Private or Public

[Alpha752]

The topic of Private companies Vs. Public departments is an old one. However, I wanted to see what this groups take on it is. Who do you work for? Pros/Cons either way?

I am new out of school, and am looking at starting off at a private company. This will help me gain experience, along with, make sure this is what I really really want to do with my life. After that, I am considering putting myself through FF1, and trying to get on a FD. If that doesnt work out right away, I may do Paramedic on my own as well. I would prefer to work for a city FD as a FF/EMT-P, but I think there is a lot to learn from the private companies.

Opinions?

Russ

 

[SafetyPro2]

Depends on the area. Around here (Southern California), most of the FDs do their own transport. Most run ALS ambulances with two FF/Paramedics on-board. Others run non-transport ALS squads (pickup chassis) and rely on BLS private ambulances for transport. Most private company ambulance crews around here get relegated to interfacility transports. And, the turnover rate for the crews is very high as most are trying to get experience to get into paramedic school to get an edge in being hired as a FF (almost all FFs here are at least EMT-1, but being a medic gives you a distinct advantage).

Other parts of the state have first response private ambulances though (both ALS and BLS).

 

[Chimpie]

You also have to think about retirement, something most 20 and 30 year olds don't think about.

What happens after you put in 20-25 years of service? Are private ambulance companies going to give you a pension? And what happens if they get bought out by another company? Will your pension transfer? And what happens if the company goes under? What happens with your pension then?

Then of course there is pay, benefits, days off, then more importantly, the equipment you are going to be using and the procedures that you are going to be following. Do you agree with everything that the private/public service is putting forth to you?

Chimp

 

[akflightmedic]

Chimpie Spot on! I agree with everything said.

June 3rd 2004....

Looks like I win this week's necro revival by one day....too bad Nomad.

 

[DesertMedic66]

Holy necro thread Batman. Did the internet even exist back in 2004?

 

[NomadicMedic]

Holy necro thread Batman. Did the internet even exist back in 2004?

It was steam powered.

 

[CALEMT]

I was in the 4th grade if anyone wants to feel old...

 

[VentMonkey]

Did the internet even exist back in 2004?

It was steam powered.

I was in the 4th grade if anyone wants to feel old...

 

[DesertMedic66]

View attachment 4062

Get off the internet, I’m expecting a phone call.

 

[RocketMedic]

View attachment 4062

Is that like porn of 1991 or something?

 

[Jim37F]

I remember getting those cd's in the mail all the time...and sneaking down to the computer room in the middle of the night and hope logging into AOL didn't make enough noise to wake my parents....

What did EMTLife even look like back in '04? I don't even think I had a MySpace page back then lol

And I find myself mildly curious if any of the original posters are now getting a flood of ""So and so has replied to a thread you are watching" emails

 

[Ensihoitaja]

I remember getting those cd's in the mail all the time...and sneaking down to the computer room in the middle of the night and hope logging into AOL didn't make enough noise to wake my parents..

Remember when it was disks? We went years without having to buy any because we could just reformat the AOL disks.

 

[NPO]

Remember when it was disks? We went years without having to buy any because we could just reformat the AOL disks.

Is that what those were? I thought they were coasters that were good for 500 hours.

 

[KnightRider]

I work for a small private company, which has gradually gone downhill the past year or so. The benefits are expensive and terrible vs the area public fire departments. Short of the FD's, there is no public EMS here in this county.

 

[TransportJockey]

I work for a small private company, which has gradually gone downhill the past year or so. The benefits are expensive and terrible vs the area public fire departments. Short of the FD's, there is no public EMS here in this county.

That's when you have to make the tough choice of If you want to continue to live there and dealing with the private services, or move and find something better

 

[KnightRider]

That's when you have to make the tough choice of If you want to continue to live there and dealing with the private services, or move and find something better

Not many public EMS services I know around here hire EMT-B's. I have no desire to be a Medic. I just dont think I would be good at it. I certainly dont want to go through the hassle (over 1 year) or the expense ($6K+) for the schooling to be doing what I am doing now (IFT's, Doctors Appts and the like). Seems to be the common theme amongst the medics where I work.

 

[akflightmedic]

Not many public EMS services I know around here hire EMT-B's. I have no desire to be a Medic. I just dont think I would be good at it. I certainly dont want to go through the hassle (over 1 year) or the expense ($6K+) for the schooling to be doing what I am doing now (IFT's, Doctors Appts and the like). Seems to be the common theme amongst the medics where I work.

So more schooling for same job BUT.....HIGHER pay and more marketability of yourself down the road or other employment opportunities is not worth it?

 

[TransportJockey]

Not many public EMS services I know around here hire EMT-B's. I have no desire to be a Medic. I just dont think I would be good at it. I certainly dont want to go through the hassle (over 1 year) or the expense ($6K+) for the schooling to be doing what I am doing now (IFT's, Doctors Appts and the like). Seems to be the common theme amongst the medics where I work.

At the basic level its not a career. And out here in Texas there are plenty of city and county agencies that will hire emts. But if you dont wamt to advance to paramedic level maybe you need to take a look in the mirror and figure out what yoy want to be doing instead.

 

[KnightRider]

Im not in private EMS because I want to be. I am in private EMS because I lost my previous job. As soon as I find something better, I'm leaving this company, but in the meantime it pays my bills and I will do it the best I can.

I became an EMT to fight more fire as I belong to 2 Vol/PT FD's but am more useful as an EMT as more calls are EMS related. I just kinda fell kinda in love with EMS, just not in terms of doctors appointments and having to do IFT's out of our local inept hospital a gazillion times per day. Though many people have told me otherwise, I just dont feel confident I would make a good Medic. I dont want to have to remember what drug does what and what the dosage is, etc. Its no more my thing then being a rocket scientist. :shrugs: