Thinking about moving to South Point Ohio (Green, Portsmouth: low crime, house)

[dalostman]

Hello,
My wife and I are thinking about moving to South Point Oh or the area around it and I was wondering what people have to say about it. We are both soon to be EMT-B's and will be looking for jobs with ambulance services.

Any information would be great

Thanks

[dalostman]

Doesn't anyone have ANYTHING to say out south point?? Is it trashy? Is it a good place? Are there better areas around it?

Thanks

[CortlandGirl79]

Never even heard of it, do you know what area of the state that it's in?

[dalostman]

South point is next to chesapeake and is just across the bridge from Huntington WV

[BethandTim]

I was raised in south point. been living in the area for 18 years now. It is an excellent area to raise a family. Low crime. They just built new schools a couple of years ago which are very nice. It has pretty much everything you need within a close distance, walmart, lowes, sams, small grocery stores. It is right between Huntington, wv and ashland, ky. Not many restraunts right in sp but, like I said, it is within 8 minutes of h-town and ashland. You can get a nice house in south point as low as 80k. Utilites are cheap.
I am a paramedic. I have worked at several of the local services. Lets begin....

Cabell County EMS-It is a lower paying but the benefits are absolutely amazing. They do all of the 911 for cabell county, which is the huntington, barboursville area. They get respect and have the best equipment. Their director, whom I will call Steve, seems to be the only problem with the place from everyone I have talked to. He actually fired me for not be willing to take a full time job. Anyway, it is a good place to work for and you will get excellent experience. You will not get out of doing transports here, especially as a basic. Last year they started doing them out of Cabell Huntington Hospital. You will run a full 24 hours here every shift.

SEOEMS(South Eastern Ohio Emergency Medical Service)-It is located in lawrence county (where south point is), there is actually a station located in sp. They are a strict 911 service. No transports. They are lower paying. The benefits are good but expensive. They have the best equipment. You will get excellent experience here. Depending on which station you will pull around 4-8 runs a shift with about an hour rollover.

MTS-They are primarily a transport service. They are the highest paying. Benefits are garbage. You will have to work a few months to get on 24's. They are based out of ashland, ky but you may run out of huntington. You will run moderately hard here.

Patriot Ambulance- They are the smallest outfit around. They pay about the same as MTS. Based in ironton, ohio. Do transports primarily. Unknown about benefits.

Boyd County EMS-great benefits, great pay, low turnover, all 911, they wont hire you till you are a paramedic with several years experience.

Greenup Co Ems-Low pay, 911 that also does txp's from OLBH in ashland. Benefits are bad, expensive.

KDMC Txp- Owned by kdmc. Benefits are ok, not as good as their hospital employees though. Pay is average. Based in ashland ky, portsmouth oh, and south shore ky. They have amazing equipment. You will do txp's all shift.

JanCare- Low pay. Do txps but also emergencies. Unsure about benefits. Based in huntington. Dont really know much about them.

Life Ambulance- Based in Portsmouth, ohio. Do most of the 911 for scioto, pike, and many other counties. Do all the txp's from SOMC. Well respected ems in scioto/pike county. Benefits are optionable, decent. Pay is good but not best. Decent equipment.

There are a few county squads in scioto but dont plan getting on to one of them, unless it is greene twp, the waiting lists are long.

I cant recommend which service would be best for your situation, depends on what your future in ems is, children, health problems, bills. There are different personalities at every service.

If you want to go to paramedic school you have 3 local options.
You can go two Shawnee University located in portsmouth ohio where your instructor will be Bill Turner. Excellent instructor, good class.
Pam Bradshaw instructs a class at Collins Career Center out in the boonies of chesapeake. She is an excellent instructor with a stellar pass rate.
And...then there is last...but...definately least...the laughable, disgusting Marshall.....who had a 0% pass rate a few years ago. Dont go here. Their program is a disgrace to EMS.

Hope thie helped. good luck