I or P

[TyBigz]

So I am a 20 y/o EMT-B in college for criminal justice. I became an EMT last year because my school offered a summer program and I thought it would be a great way to better myself and show initiative to the public safety role of being a Police officer.

I have been working as a Basic for 6 months in my local town. Though only six months on the Job i work 40-50 hours a week varying from 911 to Transfers. My supervisor advised me to Join a Medic class and when i told him i haven't worked long enough he told me that he would write a letter of recommendation. I originally declined his offer as I wasn't sure if I would want to take off 2 years from college to become a Medic and I wasn't sure if I was really ready to become a medic. Since then a few of my coworkers have told me i should at least get my intermediate. They have already taught me IV and intubation on the classroom dummy and I feel that EMT-I is a real Possibility for me. Any suggestions? Keep in mind MA is I 85 not 99.

 

[TransportJockey]

So I am a 20 y/o EMT-B in college for criminal justice. I became an EMT last year because my school offered a summer program and I thought it would be a great way to better myself and show initiative to the public safety role of being a Police officer.

I have been working as a Basic for 6 months in my local town. Though only six months on the Job i work 40-50 hours a week varying from 911 to Transfers. My supervisor advised me to Join a Medic class and when i told him i haven't worked long enough he told me that he would write a letter of recommendation. I originally declined his offer as I wasn't sure if I would want to take off 2 years from college to become a Medic and I wasn't sure if I was really ready to become a medic. Since then a few of my coworkers have told me i should at least get my intermediate. They have already taught me IV and intubation on the classroom dummy and I feel that EMT-I is a real Possibility for me. Any suggestions? Keep in mind MA is I 85 not 99.

As someone who spent two years as an I85/TX EMT-I (much different), I'd say get your medic.

 

[rmabrey]

I say get your medic. It may not be so in your area, but here you can use your skills but the medic still has to transport. Just something to consider if you were to ever relocate.

Of course the upside to that is you never have to write the reports. Im just not big on being an ambulance driver, I get bored

 

[medicdan]

So I am a 20 y/o EMT-B in college for criminal justice. I became an EMT last year because my school offered a summer program and I thought it would be a great way to better myself and show initiative to the public safety role of being a Police officer.

I have been working as a Basic for 6 months in my local town. Though only six months on the Job i work 40-50 hours a week varying from 911 to Transfers. My supervisor advised me to Join a Medic class and when i told him i haven't worked long enough he told me that he would write a letter of recommendation. I originally declined his offer as I wasn't sure if I would want to take off 2 years from college to become a Medic and I wasn't sure if I was really ready to become a medic. Since then a few of my coworkers have told me i should at least get my intermediate. They have already taught me IV and intubation on the classroom dummy and I feel that EMT-I is a real Possibility for me. Any suggestions? Keep in mind MA is I 85 not 99.

Especially in MA, get your medic. The intermediate certification is not accepted or valid in parts of MA, and with the limited SOP of tubes and lines only, ILS is really only used by fire departments looking for additional reimbursement (and the title of "Advanced Life Support"). You're much better off getting a complete education not only in the skills, but why you're doing what you're doing. My guess is that ILS is going to be phased out of MA in the coming years, and you will be much better off in the long term with a more marketable credential and useful training.

Also remember, MA doesn't require a certain amount of time as a basic before medic. Individual programs may request it, but the state doesn't require it...

 

[NYMedic828]

Get your medic if you want to move up the chain.

NYS is supposedly is trying to get rid of intermediate levels such as EMT-I/CC in the near future. MA being a nearby state is sure isn't too far off on the same thought process since they don't accept EMT-I many places same as NY.

 

[Tigger]

Especially in MA, get your medic. The intermediate certification is not accepted or valid in parts of MA, and with the limited SOP of tubes and lines only, ILS is really only used by fire departments looking for additional reimbursement (and the title of "Advanced Life Support"). You're much better off getting a complete education not only in the skills, but why you're doing what you're doing. My guess is that ILS is going to be phased out of MA in the coming years, and you will be much better off in the long term with a more marketable credential and useful training.

Also remember, MA doesn't require a certain amount of time as a basic before medic. Individual programs may request it, but the state doesn't require it...

+1. Many private companies will not allow you to operate at an intermediate level, and ALS IFT has to be done by a medic given the very limited scope of the I-85 protocols in Massachusetts. Frankly I'd just get your medic, the intermediate level seems to be often forgotten everywhere but a few fire departments and third services (mostly in western mass it seems). I know some intermediates on a local FD, they all wish they were medics and end up having to call for medics just about as often as a BLS service.

 

[medicdan]

+1. Many private companies will not allow you to operate at an intermediate level, and ALS IFT has to be done by a medic given the very limited scope of the I-85 protocols in Massachusetts. Frankly I'd just get your medic, the intermediate level seems to be often forgotten everywhere but a few fire departments and third services (mostly in western mass it seems). I know some intermediates on a local FD, they all wish they were medics and end up having to call for medics just about as often as a BLS service.

Actually... That's not all true. Intermediate/Basic doesn't qualify as ALS in Region IV (Metro Boston) but intermediates are allowed to do IFTs with just saline running... I'm not at home, but feel free to check the ALS ift protocols. I know two services in Boston that have a handful of Is, who mainly work PI (ALS) trucks, and can tech a small minority of calls.

The Is can also start lines and tubes with a medic on any 911 call, they just can't call an I/B truck ILS/ALS.

 

[WestMetroMedic]

I don't know how prevalent it is in other states, but in Minnesota, we have 4 police departments that are ALS. 3 of them are supported by a BLS fire department ambulance and the other is simply a first responder...

They work decently well, but one department dropped their paramedic hiring because they couldn't keep a system reserve.

 

[Shishkabob]

So I am a 20 y/o EMT-B in college for criminal justice. I became an EMT last year because my school offered a summer program and I thought it would be a great way to better myself and show initiative to the public safety role of being a Police officer.

Run. Run away! I had this same plan, and now I'm stuck as a Paramedic making decent money in a job I enjoy, that's not as a police officer!

Any suggestions?

Do what you're comfortable with, but don't think experience is a necessity to continue on. I had pretty much no EMT experience before continuing on to get my medic. Skip I, go straight to P. Saves yourself time.

 

[Akulahawk]

If you're planning to advance to I or P, I'll also say to go straight to the Paramedic. Most Public Safety/Peace Officer positions will require no more than EMT-B. Police Paramedics usually are only utilized in certain specialized units like helicopter, SWAT (at the team medic) or as an ambulance crew in the case that the police department runs that instead of the fire department or private/muni 3rd.

If doing ambulance work is something you want to do for a long time, go for it. Just remember, once you have a Police Officer job, that will likely become primary and your ambulance job will likely become a part-time gig.

The biggest thing you need to do is figure out what you want to do. The training time for both Peace Officer and Paramedic are not insubstantial. It would not be good to start training for one and have to stop because training for the other starts...

 

[MMiz]

Whatever you do, don't stop working on your college degree. I think it makes far more sense to get your college degree and then go back to be be a paramedic. Time and time again I heard colleagues share that they stopped going to college for one reason or another and never went back. Get that degree and then decide what you want to do. Good luck!

 

[TransportJockey]

Whatever you do, don't stop working on your college degree. I think it makes far more sense to get your college degree and then go back to be be a paramedic. Time and time again I heard colleagues share that they stopped going to college for one reason or another and never went back. Get that degree and then decide what you want to do. Good luck!

This. I plan on doing my AAS of EMS and then my BSN. I have heard from so many coworkers how little it's going to matter, but I'm determined to get it. It's something I'm going to do for me. Plus some services might not pay more, but they might give preferential hire to degree holders.

 

[bstone]

I think you're best bet it is to join an Auxiliary Police Department instead of becoming an I or P. If you truly want to go into LE then the Aux PD is the way to go.

 

[TyBigz]

Thanks everyone. I had looked into aux. police but where I live it seems that auxiliaries are not given proper equipment and legal support for situations they face. Thats why my plan was to do an I85 course while in school. I don't really wanna put my degree on hold for 2 years to become a Medic but with the decrease in I's in Mass im not sure if it is worth it. Currently my service is Intermediate and in the process of becoming Medic. I Just feel that PI is better than PB. We also only run 1 primary truck 24/7 and have 2 (normally staffed by basics) trucks that do the back up 911s and transfers. So in the case of the back up call as ILS i could tech a few. And because we have a hospital in town medics are rarely needed.

 

[bstone]

I am not sure what you mean by "seems that auxiliaries are not given proper equipment and legal support for situations they face". We have the same equipment as the full-time officers and the situations we face are a lot less dangerous. As far as legal support we have the full backing of the police dept, so we have the same support as the full-time officers. I strongly urge you to head over to officer.com and talk to the folks there about becoming an LEO.

 

[TransportJockey]

Thanks everyone. I had looked into aux. police but where I live it seems that auxiliaries are not given proper equipment and legal support for situations they face. Thats why my plan was to do an I85 course while in school. I don't really wanna put my degree on hold for 2 years to become a Medic but with the decrease in I's in Mass im not sure if it is worth it. Currently my service is Intermediate and in the process of becoming Medic. I Just feel that PI is better than PB. We also only run 1 primary truck 24/7 and have 2 (normally staffed by basics) trucks that do the back up 911s and transfers. So in the case of the back up call as ILS i could tech a few. And because we have a hospital in town medics are rarely needed.

Wait what? The part in bold has me scratching my head. What does that even have to do with not needing ALS coverage?

 

[Tigger]

Actually... That's not all true. Intermediate/Basic doesn't qualify as ALS in Region IV (Metro Boston) but intermediates are allowed to do IFTs with just saline running... I'm not at home, but feel free to check the ALS ift protocols. I know two services in Boston that have a handful of Is, who mainly work PI (ALS) trucks, and can tech a small minority of calls.

The Is can also start lines and tubes with a medic on any 911 call, they just can't call an I/B truck ILS/ALS.

I was informed incorrectly then, we don't hire them to work at the intermediate level so there is a bit of a lack of knowledge at work I suspect. The whole intermediate thing leaves me scratching my head, apparently there is no such thing as ILS in Massachusetts (or so says central MA C-MED), it's all Advanced Life Support yet all an intermediate can do is hang fluids and intubate? Given the state's indifference I don't think I would ever bother with getting my intermediate here.

 

[TyBigz]

Auxiliaries for the most part around here are not allowed to carry firearms as auxiliary programs here are usually seen as an observational period. Also in an incident around 1 year ago an officer shot the suspect that drew a gun on him. There was an auxiliary on scene and he was not covered by the town. The auxiliary had to get his own lawyer and pay multiple fees for everything that happened.

Also Intermediate is a level of care in massachusetts. Intermediates in mass are considered ALS. If as a basic I see the need for medics i have to request ACLS so they will call for medics for me. If i just say ALS i can get any of the Intermediate level services or medic services whatever is most readily available. ILS is something people say because not everyone knows that ALS can be intermediate or medic level.

And where the hospital is in my town you are never more than 5-10 mins max from the hospital so getting an intercept from a nearby town in many cases would delay patient care unless of course they need to go to the trauma center or cath lab.

 

[TyBigz]

Also in region 1 An intermediate does not need to be with a medic to use their skills and an I/B truck is considered ALS

 

[Tigger]

Auxiliaries for the most part around here are not allowed to carry firearms as auxiliary programs here are usually seen as an observational period. Also in an incident around 1 year ago an officer shot the suspect that drew a gun on him. There was an auxiliary on scene and he was not covered by the town. The auxiliary had to get his own lawyer and pay multiple fees for everything that happened.

Also Intermediate is a level of care in massachusetts. Intermediates in mass are considered ALS. If as a basic I see the need for medics i have to request ACLS so they will call for medics for me. If i just say ALS i can get any of the Intermediate level services or medic services whatever is most readily available. ILS is something people say because not everyone knows that ALS can be intermediate or medic level.

And where the hospital is in my town you are never more than 5-10 mins max from the hospital so getting an intercept from a nearby town in many cases would delay patient care unless of course they need to go to the trauma center or cath lab.

Intermediate is not a level of care, it is a certification/licensing level only. There is a lot more being a paramedic than ACLS, pain control and other medications can be far more useful. Frankly the intermediate scope in Massachusetts is just not that useful and you will be better suited to just get your medic. Some services use them, but if you want to advance your career get your medic.