will an A.S or A.A degree get you hired faster or additional wages? I'm looking into becoming a firefighter just didn't know if I should get a 2 year degree or just take as many firefighter courses as possible at a local college. I can do the firefighter courses, but I really don't want to take all the general course for an AA or AS.

 

A degree, probably won't get you hired faster, but in most places will get you more pay. I know our department pays extra for an Associates and a little more for a Bachelors. If you want to get hired faster, get your fire certification and become a Paramedic. There is a HIGH demand for Paramedics and lots of departments will hire guys with a Paramedic patch before someone with just a basic certificate. Good luck and let me know If I can be of help.

 

yup ^^ a paramedic will usually get preference over a basic or emt-i...i like the days when a paramedic was on an ambulace, and a fireman was on the truck, but thats not how it is anymore...i got my intermediate so i could push some drugs, start iv's and intubate, but thats all i want to do!

brett

 

my roommate just passed his test and got his lights for his car, he is now a full time fire fighter, just on partial duty til he is do ne with school, he has been working at the station since he was 16, he is almost 20 now.

 

i agree and disagree. an emt-p will get on before a basic but a firefighter with a degree will get on faster than a basic with outa degree but the emt-p would be the best thing to do. and i really agree with the medics on the box and the firefighters on the truck, but we all knew the time was comming. good luck and remember DO NOT go to a online fire school we have a guy on B-shift that did and every one dislikes him because lack of hands on in fire school. anyways hope we have helped you out.

 

lights on the car........... i remember the days when i wanted that i am so glad i grew out of it. but he better make sure he uses it for fire duty only he can get into alot that would kill his firefighting dreams.....

 

we call them dot-commers. we have hours of material to make fun of them with!! apparently now you can even get your emt basic online. when i went to fire school, i went to a&m, but even that place isnt like it used to be

brett

 

to become a paramedic is it the same as an emt?

 

The dot-commer jokes can go on for hours. Luckily we've only had 1 of them so far, and he only lasted about 8 months before he moved on.

 

lights on POV's are a big no-no...we call em woo-woos where im from. they can get alot of people hurt and theres no way im driving my truck like i drive a work truck!!

brett

 

EMT is the first certification, then EMT-Intermediate, then EMT-Paramedic.

 

in texas there are like 4 levels for first responders.

eca-equipment carrying associates...emergency care attendants
emt-b aka. emt-emergency medical technican
emt-i- intermediate
emt-p-paramedic

brett

 

How could I forget the equipment carrying associates??

 

they are easy to forget...


j/k eca's...youll do your part too!!

brett

 

most places you can bypass the emt-I go from basic to you ParaGod cert. my wife is about to start her basic class then go to her paramedic. she is a vet tech not so she does the same thing just with animals so i think she will be able to jump right in and run with it. i hope she will be my sugar momma she will start out at around 45K with Austin Travis County EMS not to bad. and with in 5 year she will be over 55K.. hope she can deal with the stress.