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/USSWahoo 3d ago

Academies here on the west coast won’t even allow you to attend unless you’re an actively licensed EMT-B (at minimum). Fire/EMS has been a thing for decades over here and it’s not going away, it’s been a reality of the occupation so it doesn’t bother me.

EMS calls have their ups and downs, but if you can weather the mundane and perform during the critical calls, I find them fulfilling.

The biggest difference is the transport models. Some departments don’t transport at all (providing on-scene care before sending the pt off in a non-department ambulance), while some provide paramedic services that either go with the ambulance to the hospital (and then leave once the patient is handed off), or they do the entire transport themselves in a department-operated ambulance.

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u/Obviouslythrowaway_- 2d ago

East coast has a few non transport departments I’ve finished my EMT class and I honestly do not think I would ever be fit for transport work. But it seems to be where all the money is in the fire service, also very unavoidable.

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u/USSWahoo 2d ago

I’d give it a shot, work a bit as an EMT on a box. Maybe you’ll have a call that changes your mind. If you’re still not into it, you’re going to have a tough time finding a department, but you’ll be dead-set in what you want.