Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by FETC on August 27, 2008 at 5:34pm

Hey Amanda,

Everyone starts with little or no experience at some point in the fire service. Go in and ask to apply as a volunteer, and go from there. Have confidence and don't worry about the age issue. Nothing you can do about it. You being in an EMT-B class shows responsibility already.

Best of Luck, from your neighbor in NH.
Bill

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on August 27, 2008 at 5:37pm

Hi Amanda,

Having three daughters myself, I'll tell you what I told my almost 18 year old youngest one... and maybe a couple of other things off the top of my head to give you some food for thought.

1. Do ride-a-longs at not just your department but others in your area to become a more well-rounded person. It also breeds familiarity with the crews. If they get used to seeing you. If you are a nice person and fun to be around then your chances of being given more responsibility will occur.
2. Think of doing something outside of the box to enable you to have an edge compared to other new people... Off the top of my head I would say that either volunteering or working at a local hospital emergency room wouldn't be a bad idea. It does not matter if you get paid... What you are going for is experience and more slides for your powerpoint presentation that you store in your brain. I know, it's an interesting analogy but for me and the other old guys out there, the analogy used to be putting slides into your mental carousel. The point here is that life is a lot of individual experiences that you draw on as you progress through your career that help you to hybridized your decision making process. This is why training is so important because it keeps refreshing old memories and experiences, and you couple that with outside of the fire department work experience and you become someone who will contribute to the solution.
3. Make sure that you are still in school. If you want to do this job, and you are serious about it, going to school never stops. I'm still taking classes, refreshing my knowledge base and I've been doing this since I was 18... I'm not almost 55...

One of my key rules is to not give advice. Here I am breaking my own rules... They really aren't exactly something that I came up with but instead, a very colorful character called Death Valley Scotty. He passed away in 1954 but had some interesting turn of the century experiences that I have read about. I admired the guy even though he was basically a junk yard dog that had a good amount of common sense and gumption to "Get Er' Done"...

Written on Scotty's Gravestone at Scotty's Castle, Death Valley National Park, California:

"Don't complain, don't explain, don't ever say anything bad about someone and never give someone advice, they won't listen anyway..."

On a more esoteric note, your goals can be summed up by Henry Thoreau...

"If one advances confidently in the direction of their dreams and endeavors to live a life in which they imagined, they will meet with a success uncommon among men."

Final note, ambulance is not spelled ambulence. If you check out your peers here on FFN, running things through a spell check is a good idea if your not sure if the spelling is correct. You represent yourself by how you write. This is not a big deal for the old salts out there but your just starting out your career and your competition is intense. Strive for perfection in everything you do, including spelling...

Hope you find this helpful, I wish you all the success that you can dream!

Mike from Santa Barbara

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Amanda LaVoie on August 27, 2008 at 5:42pm

Thanks Mike! That whole thing is very inspiring! and about the spelling thing- guess I missed that one! haha

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Amanda LaVoie on August 27, 2008 at 5:42pm

Thanks, neighbor!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mike Schlags (Captain Busy) Retd on August 27, 2008 at 5:50pm

Naw... I think inspiring is the kids I get to spend time with at the Cancer Camp here in Santa Barbara or the handicapped kids at the local schools that will never know normal. And of course, you taking the time to get trained to the EMT-B level, pursuing your dreams, you are truly an inspiration and just another example of why the FFN is so special to a lot of us.

ms

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jack on August 27, 2008 at 6:16pm

When you get the chance talk with your EMT instructors along with your fellow class students. Can almost guarantee you will get at least a few leads. As for the ones that laugh at you, just laugh along with them, remembering that they too had to start somewhere. Good luck in class and with your career

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on August 27, 2008 at 7:43pm

Yeah, some of these guys can be brutal if you misspell something!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brian Dumser on August 27, 2008 at 7:50pm

I don't think anyone will laugh at you. I've been doing this for 14 years, and when I started I had NO experience. The department put me through the Fire Academy & EMT-B school, plus all the other training I've accumulated over the years. You're coming in ahead of the game, because you've already gotten your EMT-B license! As for experience, passing the EMT-B exam just means that you meet the minimum requirements to be licensed as an EMT-B. Just as graduating from the Fire Academy means that you have learned the basics of firefighting. The experience will come once you get on a Fire Department.

And listen to Mike, he knows what he's talking about! Stay safe!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Erik on September 17, 2008 at 1:30pm

I'd make sure to volunteer at a fire department if you choose a private ambulance career. I don't know how it is where you are, but here BLS private ambulances are pretty much taxi cabs with a stretcher in the back. You get good at taking vital signs, but since all you're doing is taking nursing home patients to doctor's appointments, dialysis, or other non-emergent runs, you really don't get a chance to improve your skills. I found riding 3rd on an ALS rig when I got out of EMT-B was the best decision I ever made. I got to learn so much. It also helps get you a working knowledge of ALS should you ever go for your I or P.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wes Anders on September 17, 2008 at 2:39pm

I think its great that you want to be in the service just keep focused on your goals and it will all work out for you.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion