NYC EMS AND FACIAL HAIR?!

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DhoEMS

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Are there any 911 EMS companies in NYC that accept facial hair due to religious concerns?
I would like to work for a hospital and not a transport service such as SeniorCare. Does NYU or Mount Sinia allow beards for Paramedics? Not a long beard. Maybe about an inch or two in length? Thanks in advance!!
I would like to know this before I decide to attend medic school as a career!
 
I didn't know any expressly forbade it.

Maybe you should call the companies you want to work for and ask what their facial hair policy is?
 
DrParasite said:
I didn't know any expressly forbade it.

Maybe you should call the companies you want to work for and ask what their facial hair policy is?
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Ya I am unsure. I know a medic who works for FDNY and he has to be completely shaven for OSHA mask seal regulations. I don't know whether or not hospital based EMS has the same policy. But thanks man! I have no idea why it never crossed my mind to call them haha
 
My guess is you have to be able to get a seal on a N95, but just yesterday saw two guys on an Ambulife ambulance in LA rocking full beards, so you never know.
 
If you are Jewish Hatzolah probably would let you.
 
PotatoMedic said:
If you are Jewish Hatzolah probably would let you.
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I'm not sure if that was meant to be a cheap shot at hatzolah or not....

But if you want to be a firefighter in DC, full beards are permitted...
DhoEMS said:
Ya I am unsure. I know a medic who works for FDNY and he has to be completely shaven for OSHA mask seal regulations. I don't know whether or not hospital based EMS has the same policy. But thanks man! I have no idea why it never crossed my mind to call them haha
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and FYI, nowhere in the OSHA standard does it require you to be clean shaven.... all it says is that you must be able to get a seal while wearing a mask. If you don't believe me, ask where exactly it says you must be clean shave; I have a copy of the standard (got it during confined space rescue class), and after reading it cover to cover, it doesn't say anything about mandating clean shaveness to wear a mask
 
If it's a religious issue than you should be fine. Granted it it isn't NYFD but here in Houston waivers are allowed for verifiable religious reasons.
 
DrParasite said:
I'm not sure if that was meant to be a cheap shot at hatzolah or not....
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Not really. They do some odd things at times but are really the only EMS agency that I know would allow beards. Though I'm sure many would.
 
Thank you guys for your response! I did think that being clean shaven was an OSHA requirement and it seems that I am wrong. AND yeahhh Hatzolah is one EMS company that I see allows facial hair openly. However, I am not jewish. That does not mean I am not willing to work for them!! I just hope that companies such as NYU and Northshore LIJ allows an inch or two of facial hair. Thanks again guys!! I really want to work as a 911 Critical Care Paramedic and it would be a shame if I couldn't do to my religion as I take my religion seriously. Thanks again guys for giving me some advice!!
 
PotatoMedic said:
Not really. They do some odd things at times but are really the only EMS agency that I know would allow beards. Though I'm sure many would.
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the director of my first full time hospital based EMS agency had a full beard, and it was one of the more reputable agencies in the NJ (at the time, things have deteriorated in recent years). Quite a few of our Jewish employees had beards too (the director wasn't).

the director of my NY college EMS agency (who was a full time paramedic) had a full beard, despite rules that said it wasn't allowed (he was a shining example of do as I say, not as I do).

the best thing to do is to call them (anonymously, if you don't want it to affect your chances of employment) and ask what their specific policy was,
 
DhoEMS said:
Are there any 911 EMS companies in NYC that accept facial hair due to religious concerns?
I would like to work for a hospital and not a transport service such as SeniorCare. Does NYU or Mount Sinia allow beards for Paramedics? Not a long beard. Maybe about an inch or two in length? Thanks in advance!!
I would like to know this before I decide to attend medic school as a career!
Click to expand...


Do you live in NYC? I've seen employees with beards in just about every uniform. Highly unlikely that you'd be denied employment, but it would be a real shame if something were to happen in a situation that could have been prevented by shaving.
 
So, in my experience with AMR, it's sort of self reported during the FIT test.

I could put the N95 on my forehead, and then say, "nope, I don't taste or smell anything" and pass. Myself, I took the test(s) seriously because I want the N95 to do it's thing when it's asked to...
 
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