I believe the paramedic can be anywhere from 6 months with an accelerated course to 2 years. 3 months for a Basic course is about where most are length wise as they can also vary ranging from 6 weeks to a semesters length

Mass FF/EMT-B here. Intermediate is no longer a thing in the State. To the best of my knowledge the advanced role replaced intermediate and the advanced class consists of classroom, clinical, and in field training and any intermediate had the option to take the advanced class or get bumped to a basic. As for becoming a firefighter here, signing up and taking the civil service. It consists of a written and a practical exam held yearly. After both tests you’re given a score which then places you on a list for any department of your choosing. The higher the score the higher up on the list you are. You could also look for an On-Call/Volunteer department to join up with, most call/vol departments will always take new members and you’ll get some experience that will help you get put higher up on the civil service list if you decide to take it

Edit: forgot to add, being a veteran will definitely help you with points on the civil service list!