Hi April! I read through your webpage and wanted to share some insight with you in regard to your future career goals. Forgive me for being so straight forward, but I have three daughters ages 17, 19 and 21. I have also been involved with EMS since the very beginning, which is when only a red cross first aid card was required, if that, to work on an ambulance. As the profession became just that, the first aid card eventually was replaced by EMT training and now, paramedic level training is the general standard. These are your goals if I read your information. I just want to add to your goals, having had the chance to both experience the full spectrum of being a paramedic as well as helping my wife through nursing school, including ACLS, PALS and Trauma Triage certifications for working the shock trauma unit at the local trauma center.
Big Picture: The reason one works is to do a couple of things... First off, in the case of emergency services, most of us are called to this line of work, not for the money but to do something for the community, to give back sort of speaking. All good things to consider and to strive for in one's lifetime. But here's the reality part. Working as a field medic is a young persons job generally speaking. When you are committing yourself to a long range career, you have to look at the pay, benefits, time off, retirement, etc. You CANNOT look at the career through a glassy eyed perspective. Being so young, you have the chance to do it right. Maximizing your life experience and actually having the chance to save a lot more lives...
How? My sincere and honest advise for you is to pursue a nursing degree, with the goal of working on a shock trauma helicopter. Combine all the skills you are learning now working EMS, combine them with a good solid education, including a nursing degree(RN)and you will be able to always have work, your back won't ever be a major factor (a lot of EMS folks have bad backs) and you will make a lot more money, giving you the freedom to go and do whatever you want to do. Believe it when you hear that education is power.
I'm not sure what the average pay is where you live but where I live, these nurses make on the average about 55,000.00 per year... My wife left the emergency room to work other RN fields and is making (2 years out of school) close to 75,000.00 per year.
Working EMS as a young person, using it as a stepping stone toward your final goals is what I am sharing and suggesting to you as a long distance friend who thought you would not mind some friendly advise from an old fire captain... Stay safe and study hard. Again, I'm not familiar with your EMS / Fire system but the kids that we are hiring are averaging about 28 years old, all have college degrees, some have masters, all have gone through a fire academy, most are paramedics with experience, some are wildland firefighters and all of these guys and gals love to work the available overtime. One fire engineer paramedic (with no home life) worked almost everyday last year. He's on both the firefighter list as well as firefighter paramedic list for overtime. With all the wildland fires we've been having, coupled with minimum staffing levels for engine companies, he made over 225,000.00 last year. But again, no personal life.
Hope these words help you form a plan... Failure to prepare is preparing for failure...
Stay safe.

u still running with EMS

ha girl whats up hope you are doing good keep pushing for the stars and be what your mind heart and soil tells you to be you can do it i know you can