Guys. Anyone on here with their views on if being a paramedic or retained firefighter is a better career path to follow. Couple of things to note is a paramedic could be stationed away from home for their shifts whereby a firefighter has to stay near home when on call. Paramedic has days off but firefighter is "tied" to pager 24/7. Money is id expect roughly the same for a relatively busy firestation. Paramedic retires 65, 66,, firefighter 55 but can go to 58 on passing annual medical. Whats yer thoughts on "better" career from a lifestyle point cos both really deal with tragic scenarios
Guys. Anyone on here with their views on if being a paramedic or retained firefighter is a better career path to follow. Couple of things to note is a paramedic could be stationed away from home for their shifts whereby a firefighter has to stay near home when on call. Paramedic has days off but firefighter is "tied" to pager 24/7. Money is id expect roughly the same for a relatively busy firestation. Paramedic retires 65, 66,, firefighter 55 but can go to 58 on passing annual medical. Whats yer thoughts on "better" career from a lifestyle point cos both really deal with tragic scenarios
A paramedic is a full time job, a retained firefighter is not and nearly all of them would have other jobs working in the community.
Apart from that they're both emergency services, but vastly different skillsets and interests!
I wonder from a financial point though would you earn more as retained firefighter or paramedic. Im only guessing you are less "tied down" being a paramedic seeing as you have to stay close to your station while on call with fire brigade
I'm a NAS Paramedic and I was retained in a past life.
* I loved my time in the fire service, really enjoyed the work.
* Decided to apply for NAS as I liked being "hands on" at RTCs and helping Paramedics (EMT then).
* Found it very hard to find a full-time job that would release me for fire calls.
* Retained FS.....it's a part time job. No real pension, but you pay the pension levy.
* You are tied to the station.
* The job isn't as busy now as it used to be in my time.
* I only realised after I left that I had my life back.
NAS:
* Permanent.
* Pensionable.
* Full time.
* When you finish you finish, very little on call and only in small pockets of the country.
* Start at the beginning, but look at progressing to AP or whatever.
* Stationed far away from home? Put in for a transfer.
* Lots of OT to bump up your pay.
