r/Firefighting • u/Obviouslythrowaway_- • 3d ago

General Discussion Fire vs Fire/EMS Departments

What has your experience been in either department? All I keep hearing is guys complain about how EMS departments are dreadful and miserable but get paid more. When, in my area I hear that the big City (fire only) gets paid the most and has the best benefits. Have I been lied to this whole time? Are there ANY benefits to EMS departments?

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u/pizzaerry2days 3d ago

I think the difference is big between fire departments that transport and those that don’t. I’ve never worked for a non-EMS department but I’ve worked for transport and non-transport. I prefer non-transport because we don’t respond to the lowest level EMS calls (initially/theoretically) as they are triaged by dispatched.

However I cannot imagine being fire only and honestly think I would be bored out of my mind running gas leaks, alarms, car wrecks and the occasional fire only. In the thousands of calls I’ve been on all my best stories and the ones I truly remember are EMS calls or at least involved me giving EMS care. The actual structures and such I’ve mostly forgotten. Call me crazy but I like being a paramedic. I’ve made a much much greater impact on others as a medic than I ever could as another grunt pulling hose and spreading doors.