is your dept are going to FF paramedics?

[firedoghfd1]

how many fire departments over the last few years are now requiring their FF to be a paramedic and not just a Basic?

[jbrescue]

Almost all of North East Ohio is all medic. You have to be a medic to either get hired or not long after.

[MalahatTwo7]

Fairfax does not require everyone on the Engine to be a paramedic, but there is a requirement for at least one FF/PM onboard for min staffing.

[BKDRAFT]

Our entire department are Intermediates. The ambulance service is also staffed with Intermediates. The only Paramedics we have out here are on the helicopter. We will be Paramedics once the ambulance service gets the funds to train there members to a Paramedic level.

[FHandz15]

The last FF/EMT we hired was around 10 years ago. Both Chiefs, a few Capt's are medics. Medics are the majority of the Dept, something like 75%. We try to make every truck ALS, usually do, and two medics on both crap wagons. The other ambo is out on a rectal bleed right now!

Medic is required to apply at our place. It takes way too long (2 years) and is too expensive (like $5,000) to send people after they are hired. Plus, there is no gurantee they will pass it or stay with our dept. afterward. We try to hire people that can hit the ground running from day one, on the ambo anyway.

[NonSurfinCaFF]

Nope, the firefighters here only need to be first responders, but our cops have medics, they run most of the medical calls too. An engine only responds for vehicle accidents with possible extrictation needs, fire or hazmat. Fire personnel will respond with an ambulance if LE is tied up on another call but that is fairly unusual.

[k3twpfire]

My combination department requires ALL employees to be paramedics, including the fire chief.

[JohnVBFD]

Depends on areas.

To be hired, none here require, though it does look good on your behalf.

Nofolk Fire Rescue is the only all Intermediate or above department. Their rookies have "x" amount of time to pick up EMT-I or P after being hired. They rotate around the bus if there house has one. And honestly, I only know of maybe two Norfolk fire houses without an ambulance.

Virginia Beach, there has to be one EMT-I or P in the station everyday. The medic can be on the ladder or engine. Policy states engines, but with minimum staffing throughout, sometimes they wind up on ladders.

[Dave1983]

We require at least EMT for hire. We replace on a position basis, EMT for EMT and Medic for Medic. The county funds us 16 medics (5 per shift and 1 M-F EMS supervisor) through the EMS contract.

[BKDRAFT]

We require at least EMT for hire. We replace on a position basis, EMT for EMT and Medic for Medic. The county funds us 16 medics (5 per shift and 1 M-F EMS supervisor) through the EMS contract.

I hate when departments hire medics in FF EMT slots.

[wakehead8]

Hmmmmmmmm???? are you kidding??? for a few bucks more per day you can get a FF/P or save a few bucks and get a FF/EMT, the IAFF now backs it. Coming soon to a FD near you: FD Paramedic transport.

[Just a new name]

Nope and we most likey never will.

[FFFRED]

No!

Ftm-ptb

[JHR1985]

I dont know FFFred... once Bloomberg realizes he can save money by making the FDNY, who "dont do anything" anyway and have them transport pts during their "downtime", the old ways will be a thing of the past.

I hope people can recognize sarcasm.... only problem was the first line wasnt being sarcastic

[DaSharkie]

I hate when departments hire medics in FF EMT slots.

Paramedics are EMTs.

And there is not a single study that justifies a Paramedic on every fire truck.

Yet there are numerous recent, solid studies showing a tremendous deteriation in skills proficiency of providers when there is an area saturated with ALS providers.

But why would we want to introduce facts into an argument.



Depends on the area in general. Here in North Carolina there are but a handful of Paramedic staffed fire departments. In the North East there is a hodgepodge of it. Usually it is just a percentage of folks that hired as Paramedics because there is only enough budget for X number of Paramedics.

Sadly more and more departments are moving this way. Not necessarily for the better either.

[HotTrotter]

Whatever happened to fire fighters being just fire fighters. Next thing you know they will want then to mow grass too.

[snowball]

Whatever happened to fire fighters being just fire fighters. Next thing you know they will want then to mow grass too.

Dude...just STFU!!!

[Dickey]

(Laughing at Snowball)

Anyway, in this area the career departments do not require medics but for the most part, that is the trend. Eventually everyone around my area will be FF/Medic for the entire departments.

Like said above, sadly this is the trend, for the better or worse...?

[Eng3ineer]

We only require EMT at this time, but who knows... Our Fire dept. use to run EMS here until taken over by the two hospitals they then formed/sold to a private service... After this happened we would run a Engine on all EMS calls,but that has gone to point that we only run on Codes...

Jason

[LaFireEducator]

Our EMS requirement for full-time personnel is EMT.

That being said, currently our Assistant Chief, who is our paid chief officer (Chief and Deputy Chief are volunteer positions) is a paramedic and 2 of our 3full-time firefighters are completing thier paramedic class this fall.

It would not surprise me that in the near future, the department may require any full-time hires to take and complete paramedic within a period of time after hire.

All volunteers that work part-time day and relief shifts must also be EMT. First responder or above is required for officers.