Fantastic post. Well said. IMHO your only hope would be some kind of national board/registry that raises the bar substantially and sets a four year degree as a minimum requirement. Work yourself into a niche and identify that need with the general public. Blaming factions and other services are not going to help ( it helps fire ).
As it stands many people associate fire with EMS, Don't fight it. Make it fight it self. Lobby for higher standards and if they follow suit. Great (it raises the standard and the fire guy will protect his investment with maintaining standards). My feeling would be that many fire dept's would step it up to maintain funding, but many others will not and that will be what the goal is. Now the stage could be set for separate EMS.
The key would be a national standard. A crude but maybe good example would be the auto industry. For years the dealers and manufacturers maintained that only they can maintain proper standards ( Fire dept's). The aftermarket industry responded by forming ASE standards. Selling it to the public as a national standard, equal or better than dealers. It essentially killed the dealers in the service industry. Limiting them to warranty work only and the bulk of the high paying work moving to the aftermarket industry.
The key is the face you put on it to the paying public. And aggressive standard management.