Volunteering and employment

4thebirds

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Right now I am currently volunteering with a local QRU. They have a minimum of doing 24 hours a month to be with them. I have done that plus more for the month, but can only do once a week due to my husbands schedule, the kids, and the fact that I don't live in the city where I volunteer.
So my question is, when we move, how hard will it be to get hired with an actual ambulance company with my limited experience? I don't mind volunteering but would really like to have more opportunites to go on calls and learn.

Thanks!

And I wish my local EMT class had us do more hands-on with equipment, vitals, etc. I feel like I'm under-prepared.
 

medichopeful

Flight RN/Paramedic
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And I wish my local EMT class had us do more hands-on with equipment, vitals, etc. I feel like I'm under-prepared.

You can always practice with the equipment at the station where you volunteer. I'd also try to do some vitals practice on family and, if you're comfortable, friends.

Good luck!
 

traumaluv2011

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I don't know if they would have it by you, but a small suburban town would have an on-call basis. You are not required to have a shift. The only thing you'll have to do is make a certain number of calls to continue as a member of the squad. You'll get a pager at the least. They will surely allow blue/red/whatever color emergency light so that you can respond quickly.

Mine isn't paid, but I doubt any squad like this is paid either. It seems like that's what you are looking for and I don't think any exist.

However, if you are going to a city, you could look into a privatized company. You may not have the comfortable amount of supplies, but it is paid.
 
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bigbaldguy

Former medic seven years 911 service in houston
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I think everyone feels under prepared coming out. The truth is no matter how much hands on u get in school when you get in the field you feel like you have 10 thumbs. I've been volunteering for a while and when you're only doing a few shifts a month it takes a long time to feel comfortable with the hands on part and after almost a year of pretty steady work I'm just now getting it together.
 

jjesusfreak01

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I don't know if they would have it by you, but a small suburban town would have an on-call basis. You are not required to have a shift. The only thing you'll have to do is make a certain number of calls to continue as a member of the squad. You'll get a pager at the least. They will surely allow blue/red/whatever color emergency light so that you can respond quickly.

This is more expected in rural areas that do not have full-time or volunteer staffed ambulances. Larger cities don't generally have this type of first responder system or allow them to put lights on their cars.
 
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4thebirds

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Where I live you have to live in the county you work/volunteer for. Shelley is about the only area within close proximity to me that doesn't work that way. I think because they rely on my cities ambulance and hospital.

The third call I went on I actually got to use the oxygen tank. However, since I had never really used a live bottle, I totally was clueless on how to work it. Well not totally. Maybe it was just the pressure and the fact that it was dark out.

I know how to use it now though ;) lol
 

Tigger

Dodges Pucks
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I don't know if they would have it by you, but a small suburban town would have an on-call basis. You are not required to have a shift. The only thing you'll have to do is make a certain number of calls to continue as a member of the squad. You'll get a pager at the least. They will surely allow blue/red/whatever color emergency light so that you can respond quickly.

Mine isn't paid, but I doubt any squad like this is paid either. It seems like that's what you are looking for and I don't think any exist.

However, if you are going to a city, you could look into a privatized company. You may not have the comfortable amount of supplies, but it is paid.

That's not going to be how many communities work. I live in a "small suburban town." I don't work on the towns ambulance, but they are required to work shifts. They don't have to be at the station when on shift, just in town. When it's your shift, you and your partner are responsible for the ambulance, no one else. It seems a little bit odd that agencies still rely on what basically amounts to a free for all to get the ambulance out. With out shifts how is anyone sure that the bus gets out? The opposite also happens, and seven people show up for a medical aid call.

It is also paid, abeit not well. The crews get a pittance of a wage for being "on call" and then are payed at a fairly decent hourly wage as soon as they mark responding through when they are clear in quarters. It's not a way to make money, but it is a nice gesture by the town for the community service.

OP, as you can no doubt see there are a lot of ways that municipalities deliver EMS and the best thing you can do is just go to the station and ask if they opportunities for you.
 
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4thebirds

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My city only hires paramedics and fire fighters. Usually they are one in the same. Very hard to get in.
Shelley is all volunteer. You get on the schedule for a truck and/or radio and work your shift. You get paid for the call you went on. Not many other options out here.

We are probably going to be moving within a year so I was just curious how hiring works with minimal experience.
 

traumaluv2011

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With out shifts how is anyone sure that the bus gets out? The opposite also happens, and seven people show up for a medical aid call.

Well we do have what we call 'duty crew' where we have to answer calls from like 20:00-06:00. It is to be sure that we have a crew at night. If we aren't a paid squad we will still need another job. There are a few members that are retired or looking for a job at the moment that can suit our purpose, but the majority of our calls actually occur at night. We do get calls in the day, but worse comes to worse, we have a neighboring town with several crews doing shifts that we can get mutual aid from if needed. Our town is only about 2 square miles.
 

daine.scott

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At my place where I work, most of the volunteers who have performed very well are given an offer to be hired full time. I suggest that you try asking them if they have any such policies. It worked for me and I too was not living in the same city or county.
 
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