r/Firefighting • u/Embarrassed_Sound835 Edit to create your own flair • 1d ago

General Discussion Medic joining a volunteer department - what should I expect? Any tips for new guys?

Hey there. Paramedic here. I have a fitness test at the volly station I'm joining tomorrow. I have very minimal experience working at a fire department. I'm joining to gain more certs and to see if I enjoy the other side of public safety. Any tips on being the new guy? Things that can help me be a good member of my station? The service I'm joining does QRS- but I'm under the impression that I'll be there only paramedic there. Any good ideas for QRS?

I know it's a super broad question. Thanks everyone.

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u/26sickpeople Edit to create your own flair 1d ago

You’ll be the only paramedic there?

Do they even have ALS protocols? You may end up as just an EMT there.

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u/Embarrassed_Sound835 Edit to create your own flair 1d ago

As I understand it, the last medic they had did operate as a QRS medic with limited ALS capability. I believe I'll likely end up doing some ILS stuff. Very limited med administration.

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u/National_Conflict609 1d ago

You’ll be a new member just like anyone else. Ears and eyes open, ask questions, look through the compartments to see where equipment is stored. Take classes and seminars go through Firefighter 1. You’ll do ok

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u/Yurple_RS 1d ago

What's QRS?

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u/Embarrassed_Sound835 Edit to create your own flair 1d ago

Quick response service. Taking a squad car to medical calls and doing some treatment before EMS arrives.

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u/Yurple_RS 1d ago

Gotcha, thanks for the explanation.

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u/Embarrassed_Sound835 Edit to create your own flair 1d ago

No worries!

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u/VivaceConBrio 20h ago

Guessing you're in a more rural area if you're doing the QRS thing (where I am, EMS shift supervisors probably are our closest equivalent to your QRS)

I can't stress this enough: If you're the sole paramedic in a rural volly station and you're first due for a good chunk of the area without much mutual EMS, you need to set clear boundaries for yourself right now. You will get burned out hella fast if you don't.

It's all well and good to be excited and dive right in, but before you know it, you're getting toned out all the time or pestered to spend more time at the station because they need you (which it sounds like they probably do). A few months down the road, you're now going absolutely insane because you can't truly enjoy what little free time you do get because you're always worried about hearing the tone drop or someone calling your cell.

Basically, remember you can't best serve your community unless you best serve yourself first. It sucks to set those boundaries but oof rural volunteer EMS can be brutal sometimes.

Otherwise you'll be 100% fine dude. Definitely work towards FF1, stay current with classes. Keep the wagon clean, tidy and stocked. Above all else: make sure you chuck questionably old seafood in the microwave for 10 minutes minimum every chance you can, especially on a slow day. Lol

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u/Embarrassed_Sound835 Edit to create your own flair 16h ago

Thanks for the advice. My fault for not writing this. Its a mix of paid and volunteers. It's actually a mostly urban and semi suburban community immediately outside of a major city with 8k residents. 800 calls yearly. Mutual EMS beats us to their own calls routinely. I expect I will largely be a firefighter lol. 9 paid firemen, all with EMT's. Don't know how many vollies but it seems well staffed. Not rural at all. But I started in rural EMS so I totally get where you're coming from. Thanks for commenting dude. Work life balance is where its at.