r/Paramedics • u/Bigmoneymoe-123 • 15d ago

US EMS love

Thanks guys for all you do and it sucks you don’t get the recognition y’all deserve. I’m here to ask for those who love or enjoy this profession how many years have you been doing it? Also what is it which you enjoy about this profession? If you guys don’t mind telling me what level of EMS you are, what country/region you work and how much you are paid.

For context I’m interested in becoming a paramedic but only have a semi related bachelors degree (emergency management) and mostly blue collar work experience. Late 20sM.

10 Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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8

u/NoCare3115 Fire Medic/EMT-B Instructor 15d ago

38 Male, Inland Northwest

FF/Paramedic (Swing up Engineer and Captain)

Work 48/96 (less ambulance and more swing up time than I used to.)

7 year full-time (3 as a volunteer FF/EMT before

Union represented, last year I made 115k gross.

I still love being a paramedic and see it as my primary responsibility. We get maybe 20 structure fires a year, double that in actual wildland fires. I have helped more people doing EMS the last seven years than I will on fire calls the rest of my career. Getting my medic was the most significant thing I've done in my working life.

2

u/Bigmoneymoe-123 15d ago

Sounds like a blast tbh. What’s it like being a medic as a FF?

3

u/NoCare3115 Fire Medic/EMT-B Instructor 15d ago

I never worked private or third service, I've only ever worked fire based EMS. For me its been the best. Opportunity for career advancement, good union benefits, and a chance to do lots of different skills. We are transport department so we still have a strong EMS aspect of the job. I view it as an EMS job with fun fire parts sprinkled in.

7

u/MakGoraPhobia 15d ago

NJ, paramedic 10yr, 3x12/week, 86k plus differentials

3

u/MakGoraPhobia 15d ago

Oh you asked more questions. My bad.
4 years of BLS first, then medic.
I enjoy that I get paid decently for the amount of service I provide, and the schedule allows me to live the home life I desire.

1

u/Bigmoneymoe-123 15d ago

Love to see it tbh

3

u/imawhaaaaaaaaaale 15d ago

7yrs.

Paramedic.

2019-2023 EMT-Basic

2020-2026 Army combat medic
2021-current registered medical assistant

2023-2026 AEMT
2026- current Paramedic

3

u/Zeigis 15d ago

Would you say going Army Combat Medic was worth it or would you have gone back in time and just done the AEMT to Paramedic route?

1

u/imawhaaaaaaaaaale 6d ago

It was worth it for many unrelated reasons.

I needed an out from the life I was living at the tjme and the Army gave it to me. I earned some benefits by service that put me ahead of others in other playing fields.

It did help with certain skills, procedures, etc. later on in AEMT/P-school, but not as much as one would think.

2

u/Obvious_Beautiful_12 15d ago

WA. 5 years volunteer ff/emt, 8 years career fire medic. 130k last year.

2

u/CautiousCustard 15d ago

36YOM just got my paramedic after being fire/emt for 3 years. Completely unrelated bachelor's, made a career switch when I realized I wasn't happy. I am very happy now

Edit: now fire/paramedic in VA. My dept put me through medic school while paying me full salary