Rural Fire department volunteer or paid

[emtnerd]

Where I live the EMS side is half and half, I'm not 100% sure but I think the Fire side is as well.

[FarNorthMedic]

Fire Department....I wish. Their truck doesn't even run anymore they show up with hoses and pumps in the back of a 1/2 ton truck now. I don't think they get paid either.

BTW this is a first nations reserve in northern Ontario (fly in only) with the population of around 2500 and very unorganized and run down.

Police services are only during the day time (0800-0000) then you're on your own....hmm....can we say secure scenes???

As for us we run 24h EMS with 12 hours (0800-2000) on site with a 2 minute mobile time and night on call with an 8 minute mobile time. With only 4 medics working here....burnout hits you fast.

We do about 80 calls per 2 week pay period, mostly drunken fights and substance abuse with medical calls usually only gall bladder problems and diabetics from the unhealthy life styles. I did how ever even with a 8 minute mobile time get a cardiac arrest save on a 61 y/o F pt, and now she's still alive with no neuro deficits. Best part is the save was on Dec. 1st and she was home (after medicvac) 2 days before Christmas.

Anyway this turned into more of a rant then anything...

[nwoparamedics]

Heh FarNorthMedic, gotta give ya credit for workin' that far north

Back to the topic though... our local fire services vary from mostly volunteer, to only two communities having some paid firefighters on duty.

EMS... no such thing as volunteer here anymore.

Students are still allowed to work part-time in EMS up until the end of this year in Ontario, then you have to be qualified to work on a rig (like rules for running a hospital or what have ya). If there are any medics working as volunteers anywhere in the province... I'd be really surprised... to say the least.

It's been extremely costly to the communities to have to recruit medics to fill positions that were previously filled by volunteer EMA's, but for the system itself (and for the fact that for many of our communities, the medics are the only health care available) what can I say... nice to see the government/public recognizing that medics personal are more than just a taxi / handi-transit.

[Cookie]

I am new to EMT City, not new to the EMS system. I have been a First Responder, A, I and now certified as a B.

Our Rescue Squad and in all of the county in which we live is all volunteer, so are the Fire Departments.

Our unit is BLS, we frequently tier with an ALS unit. This mainly due to the composition of the area in which we live. Our very rural community has a aging population, plus the Interstate along with three truck stops, two motels and assorted fast food enterprises.

This morning was a perfect example of the dedication of our volunteers, five Emt. B's showed, then when ALS arrived we had paramedics, and intermediates, plus non certified personnal. All of us has a job to do and work well with each other, that is the key. No one is here for the glory.

Cookie

[p150]

Our fire departments are volunteers.

Our EMS is on call paid, EMT $15 a call and a availability fee of $15 a shift, Drivers get $10 A call and a availability fee of $10 a shift. Paramedic will soon be receiving $ 25 a day a availability will be $25.

The only problem with this is that if you work full time in the service you can not be an on call on your days off. management says it is a labor law issue.

[craig]

we don't do fire calls all we do is ems

i am on about 25 dollars an hour. penalty rates of 12 1/2% on OT

6 weeks a year paid leave

3 months paid leave after ten years service and bout three weeks year after that

15 paid sick days a year (and 10 carry over each year if not used)

allowance for being ALS

allowance for being tech rescue

allowance for being on call and about 200 dollars for each call after shift end

don't know what the fire dept wage is like

stay safe

[craig]

and if i get to do o'nite at another station i get an also 79 dollars living away allowance each nite

[Great_Llama]

Woah...that's good pay. Is the cost of living high where you live? I believe the AUD is 1 to 1.31 USD, so that is pretty good, but if your cost of living is very high, it may not really be as high as it sounds.

[craig]

no the cost of living is better in most cases than the states except for gas

so it can cost more to fuel your car

yeas this year i will get over 100K just for being a ALS officer (similar to you EMT-I) and i don't hold rank

stay safe

[Guest]

I am fortunate to be a paid full time firefighter, but I am damn proud to also be a volunteer FF, and I work PRN for one of the Amb. Services