View Full Version : Volunteer infos... Encouraged / Disappointed
KHill
03-16-2009, 11:29 PM
Regardless if anyone cares or not...
Just went to the local station today and actually got to talk with the division chief for an hour and a half and got a tour of the station. Looks like I am going to be a Resident Volunteer (live-in volunteer) next year when I pass the tests and interviews. The facilities are a LOT nicer than the OSU dorms which isnt surprising and since they're free, that's even better, considering the station is 9 blocks from campus. I got a lot of information today that set my mind in to trying for this position and I think I have a good shot at getting it. Basically everything he said has really encouraged me and made me feel sure about becoming a Resident Volunteer and at Station 1 (there are 6 stations for the small town of Corvallis). I got to talk with some other volunteers and staff too. The physical exam is coming up in a few weeks and I am sure I can pass it (but am still hitting the gym 4-5 times a week)
On the other side, I am slightly disheartened because POV use is not allowed (simply because we have more trucks than people to man them) which means I won't be getting any equipment for my TB. :cry: Not a huge deal, but I was still looking forward to it.
So I have a new motivation towards life now, as if I didn't have enough already. I suppose I am looking for something more than motivation, but regardless, am looking forward to my first call.
ssmedt
03-16-2009, 11:50 PM
congrats; the county I live in does not have volunteer's but if they did I woudl not hesitate to sign up:thumbsup:
Devilz311
03-17-2009, 01:21 AM
Good luck with it :thumbsup:
I'm a member of a Volunteer squad, as well as a paid Paramedic. Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the volunteer BLS in general, but it sounds like a good system out there.
KHill
03-17-2009, 01:31 AM
I believe every ambulance has paid paramedics assigned it. There is a mostly 1:1 ratio of volunteer to staff personnel except for the station out in the stix, that's all volunteer ("interns" they call em).
Devilz311
03-17-2009, 01:45 AM
The EMS system in NJ is vastly different that any other in the county. All squads are at the BLS level, whether volunteer or Paid. ALS projects must be hospital based... Most ALS agencies here use SUV's, and are dispatched along with the respective squad for ALS calls
Diablo03
03-17-2009, 07:26 AM
The EMS system in NJ is vastly different that any other in the county. All squads are at the BLS level, whether volunteer or Paid. ALS projects must be hospital based... Most ALS agencies here use SUV's, and are dispatched along with the respective squad for ALS calls
really? wow, I never knew that......ok so two emts drive to the scene in a rig, then one paramedic follows in an SUV, then the medic and the EMT switch because they started ALS treatment in the field and now the Medic cannot hand care over to the EMT so what happens to the Medic's SUV.....or does the state have a bunch of abandoned ALS SUV's all over the place.???
MAY03LT
03-17-2009, 07:49 AM
trailvoy is your motivation in life:D
Devilz311
03-17-2009, 08:06 AM
really? wow, I never knew that......ok so two emts drive to the scene in a rig, then one paramedic follows in an SUV, then the medic and the EMT switch because they started ALS treatment in the field and now the Medic cannot hand care over to the EMT so what happens to the Medic's SUV.....or does the state have a bunch of abandoned ALS SUV's all over the place.???
Every Paramedic unit is staffed with 2 medics. Medics can release the Pt to BLS if it's not ALS. If it's an ALS Pt, one will ride in with the Pt, and the partner will follow.
DrumMedic965
03-17-2009, 10:33 AM
Congrats! I have a few friends who live at fire stations and they seem to like it a lot.
In my area, there are paramedic response units like that too. I actually am starting on one in my area on a casual basis. Around here, it is only a single medic in a response truck, also typically an SUV. Then depending on how many people the ambulance responds with, and the situation, sometimes one EMT will drive the medic truck to the hospital, other times it gets locked up and sits on scene until the call is over and the ambulance crew returns the medic to his truck.
Uzd12
03-17-2009, 11:44 AM
The EMS system in NJ is vastly different that any other in the county. All squads are at the BLS level, whether volunteer or Paid. ALS projects must be hospital based... Most ALS agencies here use SUV's, and are dispatched along with the respective squad for ALS calls
I can agree with that. I also volunteer and work in EMS in NJ, and our system is the most screwed up. All the states around us have ten times better systems. I believe a mix of volunteers/paid work because of our small call volume in most of the state, but only if you can regulate them. NJ's EMS regulations don't work, and towns are not required to provide EMS, only Fire and Police.
ENG5INE
04-28-2009, 07:23 PM
Goodluck with getting on. I'm currently a Firefighter / EMT out on Long Island (New York) and working my way into the city as well. Any questions or advice if you need any you can P.M. me. I've been doing it for four years now. I volly out of one of the busier departments in my division.
roaminbethel
04-30-2009, 12:05 AM
Wow seems like quite a few people here are in the emergency services. I just finished my emt and am currently looking for work. We don't have a volunteer ff program here so hopefully i can get on in a town that does. It would be a dream if i could get on somewhere that allows me to put lights on my TB.
Firehound
08-08-2009, 03:24 PM
Rolla, MO (dead center of the state, on I-44) has a great Vol. FD. Phelps County Ambulance is the local rescue service...
I got started in the Vol. Fire service out there and although I had to move back to TX after my college year, I've always wanted to go back to RoMo. It was a fun FD to be on, folks always hangin out at the station. I have ligths and sirens on my mountain bike, responding from campus...
kevinwilesjr
08-08-2009, 04:30 PM
really? wow, I never knew that......ok so two emts drive to the scene in a rig, then one paramedic follows in an SUV, then the medic and the EMT switch because they started ALS treatment in the field and now the Medic cannot hand care over to the EMT so what happens to the Medic's SUV.....or does the state have a bunch of abandoned ALS SUV's all over the place.???
Some cities and towns in Massachusetts are like that. I work at a hospital and we constantly have BLS trucks pulling into the ER with an ALS SUV following them. Watertown, MA sends the ALS SUV to EVERY call, whether it's needed or not. If Boston EMS has an ALS call, they send a BLS truck and a paramedic truck to the call, and then they both go to the hospital. It's the most rediculous thing I have ever seen, but I'm not paying for it so it doesn't matter to me!
lil_freak_66
10-09-2009, 07:24 PM
Regardless if anyone cares or not...
Just went to the local station today and actually got to talk with the division chief for an hour and a half and got a tour of the station. Looks like I am going to be a Resident Volunteer (live-in volunteer) next year when I pass the tests and interviews. The facilities are a LOT nicer than the OSU dorms which isnt surprising and since they're free, that's even better, considering the station is 9 blocks from campus. I got a lot of information today that set my mind in to trying for this position and I think I have a good shot at getting it. Basically everything he said has really encouraged me and made me feel sure about becoming a Resident Volunteer and at Station 1 (there are 6 stations for the small town of Corvallis). I got to talk with some other volunteers and staff too. The physical exam is coming up in a few weeks and I am sure I can pass it (but am still hitting the gym 4-5 times a week)
On the other side, I am slightly disheartened because POV use is not allowed (simply because we have more trucks than people to man them) which means I won't be getting any equipment for my TB. :cry: Not a huge deal, but I was still looking forward to it.
So I have a new motivation towards life now, as if I didn't have enough already. I suppose I am looking for something more than motivation, but regardless, am looking forward to my first call.
i got a cousin out your way on the FD,not sure if its the exact same town but he drives there pretty much daily,so im assuming its VERY close(dont ask me town names...yall are all the way on the other side of the country)
last name hawes ring a bell? from michigan,really new to your area.