If I hear one more person complain about EMS wages...

Steveb said:
Take cañada for example were the averge EMS worker makes over 30$ when in the states it avg 10$ that makes me sick.....because where i live a mcdonalds employe males 10.50$ ...
-sent from my. BlackBerry
Click to expand...

Don't get too hung up on those comparisons. Relative cost of living and tax rates make cross border comparisons essentially meaningless. It's hard enough to compare the pay rates of medics where I work and medics where I live. While certainly I make a few dollars more where I work, I couldn't possibly afford to own a comparable home to the one I have now there.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Disregard, wrong thread
 
I work my EMS job, and two side jobs. This is what I must do since I am sending my wife and myself back through college, I own a house, 3 cars, and two dogs. My full time job as a Medic pays very well covers my bills and spending money, the other two jobs pay for college since I refuse to take out a loan. My wife also works part time.
 
Home on the range

For a minute I thought we might be doing good when I saw the comparison of 30$ versus 10$, Then I realized yall were talking about per hour.
In our little hole in the wall, EMTs make 30$ and paramedics make 60$....
That is per day :sad:
 
WolfmanHarris said:
But as an MFR, you're not making any of that. And who actually in this industry in Ontario says "EMS Worker"? We're medics, Paramedics, PCP's, ACP's or CCP's but no one on the job actually says "EMS Worker." ;)
Click to expand...

In Alberta they dont have PCPs they have EMR EMT and EMTP. With EMTPs being paramedics if u want to see a alberta paramedic have a seizure have a pcp call themselves a paramedic in front of them. Alberta and Saskachewan I believe still use EMT everyplace else emts are pcps.
 
fortsmithman said:
In Alberta they dont have PCPs they have EMR EMT and EMTP. With EMTPs being paramedics if u want to see a alberta paramedic have a seizure have a pcp call themselves a paramedic in front of them. Alberta and Saskachewan I believe still use EMT everyplace else emts are pcps.
Click to expand...

But for labour mobility all programs must meet National Occupational Competency Profiles (NOCP) for Primary Care Paramedic. Also Canadian Medical Association (CMA) accreditation relies on the NOCP's and finally the national exam will rely on NOCP's. Alberta can continue to resist all they want and call themselves whatever they want, but their grads have still completed a PCP course or an ACP course no matter what they call it.
 
Veneficus said:
Schooling?

Give me a break.

In many states a barber has 10x more training than an EMT.
Click to expand...

How is that relevant? Training,schooling whatever you wanna call it, it's still book and classroom learning.

You seem to have the mentality that since basics receive only a few months of training they deserve to make peanuts.
 
If all wages were based on education both EMTs and medics would make less than they average now.
 
Veneficus said:
Schooling?

Give me a break.

In many states a barber has 10x more training than an EMT.
Click to expand...

Dude! Hair doesn't grow back that quick do you really want someone cutting yours that picked up a pair of scissors and called themselves a hair stylist?
 
WolfmanHarris said:
But for labour mobility all programs must meet National Occupational Competency Profiles (NOCP) for Primary Care Paramedic. Also Canadian Medical Association (CMA) accreditation relies on the NOCP's and finally the national exam will rely on NOCP's. Alberta can continue to resist all they want and call themselves whatever they want, but their grads have still completed a PCP course or an ACP course no matter what they call it.
Click to expand...

It funny to watch the expression that alberta ACPs/EMTP get whenever a PCP/EMT call themselves a paramedic. My service even though we are not in Alberta use the Alberta designations. That might have to do with the fact that we serve an indian reserve in Alberta. WE have 2 PCP who are ACoP registered out of the 3 PCPs and 2 EMRs registered out of 12 EMRs. My service chief is part of a working group comprised of other EMS heads to put together legislation on EMS as currently the NWT has none. He said the designatons we will be using will be
EMR
PCP
ACP
CCP

When I was doing ground support for an air medevac the ACP who was ACoP registered said he hope the NWT government uses the Alberta designations as he doesn't like PCP/EMTs calling themselves paramedics. The NWT will be joining the rest of Canada with the EMS designations.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Even though salaries for EMS is better in Canada we are still the lowest paid of emergency service with Fire and Police making more, but EMS in Cnada are paid salaries they can live on.
 
In a truly capitalist society me must have the opportunity to fail. Therefore, we will have poor people, who do not get medical care and cannot afford the basics to get back on their feet. One generation of that and you have the chronic poor.
 
mycrofft said:
In a truly capitalist society me must have the opportunity to fail. Therefore, we will have poor people, who do not get medical care and cannot afford the basics to get back on their feet. One generation of that and you have the chronic poor.
Click to expand...

Are you saying this is a positive thing in the balance or just stating it as a fact of that system?
 
Damned shame. We have enough excess GDP to cover it. AND pay lower level provides (EMT, nurses' aids, etc ) a living wage.
 
Veneficus said:
Schooling?

Give me a break.

In many states a barber has 10x more training than an EMT.
Click to expand...

A Barber no, a "Hair stylist" yes : ) Not to mention their school cost more than ours...... because it is not offered at the Local CC
 
Veneficus said:
Has anyone considered that while the vocalized complaint is about money, it is really dissatisfaction with the field that is the underlying problem?
Click to expand...

Not so much for me, but I'm sure it is for others.

For example, my first IFT job paid $9.50 (NYC), but it was only per diem, as I was working FT in another field until then well paying hospital based 911 job offer came through. I started at $14.92/hr, and I was making $22.02/hr + 10% night diff before a year and a half. I topped out at $30.56/hr when I left. Where I work now, it's fire based, so the salary allows me to easily afford a house and two nice cars, and OT funds everything else we want to do. We have a good pension and a three year DROP as well.

The truth is, even though we sat on street corners and had no career ladder, if the hosp. medic job had the same amount of security, and allowed me to realize the same financial goals in NYC that I have in VA, I wouldn't have even thought about leaving the state. As it was, the job just payed the bills, with little left over. We had a lousy retirement to look forward to, so I would have had to work until I was 80, or stroked out/had a massive MI.

As far as others, here we have EMS Lt's and Capt I's (still riding the box) making from $110k to $125k/yr base that are burnt out (when others do the same job for $12/hr), so I suppose it's an individual thing.
 
NVRob said:
...I'm going to have an aneurysm.

Stop complaining about it and be glad you have a job. If you don't like it then quit, there are hundreds of EMTs out there that would be tickled pink to take your job.

That sucks that the Dominos pizza boy makes more money. I'd rather love my job and get paid less than get paid more and hate going to work every day.

If you got into the job to be a hero and get rich, get out now, you're here for the wrong reasons. Do your patients a favor.
Click to expand...

Amen! I do wish our company didn't treat us all like positions to be filled though...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top