Moving from Kailua Kona to Oahu to pursue firefighter/medic career....

[atp162]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Too bad you weren't here in 2007 when the city was proposing paying people to train to be a EMT - maybe there is something like that now.

City's offer: Get paid to become a Honolulu EMT | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Only if you are hired as a FF recruit. However, State of HI EMT training is only 1 F/T college semester (13 credits) though obviously non-resident tuition is much higher. Financial aid, of course, is always something you should apply for well in advance of the semester you want to attend.

Tuition schedule for the 10-campuses of the University of Hawaii System

[elias_lamb]

Anybody working on Oahu as a FF or MICT? What's it like working there?? I've heard it can be really, really busy, and therefore only work their Paramedics 8 hour shifts which leads to an even stressful and chaoitic work/home life. That sounds like something I could handle, and would even like. How is seeing all that horrible stuff? I'm not that sensitive but I'm also kind of worried about having lives in my hands, and having to perform under pressure. Any insight/advice would be greatly appreciated.

[CyberCity]

Originally Posted by elias_lamb

Anybody working on Oahu as a FF or MICT? What's it like working there?? I've heard it can be really, really busy, and therefore only work their Paramedics 8 hour shifts which leads to an even stressful and chaoitic work/home life. That sounds like something I could handle, and would even like. How is seeing all that horrible stuff? I'm not that sensitive but I'm also kind of worried about having lives in my hands, and having to perform under pressure. Any insight/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Honestly, if you want details on "seeing all that horrible stuff" and "having to perform under pressure", it is not really a topic for the moving to Hawaii thread. It would be applicable to a forum somewhere about professions in general. Horrible stuff is just that, no matter where you are... Hawaii or elsewhere.

[atp162]

Originally Posted by elias_lamb

Anybody working on Oahu as a FF or MICT? What's it like working there?? I've heard it can be really, really busy, and therefore only work their Paramedics 8 hour shifts which leads to an even stressful and chaoitic work/home life. That sounds like something I could handle, and would even like. How is seeing all that horrible stuff? I'm not that sensitive but I'm also kind of worried about having lives in my hands, and having to perform under pressure. Any insight/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Yes, Oahu EMS paramedics working for the City & County of Honolulu work 8 hr shifts, 5 days a week, 20 days/month and it's busy and it's tough. Honolulu Fire Dept. FFs work 24 hr shifts, 10 days a month, and the majority of their alarms are co-responses for EMS, i.e., they assist the EMS medics on 911 medical calls providing things like O2, basic 1st aid, and CPR. They do not transport.

Any public service job where you deal primarily w/ people in uncontrolled circumstances can be stressful and chaotic. Part of the training you receive is designed to give you typical scenarios so you can learn how to cope w/ these kind of situations, and the other part needs to come from within yourself. Maturity, common sense, patience, open-mindedness, compassion and a good dose of curiosity and perseverance goes a very long way, because you have to figure out what's going on from people who often don't know how to explain things, or who won't, or can't, tell you. It's kind of like a version of "CSI", but instead of crime scene investigation, it's <medical> scene investigation, and many times it's pretty darn interesting when you piece things together.

Most of what you see on 911 calls is not "horrible stuff." Even though the general perception is that most 911 situations are emergencies, the majority are not. You will meet people who are ill, injured (often not seriously), want advice, don't know what to do, have done something they regret and now want help, or who are just plain lonely and want someone to listen to them. Yes, there are horrible, tragic and lives-change-in-a-second situations, but fortunately they are only a small percentage of the calls.

To succeed in EMS, you need to like people and understand implicitly that you are there to serve them. The patients are your customers, and your job is to help them to the extent of your training and abilities. Because you have to wear many hats in the job---surrogate doctor, nurse, social worker, investigator, mediator, rescuer, advocate---the list can go on and on---being well-rounded academically, socially, physically and maturity-wise is a must. The job is incredibly demanding mentally, academically, physically and can be a huge damper and stress on one's social and family life. This is NOT a job for those who are in it for the "flash", i.e. the recognition that you are a PARAMEDIC, the grateful accolades from patients, the wearing of a cool uniform and that you can drive lights and sirens in oncoming traffic and run red lights. This is public service, plain and simple, and the reality is that it takes a special kind of person to do it well.

C&C EMS's motto is " 'O Ka Mea Ma'i Ka Mua". It's supposed to mean "The Sick Person Comes First", though the Hawaiian isn't correct. Nevertheless, if you can take that motto to heart, that's what it's all about.

[MovingAloha]

Originally Posted by atp162

Yes, Oahu EMS paramedics working for the City & County of Honolulu work 8 hr shifts, 5 days a week, 20 days/month and it's busy and it's tough. Honolulu Fire Dept. FFs work 24 hr shifts, 10 days a month, and the majority of their alarms are co-responses for EMS, i.e., they assist the EMS medics on 911 medical calls providing things like O2, basic 1st aid, and CPR. They do not transport.

Any public service job where you deal primarily w/ people in uncontrolled circumstances can be stressful and chaotic. Part of the training you receive is designed to give you typical scenarios so you can learn how to cope w/ these kind of situations, and the other part needs to come from within yourself. Maturity, common sense, patience, open-mindedness, compassion and a good dose of curiosity and perseverance goes a very long way, because you have to figure out what's going on from people who often don't know how to explain things, or who won't, or can't, tell you. It's kind of like a version of "CSI", but instead of crime scene investigation, it's <medical> scene investigation, and many times it's pretty darn interesting when you piece things together.

Most of what you see on 911 calls is not "horrible stuff." Even though the general perception is that most 911 situations are emergencies, the majority are not. You will meet people who are ill, injured (often not seriously), want advice, don't know what to do, have done something they regret and now want help, or who are just plain lonely and want someone to listen to them. Yes, there are horrible, tragic and lives-change-in-a-second situations, but fortunately they are only a small percentage of the calls.

To succeed in EMS, you need to like people and understand implicitly that you are there to serve them. The patients are your customers, and your job is to help them to the extent of your training and abilities. Because you have to wear many hats in the job---surrogate doctor, nurse, social worker, investigator, mediator, rescuer, advocate---the list can go on and on---being well-rounded academically, socially, physically and maturity-wise is a must. The job is incredibly demanding mentally, academically, physically and can be a huge damper and stress on one's social and family life. This is NOT a job for those who are in it for the "flash", i.e. the recognition that you are a PARAMEDIC, the grateful accolades from patients, the wearing of a cool uniform and that you can drive lights and sirens in oncoming traffic and run red lights. This is public service, plain and simple, and the reality is that it takes a special kind of person to do it well.

C&C EMS's motto is " 'O Ka Mea Ma'i Ka Mua". It's supposed to mean "The Sick Person Comes First", though the Hawaiian isn't correct. Nevertheless, if you can take that motto to heart, that's what it's all about.

Very nice! I hope if the need should ever arise, that someone like you answer the call!!

[elias_lamb]

Great advice, ATP 61, thanks. Everything about that sounds spot on with what I want to do with my life at the moment. I want to do the emt-1 course thru KCC first and work on an ambulance and gain experience. I'm starting to think about just moving to Oahu, specifically Kailua, and schooling in Honolulu. I know they do do the training in Hilo, but I don't really want to move to the other side of the island and working here in EMS doesn't really appeal to me as much as in fast-paced Honolulu.

[MsHell]

Originally Posted by atp162

Yes, Oahu EMS paramedics working for the City & County of Honolulu work 8 hr shifts, 5 days a week, 20 days/month and it's busy and it's tough. Honolulu Fire Dept. FFs work 24 hr shifts, 10 days a month, and the majority of their alarms are co-responses for EMS, i.e., they assist the EMS medics on 911 medical calls providing things like O2, basic 1st aid, and CPR. They do not transport.

Any public service job where you deal primarily w/ people in uncontrolled circumstances can be stressful and chaotic. Part of the training you receive is designed to give you typical scenarios so you can learn how to cope w/ these kind of situations, and the other part needs to come from within yourself. Maturity, common sense, patience, open-mindedness, compassion and a good dose of curiosity and perseverance goes a very long way, because you have to figure out what's going on from people who often don't know how to explain things, or who won't, or can't, tell you. It's kind of like a version of "CSI", but instead of crime scene investigation, it's <medical> scene investigation, and many times it's pretty darn interesting when you piece things together.

Most of what you see on 911 calls is not "horrible stuff." Even though the general perception is that most 911 situations are emergencies, the majority are not. You will meet people who are ill, injured (often not seriously), want advice, don't know what to do, have done something they regret and now want help, or who are just plain lonely and want someone to listen to them. Yes, there are horrible, tragic and lives-change-in-a-second situations, but fortunately they are only a small percentage of the calls.

To succeed in EMS, you need to like people and understand implicitly that you are there to serve them. The patients are your customers, and your job is to help them to the extent of your training and abilities. Because you have to wear many hats in the job---surrogate doctor, nurse, social worker, investigator, mediator, rescuer, advocate---the list can go on and on---being well-rounded academically, socially, physically and maturity-wise is a must. The job is incredibly demanding mentally, academically, physically and can be a huge damper and stress on one's social and family life. This is NOT a job for those who are in it for the "flash", i.e. the recognition that you are a PARAMEDIC, the grateful accolades from patients, the wearing of a cool uniform and that you can drive lights and sirens in oncoming traffic and run red lights. This is public service, plain and simple, and the reality is that it takes a special kind of person to do it well.

C&C EMS's motto is " 'O Ka Mea Ma'i Ka Mua". It's supposed to mean "The Sick Person Comes First", though the Hawaiian isn't correct. Nevertheless, if you can take that motto to heart, that's what it's all about.

Well written!

I have friends who are both FF and EMTs. My advice to OP (E_Lamb) would be to get EMT trained and an EMT job. My impression is EMTs have a higher turn-over due to it being a stressful job. While you are working as an EMT, wait for the FF test. Take the test when ever it is available, as it might take more than one try to pass and/or get into the dept.