the team. Also, I know even on an ALS truck, I take all the basic runs (unless we have been slammed and/or the medic wants to get out from behind the wheel). So in this case EMT on ALS > EMT on BLS.
 
1) all 911 ems should be tax funded, and paid for by the county taxes.
2) medics make $30 an hour
3) 911 Urban EMTs make $20 an hour. if you are running 10-20 jobs in 12 hours, you deserve to make decent money.
4) 911 suburban EMTs and rural EMTs make $15 an hour.
5) IFT EMTs make $10 an hour, and the make $5 extra per run they do (paid by their employer, who is making $$$ based on every transport they run)

they all get COLA and longevity raises.
 
DrParasite said:
911 Urban EMTs make $20 an hour.
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I really hope your cost of living is crazy high because that is almost as much as I will make as a new grad RN :blink:
 
Chase said:
I really hope your cost of living is crazy high because that is almost as much as I will make as a new grad RN :blink:
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Really? I make $26/h with pension, health benefits, dental, 4 weeks vacation and 2 weeks sick time per year... Base medic pay. But thats in NYC... Cost through the roof


That said, no where else I can go with 9 months give or take 3 months of training and make $60,000 a year with those benefits. I'd say its spot on.
 
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Perhaps EMT's should get an salary instead of hourly pay :)
 
Lol I wonder what I make an hour! Never tried to calculate it out. I know our EMS guys "joke" about being paid by the minute while on OT shifts (actually around $46/hr, so not quite...).
 
NYMedic828 said:
That said, no where else I can go with 9 months give or take 3 months of training and make $60,000 a year with those benefits. I'd say its spot on.
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I know a place ;) I'll let you know when we're hiring if you want to get out of NYC :P
 
Achilles said:
Perhaps EMT's should get an salary instead of hourly pay :)
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FDNY pays us all salary. We technically work 24 days a year less than normal jobs with the 5/2/5/3 schedule.

I presume Poetic also is on a similar salary system.

PoeticInjustice said:
I know a place ;) I'll let you know when we're hiring if you want to get out of NYC :P
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Lol, no thanks. I'll take my $30,000 a year raise to firefighter :blush:

Then again it would be much easier to get my hands on a 1911 .45 in texas...
 
Should depend on education to a large extent. I'm also in favour of people in any job being able to make a living wage.

I make $38/hr, have generous benefits, defined benefit pension, 2 weeks vacation to start increasing to around 8 weeks as seniority builds, 42 hour week with no built in OT, max shift holdover to the end of the call you're on (unless a disaster or MCI).

Education is two years for PCP (BLS) and a further year for ACP (ALS). The doubling of the PCP course of study back in 200 (approx) was one of many factors that saw us reach this pay and benefits.
 
WuLabsWuTecH said:
IFT is generally a low-stress, low work-volume gig so I think it deserves less compensation than 911 which in most areas tends to be higher stress and higher work volume.
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It might be lower stress, but for an IFT company to make money they need their units to be transporting patients. As a result, the volume is consistently fairly high. I'll do a call every two hours, minimum.
 
WuLabsWuTecH said:
IFT is generally a low-stress, low work-volume gig so I think it deserves less compensation than 911 which in most areas tends to be higher stress and higher work volume.
Click to expand...

It might be lower stress, but for an IFT company to make money they need their units to be transporting patients. As a result, the volume is consistently fairly high. I'll do a call every two hours, minimum.

That doesn't sound as impressive as running 10 or 20 in 12 hour shift, but anyone doing those numbers has short transport times. Lots of my IFT calls are well over an hour, my 911 calls not so much.
 
Well, lets see, cashiers for Vons make well over what EMT/medics make. Considering the consequences/legal ramifications for a mistake made on the job, EMS folks are grossly underpaid. EMS personnel should make much more than they do now. I only got my EMT cert to work fire/rescue. I could not afford to live on an EMT salary.

The pay for EMS does not match the level of responsibility for the safety and well being of a patient that they are given. And spare me the 120 hour training non-sense, cashiers have very little training if any prior to getting the job, and make much much more.

Job pay should be commensurate with the responsibility an employee has, especially if that responsibility entails the safe keeping and welfare of a human being.
 
Chase said:
I really hope your cost of living is crazy high because that is almost as much as I will make as a new grad RN :blink:
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our newbie EMTs start at 18 an hour. After 2 years we are at almost 20. night staff make 22/hr. with good benefits and a public employee pension system. and more sick time than I know what to do with.

Than again, it is new jersey, and our BLS trucks can do 14 to 20 calls in 12 hours, especially in the warm summer months. So our crews definitely work for their money.
 
Eighteen dollars an hour is much better than what they pay in Ca. San Diego is tenth most expensive city in the U.S. and medics make somewhere around $13.00 an hour, and that's 911 medics.

I think, when discussing pay, salary/hour does not give the full picture as living expenses/area varies from state to state. A medic making $20.00/hour in Kuna Idaho would make for a comfortable living whereas in San Fransisco Ca, $20.00/hour would leave someone destitute.
 
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WuLabsWuTecH said:
IFT is generally a low-stress, low work-volume gig so I think it deserves less compensation than 911 which in most areas tends to be higher stress and higher work volume.
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:rofl:

Depends highly on the service and area.
 
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