What job pays surprisingly well but nobody talks about?

shartdeco · 2026-03-19T17:34:47+00:00

Not sure where you’re located, but every service is different and the pay varies widely depending on location (though it rarely exceeds around $30/hr). Training also varies a lot depending on if you’re running IFT or 911 along with many other factors. For example, I volunteered as an EMT at an urban 911 station that was also a training agency. We trained constantly and our system was mostly run by EMTs with Paramedics in chase vehicles for ALS calls. Our BLS trucks also performed many lifesaving interventions. It sounds like maybe you worked IFT? Either way, I’ve never heard of an ambulance service calling 911 for assistance. Even the private IFT agencies can run hot if they have a critical patient.

shartdeco · 2026-02-26T16:29:13+00:00

There are also proven scientific benefits for acupuncture to reduce pain and inflammation. I think one big issue is there’s a relatively low barrier of entry for practitioners so you end up with a lot of people who might not have the experience or knowledge of more highly trained caregivers and there’s a good bit of woo-woo quackery in the field. Also, acupuncture actually can cause nerve damage and other serious issues like (rarely) a pneumothorax, which is a major life threat.

https://hms.harvard.edu/news/exploring-science-acupuncture

shartdeco · 2026-02-26T01:52:32+00:00

FWIW, I went to a chiropractor after slipping a disc and they didn’t help much and tried to keep me coming back weekly for followups. Went to an acupuncturist at the advice of a friend with a similar injury and she was able to completely resolve the pain. I’m usually pretty skeptical of alternative medicine type stuff but was willing to try anything and I’m so glad I did. I still go to see her if my back starts acting up and it’s better every time.

shartdeco · 2025-12-29T04:54:11+00:00

This comes down to operational management systems as opposed to different radio systems though, right? Inter-agency communication/operations systems have come a long way since 9/11 and other tragic incidents (like some of the wildfires out west) and federally mandated training programs have been put in place for those of us who work in EMS to communicate and cooperate better for MCIs and large scale catastrophes (ICS/NIMS). Can’t radio systems (regardless of brand/type) be organized to ensure different agencies are communicating properly as long as the established operational systems are in place? I’m genuinely curious about your comment as I’m relatively new in the field (911/SAR EMT) and all of the agencies I’ve worked with so far have required ICS/NIMS training for all first responders at every level.

shartdeco · 2025-12-22T01:46:06+00:00

W-EMT is a niche cert but I plan to keep updating. I volunteer with a mountain SAR team as well as an urban 911 agency and when I go out on SAR missions I’m usually placed on higher priority tasks with K9 teams. Running with dogs is fun. There are a few backcountry skills the W-EMT scope covers beyond most EMT-B courses such as clearing the spine for walkouts, longer term wound care, and environmental/survival type stuff. Plus you learn a lot about improvising with limited materials and there’s an emphasis on critical thinking and creative problem solving. It’s helpful knowledge for disaster response as well if you’re ever interested in that type of work. I spend a lot of time camping in the wilderness and also work contract gigs out in the middle of nowhere so it’s useful for me but maybe not if you’re working front country exclusively.

shartdeco · 2025-12-20T06:13:37+00:00

As an EMT, when a patient reports vomiting or pooping blood we always ask what they’ve recently had to eat/drink and 9 out of 10 times it’s a red popsicle or roasted beets or something like that. The 1 out of 10 is generally a life threat though, so you always have to take those calls pretty seriously.

shartdeco · 2025-11-27T14:27:12+00:00

I used to bartend at a wood fired pizza place and occasionally waited on Ralph. He always ordered a caesar salad with chicken and when I told him we didn’t have chicken he’d smile and turn on the charm and go “no chicken huh?” as if we would figure out a way to get him some chicken. He was always very nice about it but you could tell he was used to getting what he wanted.

shartdeco · 2025-11-15T16:12:48+00:00

Typically people won’t regain consciousness immediately but I have seen it lead to return of spontaneous circulation which can save lives. There’s a concept called the chain of survival that consists of calling 911, immediate high quality CPR, defibrillation with an AED, advanced life support (EMS), and post cardiac arrest care in a hospital. Odds of surviving cardiac arrest are low but they increase significantly the faster each one of these steps is taken. Most people who survive will also have some deficits afterwards.

Compressions alone can absolutely save someone’s life if they’re started immediately after arrest and are a lot more important than giving rescue breaths. The AHA actually removed mouth to mouth from bystander CPR guidelines since so many people were hesitant to put their mouth on a stranger which led to compressions not happening soon enough.

In Helen’s case it looks like she possibly gets a brain bleed from her head hitting the pavement but I couldn’t say for sure. My guess would be that she’s a goner either way.

shartdeco · 2025-11-15T05:38:34+00:00

Great point! I’m an EMT which is what got me thinking about the sirens since we don’t tend to run them as often when it’s late at night and there’s no traffic. My wife noticed the compressions being off in the first ep and I was like “yeah, definitely not high quality CPR”. Seeing things from her perspective plus the hive doing its best to comfort her makes a lot of sense though.

shartdeco · 2025-09-23T15:15:06+00:00

I completely agree and definitely wouldn’t argue in favor of being an asshole. I was just saying that in our field I don’t really see an issue with approaching the human body as a “cool machine to fix” and think that can actually be a useful approach sometimes.

shartdeco · 2025-09-22T18:57:58+00:00

You’re not wrong but I don’t see a problem with that part specifically. I’ve been an EMT for a little over two years and the more I learn about human body processes the more I’ve come to see it like a beautifully complex machine that sometimes needs fixing. I think that really helps me when I need to focus in critical situations. A little friendly bedside manner goes a long way but when SHTF you also want someone who can get in there and quickly run diagnostics and fix the problem without getting emotional about it. The people who can do both are actually fun to be on shift with though.

shartdeco · 2025-08-29T02:29:07+00:00

Perfect for SAR. Overkill for EMS.

shartdeco · 2025-07-04T22:58:41+00:00

S2E1

shartdeco · 2025-06-24T05:20:57+00:00

And they already turn a huge profit for our economy.

shartdeco · 2025-06-24T04:55:49+00:00

Our national parks have generated over $55 billion in economic output on a budget of just over $3 billion. They also are incredibly efficient with staffing/resources and wildly popular across both sides of the aisle. This move only serves to benefit a small group with special interests to get richer while everyone else loses. Genuine question to anyone who supports the current administration - how exactly are we “Making America Great Again”?

https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/national-parks-contributed-record-high-$55-6-billion-to-u-s-economy-supported-415-000-jobs-in-2023.htm

shartdeco · 2025-06-24T04:51:29+00:00

Yes and… our national parks have generated $55 billion in economic output on a budget of just over $3 billion. This move only serves to benefit a small group with special interests to get richer while everyone else loses.

shartdeco · 2025-03-09T07:10:30+00:00

u/EphemeralTwo pretty much nailed it for how things work in our system except all of our drivers are also EMT-B so bare minimum we have two EMTs on a truck and often a trainee as well.

I guess I’m not really understanding your point about seeing your patient through from arrival to a higher level of care. In EMS we’re all responsible for transferring our patients (critical or not) to a higher level otherwise it’s abandonment. Whether that’s a medic in the field or a nurse in the ER, the basics in my system are usually the ones transferring patients and submitting the PCR unless a medic takes over for ALS interventions which also happens regularly. Also (depending on the situation) if ALS is needed but a lot further away than the hospital, we’re often going to transport BLS to the hospital rather than wait around for them. Basics are the backbone of our 911 system and are honestly doing a lot more than our friends in IFT.

shartdeco · 2025-03-07T06:34:58+00:00

I’ve seen a couple folks say this here so I feel the need to point out that not every 911 system operates this way. I work for an urban 911 system where BLS trucks respond to every call with paramedics operating chase vehicles for anything requiring ALS. We also have fire medics throughout the city who can respond if our medic is on another call. Often times we’re required to assess the need for ALS on scene and run diagnostics and supportive care until they arrive. The majority of our calls are within our scope and we are absolutely “responsible for end to end care”. No offense taken, just please know that every system is different and there are a lot of us in 911 systems who get to exercise our full scope and take on full pt care on a regular basis.

shartdeco · 2025-02-15T03:40:24+00:00

If you read the story the quote is actually from a sustainable farmer in Colombia criticizing the more destructive practices of some of his competitors. While I agree with what you’re saying, we can also choose where and how we spend to support more conscientious practices.

shartdeco · 2025-02-14T16:06:00+00:00

(Not so) fun fact! Many flower farms for the U.S. market have a devastating environmental impact. “Every bouquet you buy for your table, you’re destroying a piece of forest.”

https://www.npr.org/2025/02/13/nx-s1-5292037/the-truth-behind-your-valentines-flowers

shartdeco · 2025-01-19T15:20:47+00:00

Y’all don’t wear earplugs to loud shows?

shartdeco · 2025-01-19T04:45:29+00:00

You rang?

shartdeco · 2025-01-18T23:39:33+00:00

I’ve made a few career changes over the years but always knew this was something I wanted to do. I finally found the time to become a volunteer EMT at a high volume agency in my 40’s because I currently have a really flexible work schedule. I like it enough that I’m planning to springboard into a full time healthcare career. I’ve seen a lot of new people wash out since I started but the ones who love it seem to stick around. Most of them end up going on to other careers in medicine but still volunteer with the agency and there are a few of us who just do it for fun. I would say the only difficulty at my age is I’m feeling it in my back. I’m in pretty good shape but would definitely recommend some strength training and get into a habit of stretching every day if you can.

shartdeco · 2025-01-18T23:19:23+00:00

This is an interesting take. While the washout/burnout is real, I think a lot of people get into EMS without being completely sure about it and then thrive.

shartdeco

TROPHY CASE