EMS pay was Baystar medic.....

[Guest guest]

Hey Mike,

Thanks for the bone thrown this way!!! (I work for WilCo)

I got off this list server last year because I was tired of constantly

reading bickering and fighting, not to mention hearing people complain about

the pay in EMS land, but not willing to do anything about it. I came back to

see if anything had changed.

You are correct that my new partner that I am training will make $50,000.00

this year on 24/48. I also am blown away that at the same time, we have 15

positions that we HAVE to fill in oder to open 2 new stations (already

approved), and have only 29 applicants that we will process this Friday!!!!!

We have already posted for the next process in June because we know we won't

fill up from this process.

It seems to me that the medics in this state are willing to gripe about what

they don't make but won't put forth the effort to find a better job. It's no

wonder that A/TCEMS and WilCo both have to advertise nationwide inorder to

find applicants.

Before anyone starts in, yes we have high standards, no, we will not

compromise on them just because we need to open 2 more stations (and more

next year!!). But isn't that what we want in an employer? Someone that

expects the best from us, since we expect the best from them (which includes

pay, equipment, work environment, etc)!!! Many people have worked hard to

get these systems to where they are today, they don't want to work with warm

bodies just to have more stations. These medics are paid well because they

are worth it.

If your interested here is the link to the current posting.

http://wilco.wss.bcentral.com/HR/Jobs/default.aspx

We are working to find more solutions to get our name out there across this

vast state. If anyone has suggestions, feel free to send them this way. I

met a Paramedic program coordinator at the Conference this year that told me

that he offers to buy the first tank of gas for his students if they would

just leave that part of the state and go find the better jobs out there.

They tend to stay in the area where they went to school and don't bother

looking anywhere else.

Every dept out there has great medics working for them, we are looking for

them and want them to relocate to Central Texas!!! Btw, I believe A/TCEMS is

looking for 100+ medics this next year!!!!!

Off my soap box now.

Re: Re: Baystar medic arrested at scene in La Porte

And interestingly, that's having an amazing effect on the economy.

Nearby services that used to pay in the $28K-$30K range are now paying in

the low $40K range on 24/28 schedules - just to stay competitive and reduce

turnover. Austin EMS and WillCoEMS are paying mid- to

high- $40K's on 24/48. There's an article in the Austin American Statesman

right now about the recruiting challenges when paying that much - finding

qualified applicants - the " $40K paramedics " - rather than just filling the

slots with " $20K paramedics " and paying them more. If you think you're a

" $40K paramedic " , I'd encourage you to apply with Austin or WillCo - you'll

learn real quick that it's a lot different from the " show up, here's your

keys " services that those medics who willingly settle for $20K work for

(