I don't know why I got into it really. I just got out of college and didn't like what I went to school for any more. So I tried something totally opposite and got really luck.
Why I Love Fire/EMS
It doesn't feel like I'm going to work when I'm heading to the station for my shift. I love it.
Top Issues Facing Responders:
With my two departments it is getting them to work well while still being split. Hopefully one day we will combine. Over all I keep hearing that some firefighters have lost touch about what is important. I think that might be true in some areas, but then I think about where I work right now were every third night we have 12 firefighters on call and they only get paid if we get called in. And yeah it sucks but I don't hear anyone really complain cause we love the job.
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Have you ever thought of joining IMERT (Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team)? With your experience and ALS skills, you'd be a great addition. Its all volunteer (of course) and our first job its to handle MCIs in Illinois but we can also respond out of state (2005 to Katrina) and even to Guam and Puerto Rico. Right now we dont have job protection in place (meaning that your employer doesnt have to let you go or keep your job waiting if you do deploy) but that is something I have taken on as a pet project of my own and I hope to manage to get the governor to sign it by summer. We also work what we call pre-deployments (aka standby) at Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Air and Water Show and other events where large groups are gathered in case anything happens. If you are a paramedic, your title with IMERT would be "ALS Specialist" and you can also cross-train to work in commo, logistics, transportation, safety, etc. The people are great and so is the work. By the way, I live just up the road in Rockford (Im a BLS Specialist) which puts me on the North Team. We have four response regions: North, Central, South and Chicago and suburbs. Also, you are never deployed to a disaster in your area. So say something happened in Marengo. The reason they dont deploy you with IMERT is so that you can respond with the FD you work for. It does do much good to pull someone off of their regular responder job, slap them in BDUs and re-assign them when they are already working in the deployment area.
If youre interested and havent heard of us, you can find information, online training, etc at IMERT.org. If youre already a member, I look forward to working with you.
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Have you ever thought of joining IMERT (Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team)? With your experience and ALS skills, you'd be a great addition. Its all volunteer (of course) and our first job its to handle MCIs in Illinois but we can also respond out of state (2005 to Katrina) and even to Guam and Puerto Rico. Right now we dont have job protection in place (meaning that your employer doesnt have to let you go or keep your job waiting if you do deploy) but that is something I have taken on as a pet project of my own and I hope to manage to get the governor to sign it by summer. We also work what we call pre-deployments (aka standby) at Taste of Chicago, the Chicago Air and Water Show and other events where large groups are gathered in case anything happens. If you are a paramedic, your title with IMERT would be "ALS Specialist" and you can also cross-train to work in commo, logistics, transportation, safety, etc. The people are great and so is the work. By the way, I live just up the road in Rockford (Im a BLS Specialist) which puts me on the North Team. We have four response regions: North, Central, South and Chicago and suburbs. Also, you are never deployed to a disaster in your area. So say something happened in Marengo. The reason they dont deploy you with IMERT is so that you can respond with the FD you work for. It does do much good to pull someone off of their regular responder job, slap them in BDUs and re-assign them when they are already working in the deployment area.
If youre interested and havent heard of us, you can find information, online training, etc at IMERT.org. If youre already a member, I look forward to working with you.
Keep your head down and your helmet on.
Steven K., EMT-B/D
JERMAINE WATSON
106 BEVERLY STREET
ST. ALBANS WV 25177
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