Volunteering with a 9-5

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I have signed up for EMT-B school for this upcoming semester. I am currently a full time employee at a multi-national technology corporation with a typical, predictable work week. I have been observing with my local ambulance service on the weekends and I decided to take the plunge and volunteer 48-60 hours a month.

Does anyone here have a 9-5 and volunteer as well? I am looking for tips and advice on maintaining a healthy work/life/volunteer balance. It was my intention to leave this post as open as possible to get candid observations from other folks that have opened themselves up to public service while maintaining their primary job.

Also, does anyone have advice on working in the day and then volunteering at night?

Cheers,
Evan
 
Welcome to EMTLife!

I worked per diem shifts as an EMT-Basic (7:30P - 7:30A) while going to college full time. The EMS service was an hour and a half away from school.

It messed with my sleep schedule. I often slept through morning classes, friends still joke about it. It interfered with the social aspects of college for the year that I did it.

I would do it again, because it was a great experience, but it's hard to balance a full time job and 60 hours of volunteer work in a demanding field.

Good luck!
 
My course was mostly computer based, we met 4 or 5 times, and the course lasted two months. There were 18 people to start with. As of now, I am the only one who has taken the NREMT, passed, and is working. Not that I was any smarter than the rest of the folks in the class. I, however, was the only one who had the time to devote to it because I was retired. The rest of the folks, had families and/or jobs.

Going to classes may make things somewhat easier to manage for you instead of spending 10-12 hours a day on the computer, including weekends.

Best of luck, attitude and "want to" should get you there.
 
I work a regular job 9-5 (okay, 8a to 7p, but who's counting) and I work per diem as a medic 12 to 16 hours a week. It's not easy, but something you can do if you want...
 
Evan MacIntyre said:
I have been observing with my local ambulance service on the weekends and I decided to take the plunge and volunteer 48-60 hours a month.

Does anyone here have a 9-5 and volunteer as well? I am looking for tips and advice on maintaining a healthy work/life/volunteer balance. It was my intention to leave this post as open as possible to get candid observations from other folks that have opened themselves up to public service while maintaining their primary job.

Also, does anyone have advice on working in the day and then volunteering at night?
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My opinion, and others might disagree, but it's relatively easy to spend 48-60 hours a month volunteering while maintaining a normal 9am to 5pm job. It's typically one 12 hour shift a week on a night shift, and maybe a weekend 12. But it takes dedication, time management, sacrifice, and commitment. And if you get into the habit of doing it when you start, you will find it easier than maintain that lifestyle when after you have been doing it for years (I'm going on my 17 years in public safety)

I currently work a day job 9am to 5pm (actually 8:30am to 5:30pm), and currently have eight 12 hour shifts at my part time / per diem job, mostly on the weeknights and two weekend nights (averaging between one and two nights a week). My Chief knows that I won't make any scramble/recall calls, especially at night, unless I happen to be in the area, and the only times he can count on me showing up is when I am signed up to work. And he's ok with that, because he knows that when I'm on shift, I'm guaranteed to be there.

And my VP at my day job knows that I have my side job(s), and once in a while if we end up having a particularly busy night, I might end up dragging in the AM, and he is ok with it as long as I get my work done. But most of the nights are slow and I can get some sleep in an uncomfy bed. And I do bring my own pillow (memory foam is better than the crappy ones they have), pillow case, sheets and blanket from home, and make sure I'm in bed by 10 or 11pm, even if everyone else is still up.

The other thing I do is I schedule my side gigs around my FT job, and I pick up all my shifts in the beginning of the month (so I know what days I want to work for July by July 1st).. My family knows that if they want me somewhere, they need to tell me in advance. And yes, I have missed hanging out with friends, going out to dinner, drinking, or last minute fun times, because I already made a commitment to be elsewhere.

But when I'm off the clock, I'm off the clock, and you won't see me hanging around a station unless I am really bored, have nothing else, and need to get out of my house because my SO is driving me insane (or if I hear they have a major incident that they need additional manpower... but I don't put my life on hold just in case that happens).
 
Thanks for all of the feedback! During the training and probationary period, they require no less than 48 hours per month. I intent to maintain that level of service, even after probation. I still want to plan for a 60 hour month, just in case.
 
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