Washington area

[Emtjohn]

Looking to move to washington but not sure where to move. I am an emt with <1 yr experience and looking for some good 911 experience before i even think about p school. I am trying to go the fire route so any info on that will be good to.

 

[PotatoMedic]

TriMed you'll get some good 911 calls. Pays crap.

 

[waaaemt]

Why Washington? But try Olympic ambulance in Thurston county. Mutual response with Lacey fd. Apparently the fd culture in Thurston is super cool and they actually respect private amb guys. Sounds like a nice place to work. I don't think pay is great but you can get by..

 

[NomadicMedic]

TriMed for good BLS calls. Then? Medic One for the career single role paramedic job or Snohomish District 1 for the fire medic job.

Good luck.

 

[Drax]

Looking to move to washington but not sure where to move. I am an emt with <1 yr experience and looking for some good 911 experience before i even think about p school. I am trying to go the fire route so any info on that will be good to.

Majority of your Career Fire gigs are going to be in King County, Pierce County, Snohomish County, Thurston County, and Kitsap County.

Not an easy task finding a job here. Very expensive, so if you're not willing to fork over hundreds -> thousands of dollars for extensive (and recurring) testing at National Testing Network, Public Safety Testing, Bates Tech, or what have you, you're not going to be happy here.

A few locations do their own testing, both written and physical, but if you think there won't be a few hundred -> thousand testing at those locations, you'd be mistaken.

If you're moving here, not planning on having much money, I highly suggest researching Google Map of Washington State, look at each city, then Google search that city, and see if they have a resident program you might be able to get into. That may lead you to the experience that'll help you get hired with that Department or other paying job. Unfortunately for those looking, even volunteer gigs are competitive.

Private Ambulance companies...there's about four or so main ones in Pierce and King, all of which have a wealth of applicants to choose from. Having some experience is better than none though, so at least you've got that going for you, although, why you've left your job before having at least a full year experience may raise an eyebrow or two or not even be acknowledged.

Honestly, don't know where you're coming from, but getting more experience where you are, before you come to Washington and try to scrape by, is only going to be in your best interest. I realize that may suck to hear.

I've applied to about 25 departments and districts here in the past four-five months and to another 15 EMT positions at various locations. I've only been offered one job in the last month (although I did come straight out of school).

Methodology: If you're on your own coming out here, apply for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING (all EMT jobs you can find). If you've got no funds or savings, apply for ANY JOB and EVERY JOB you can find. A career firefighter gig may take somewhere in the area of 3-5 years to land, and that's provided you're taking initiative to continually improve, never stop testing, and possibly volunteering too (as I'm trying hard to get into right now). On top of that, veteran's preference is going significantly increase your advantage if you've got it, or significantly decrease your advantage if you haven't.

Best of luck to you, don't give up if you decide to come out here.

 

[Drax]

I also forgot to mention, ER Tech jobs, at least most of them, require around 2 years experience, many ER experience specifically (go figure, can't get experience without having experience) ANNNNNNNND... CNA or NA-R certification.

Many jobs will require you to get your state certification (go figure, can't get a job without certification, can't get a certification without a job).

So keeping that in mind, there are very few routes to get in. If you find one, a few more open up after a year or so, and so on and so forth. Sorry for being blunt and possibly demolishing your hopes coming here...but I just want to be real with you. It is tough and if I didn't have certain other things going for me, I could not afford it here.

:X

 

[Emtjohn]

I appreciate all the help. I have a friend that used to work for ALS in yakima and says if I can get on with them I will get great experience. I am thinking about moving around ellensburg. I have just gotten out of the military last year and am moving because i miss being in washington.

 

[Drax]

I appreciate all the help. I have a friend that used to work for ALS in yakima and says if I can get on with them I will get great experience. I am thinking about moving around ellensburg. I have just gotten out of the military last year and am moving because i miss being in washington.

Good luck to you sir. That military experience will go a long way, at the very least, to your first hiring in fire. I think Yakima is in the process of hiring or maybe is about recruit, you should check them out. I think they're PST.

 

[NomadicMedic]

I worked ALS in Yakima. Awful pay, long shifts, good experience. Last I heard, they weren't hiring EMTs, but that changes like the weather. They usually don't hire new EMTs, but it never hurts to apply. AMR also runs out there.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Washington sucks for EMS workers unless you land that coveted fire medic job.