FireLink

Remember that most EMS services work a 24/48 shift rotation. That means that the pay period rotation is 120/120/96. In other words you have one "short" pay period every six weeks....96 hours (2 weeks). 16 hours of overtime, or time-and-a-half pay. For the other two, you have 40 hours of overtime. That is why the hourly rate is so low. The pay scale is adjusted with the overtime in mind. Most of the rest of the world doesn't know, an cannot grasp, this concept. I know several people who would go to work at the local fire or EMS department because of the hourly pay rate. Then, when we finally talk them into it, they tell us that they are making more money than they did before.

Ask about the yearly gross income if you really want to know what the pay is. Unless you are familiar with the pay scale and system, hourly rates will not make sense.

tsmith has it right. But.  Pay for public safety is way below the risk and training. If you want to be a paid FF or EMT or LE, do not expect much.  You usually start out just above minimum wage and work your way up.  You can scrape by. You usually have to be in a dual income household or have two jobs to get ahead.  If you're making plenty of money then you ain't fightin' fire! 

Passion, compassion, dedication, and a willingness to put your life before others.  Otherwise, stay in the bleachers and off the field.

True. Never really made sense to me either. If I didn't love what I do, I would not be able to stay with it. Thankfully, my wife makes more than I do.

if you dont like the pay go become a doctor and help. you know what saving one life equals in money to you and the person you saved and there family its priceless.

I love saving lives and property !  In fact I do what I can, when I can without pay .But it would be nice , if all those that risk there life full time could make more pay for it .  If anyone doesnt' think they deserve better than ,below average pay should check out the topic " What's it mean to be a firefighter ? "   Many have gave there lives including volli's.  Yet many are willing to work at low pay and risk of life to protect others.  Too bad so many have to do it for little or no monetary compensation.  

This applies to EMS as well!  The risk they face may not be glorified but they put their lives at risk too.  Can you say infectious diseases? Yuck!  All shift!  Once again, I'll stick to structural.    This dont include trauma, everybody gets some of that.

Velvet Rose is right, it is horrible how some public service personnel are paid. I know many providers who work 2 full time jobs to make ends meet. Unfortunately many private services are dependant on Medicaid/Medicare to survive, and with high overhead cost (vehicle maintenance, fuel) the end result is that the provider gets screwed.

LadyFirefighter08 says ...

High 5 Velvet. I would like to know how RCFD696 is only 15 years old and is "paid on call" according to his profile. To my knowledge you have to be 18 and out of school o be in a fire dept. Hmmm....Kinda sounds fishy to me.

 I agree that EMS personnel are underpaid but it's something I want to do. And here, the local ambulance service is actually the next district's paid FF's and their ambulances. The only other local ambulance service is COVA which stands for Central Orleans VOLUNTEER Ambulance. So they don't even get paid. The only other ambulance service I could put my name into is 50 miles away in Buffalo. And with gas prices, that's not looking like an option for me.

Im on a junior program ass... and i prbably know more shit then you dip shit

RCFD696 says ...

LadyFirefighter08 says ...

High 5 Velvet. I would like to know how RCFD696 is only 15 years old and is "paid on call" according to his profile. To my knowledge you have to be 18 and out of school o be in a fire dept. Hmmm....Kinda sounds fishy to me.

 I agree that EMS personnel are underpaid but it's something I want to do. And here, the local ambulance service is actually the next district's paid FF's and their ambulances. The only other local ambulance service is COVA which stands for Central Orleans VOLUNTEER Ambulance. So they don't even get paid. The only other ambulance service I could put my name into is 50 miles away in Buffalo. And with gas prices, that's not looking like an option for me.

Im on a junior program ass... and i prbably know more shit then you dip shit

RCFD...you need to watch yoursefl buddy. immature, smartass comments like that will get you a good ass wooping in life, and the generally dont fly too well in the FF community. not to mention that ladyfirefighter is (as her name says) a lady firefighter. you should hold her in a place a respect, just as you would any other woman or girl.  

I used to work for Rural Metro, they actually pay the highest around here...not too bad.

And you need to back it up there RCFD. Just like dept24emt said, she is a fellow lady and she is also higher ranking than you. Would you speak that way to someone in your department? I don't think so!

RCFD696 says ...

VelvetRose says ...

I used to work for Rural Metro, they actually pay the highest around here...not too bad.

And you need to back it up there RCFD. Just like dept24emt said, she is a fellow lady and she is also higher ranking than you. Would you speak that way to someone in your department? I don't think so!

your right i wouldnt talk to any one on my fire department like that because no one would A be saying they dont get paid that much to do what they do... B they wouldnt talk down to some one because they are a lower ranking then them because like most things that one person cant do it all by them selves. C they wouldnt use their sex or color to get respect

where to start...where to start. well first of all...if you wouldnt spout off to someone like that in preson, you sure as hell shouldnt be doing it on here. second...you put yourself in a position to be talked down to with your replys. all 2 or 3 of them were extremly immarture. you have a lot to learn buddy (not that i dont)...and appraently one of those things is respect. which brings me to my third and final point...respect for women is something that you should have from a young age. i know personally from a young age i was taught respect by my dad...and if i didnt respect women, i got my ass beat. thats all there is to it.

I worked for the Rural Metro in Cleveland, OH. And I am actually gonna call this week and see if I can get that job back, the manager called me a few months ago begging me to go back, but I wasn't ready. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I was making $9 as an ATS driver, I wasn't even a Basic! So I know they're hiring at least 10 Basics and 10 Paramedics right now if your looking to move Moose!! lol

It is a shame that not only is the pay very low, but the respect level is also quite low.

The off hand remarks by the young one reminds me of the immortal words of the great Groucho Marx

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

dept24emt says ...

Ravenfirefighter says ...

It is a shame that not only is the pay very low, but the respect level is also quite low.

The old hand remarks by the young one reminds me of the immortal words of the great Groucho Marx

"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

great quote raven!!

 

i would also like to add....its people/teens like RCFD that give all of us a bad name. they go spouting off their immaturity and before u know it, the rest of us have shit for a name to...gotta love it :(

well i guess if im going to get in trouble for say the other version of poop a dn im pretty sure we can all handle that word its not like i was derecting any names at anybody... You guys must think yous so great think that you can put down a 15 year old kid haahahahaha and the only thing i was doing was busting your balls if you cant take it the fire house probably is not the place for you.

chase1 says ...

I think Taco Bell pays double the average EMT-B pay.

Hahaha I believe so