I don't know what you guys are complaining about, here in Chicago land emt-b's start at 9.00 an hour... and the medics start at 12.00-13.00 for the privates. Even the "techs" that work in the er's that are medics make about 13.00-15.00. But it's like anything else, you have to put your time in if you want to get on a department and get the "good calls" and make "good money".
Salary
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fortsmithman
Forum Deputy Chief
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EMS herte in Canada are better paid than our counterparts in the USA.
Bullets
Forum Knucklehead
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Thats criminal
Meanwhile, im making $20 hr and im in the public employees benefits system. However i make more then most agencys. Private IFT pay around 12, Medics here make 20 as well. We have a bunch of medics who work for us as EMTs, since its the same pay, better benefits and less work. We will do 6-12 jobs a day, where they might get 15-20 as an ALS truck
RocketMedic
Californian, Lost in Texas
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Jack in the Box is still my worst, hardest job ever. Harder than it looks, too.
Flat out, EMT's certainly make more money then most people with the same amount of training. EMT's and paramedics certainly make more money with the same amount of training when you account for actual number of hours worked. I think most people who run 24's on here would be hard pressed to argue that they are actually doing work during more then 12-16 of it (if that). Double your hourly (or time and a half it) and use that to compare to other jobs where you will be on your feet all day working every minute except your lunch break. We make WAY more money per hour worked then almost anyone with the same amount of training. If anything paying a medic 16 dollars an hour for a 24 hour shift that averages 3 calls per shift is overpaying the medic like crazy....
the_negro_puppy
Forum Asst. Chief
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Medics here earn around $80k inclusive of incidental and optional overtime
I used to think $10 was bad until I thought of the benefits that come with working in EMS: you're on your own(sort of), plenty of OT, paid time off just to name a few. And the most beautiful part of it is all the skills you learn can take you to the fire side, become an RN, a medic, etcetera.
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Yep. I'm pretty content with the salary we're paid when you look at what the average day entails. EMS seems to spoil people for other jobs. As was mentioned previously, fast food workers are expected to work basically the entire time during their shift. We may have days like that, but most have large sections of free time where we are basically left alone. I love my job, look forward to going to work, and think I am fairly compensated for it.
NJ EMT
Forum Ride Along
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I can't complain where I work (Jersey City), but to hear that you guys in Chicago start off at 9.00 an hour as a basic is a shame. Especially for the amount of work in a high call volume area like that you put in. Medics starting out at 12.00 to 13.00 an hour? That's hard to believe. A basic over here start's out at 14.00 an hour for a private transport company (easy money) and hospital based ems starts out at 17.00 an hour. Granted, I don't think any of us signed on for this job for the "good money"... That being said, I love my job and I couldn't imagine doing anything else, except advancement in the field of course.
Trashtruck
Forum Captain
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#2 beats #1.
Not saying it's right, but it's true.
Not saying it's right, but it's true.
You're still being paid for your time. The company is paying to have coverage. That's what the job is. You're not at home, with your family, or sleeping in your own bed. The crime is when the company mandates you to work 24 hours, but only pays for 16, then puts you on-call (but still at the station) for the overnight hours.
A starting salary of 16 per hour for a medic working a 24/48 is rare. That's $53,000/yr. A more typical salary would be around $35,000/yr, or about $10.50/hr. That's a 56 hour/week work schedule. Even if they do three calls a day, they're still lending their services for 140% more hours than a 40 hour employee just for their base pay. Services like to quote a starting salary of $35k-$40k/yr, but when you find out that you need to work 56 hours/week to get that, it's not really built in OT. It's the company getting over you. Think about it, how many medics would apply to a job that pays $21,840/yr? But that's what 40 hours a week at a job paying $10.50/hr really is. that $16/hr job is only $33,280/yr @ 40 hours a week. That's not much money, no matter where you live. That's maybe $450/week after taxes.
Sad but true. Hardly anyone requires a degree to be hired, including such premier employers as KCM1, Wake County EMS, or any large, well paying fire based employer. Even the ones that give bonuses to degreed applicants may only amount to maybe a few thousand dollars a year at best. This is for a Bachelors or Masters degree. Going from $35k/yr to $38k/yr with a Bachelor's degree is not worth it.
You have to remember that Jersey EMT's and medics may have a 40 hour workweek. Most places down south and out west have 48-56 hour workweeks. A $13/hr medic on a 24/48 schedule is not making a 40 hour salary of $27,040, they're making a 56 hour salary of $43,264. That's the same pay (albeit for 140% more hours each week) as a 40 hour medic making just shy of $21/hr.
DesertMedic66
Forum Troll
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Depending on how your area is ran you may not even need to unionize. My company is non-union but the company (same company different division) next to us is union. if they demand and get higher pay, we also get an equal pay raise.
And, you don't have to pay union dues and give money to the political choice of the union which might be very different from yours.
DesertMedic66
Forum Troll
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Yep. It all depends on how your company is ran on if you need a union or not.