EMT'S in the City? and Advise?

[Fireman2001]

I'm in my EMT training class, and i wanted to know do city fire departments require paramedic certification, or can you be an EMT. I also wanted to know if I should get my paramedic certification, or stick with EMT.

[IAMedic]

It depends where you work. Some require you to get your paramedic and others just want EMT level. It is up to the department. If you like this work, then I would suggest you go on to get your paramedic. You will earn more and this will open more doors for you. Good Luck

[ffspo0k]

As a fellow Ohio brother, I would say yes get yer medic card. Unless you get on Cincy, Cleveland, Or Columbus which don't require it at hire but will send you through if they need to, pretty much everywhere else requires it prior to application or at least be in class during the app process.

Hope this helps.. btw.. I didn't care one bit for EMS until I started medic school, thats where you learn the cool stuff.

[WHFD322]

If you are young at all get your paramedic. I promise you that you will never regret it. It has it's ups and downs but the ups are awesome. I have a protoge at the fire dept. ask me the same question a few years ago and he loves being a paramedic.

[joejoe33]

There is a big nationwide push for fire-based EMS.

Quite a few departments prefer to hire firefighter/paramedics.

They can hire you and put you to work. Hiring you as an EMT is not a bad thing at all. If the department that hires you sends you to paramedic school, they have to be without you for six months or a year while you attend paramedic school. A lot of departments in the Dallas area put a stipulation in your employment for attending and passing paramedic school. This may add a little stress to your paramedic studies. Failing paramedic school may cost you your job. Some departments may make you pay them back the tuition if you leave the department to go somewhere else after one year of completing paramedic school while employed by the fire department.

Being a paramedic is not for everyone. I got into the fire service first, and my paramedic training was considered cross training. I enjoy being a paramedic. I like an even division of my duties. Firefighting first and EMS second. I feel like I can make more of a difference treating patients as a paramedic than I ever did as a EMT.

I'll sum things up with the opinion that you are<br />more marketable for hiring as a firefighter/paramedic.

Keep it safe my brothers and sisters, <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[rwalston]

GET YOUR MEDIC you should always push your career as far as it can go. Medics have more responsibilty but, they give you more money. You also get a good background in pharm and ekgs if you want to be an R.N. it makes it easier!

[rwalston]

I also forgot to add that it depends upon whether your ems system is als or BLS BASED? If it is als defintiely go for it!<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/superich" target="_blank">My home page</a>