Anything I can do help, feel free to PM me. It's a great profession. Three more years and I'll have my 20.
If you're not an EMT-B yet, it'd be a good thing to get on your own. Shows initiative and in IL at least you have to have it before you go to EMT-P (medic) school.
Good luck! Stay focused. It can be a long road to get on somewhere but well worth it IMHO.
Be safe!
Laura
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I really appreciate the info. Thanks so much. I applied to 3 different cities here in my area about 5 months ago. 2 of those cities will put me through the academy if I can make it there and give me my EMT-B. The other city, which I would rather get into, let me know that they wouldn't even consider me if I did not have the EMT-B. So I signed up to take the course which was supposed to start in the middle of this month (March) but then I found out about the other 2 not caring if you had it or not. Plus one of these other cities hiring process has been moving really fast and I have made it through most of it. I just had my panel interview a little over a week ago and I am, hopefully, waiting on a call from the chief to let me know I can have an interview with him. I know I probably should have went ahead and taken the EMT-B course anyway but I just figured if I can get in with one of these other cities that will put me through EMT-B for free then why not go for it. Then once I get my "feet wet" after a few years I can transfer to the other city, I think, I would rather be at. Let me ask your opinion again even though you have all ready stated it once...If I am lucky enough to get into one of these other cities I have at least 4 to 5 months to go before I would even start an academy. That's 4 to 5 months even for the city that is moving the process very fast. Do you think it would be worth it with how far I am in the hiring process now to go ahead and see if I can find another EMT-B course that may be starting soon? The last one I found was only going to last about 2 and half months. It would have cost me $250. My wife told me I should wait since I'm this far along and save the money. She said it may be a good idea to wait to see if I get into one of these other departments first since they will get me my EMT-B. Then she suggested that if I don't make it into one of those 2 then go ahead and pay for the EMT-B course to try to get into the department that does require it. I'm not really sure what to do at this point. Because to be honest the one that does require it is the one I would rather be in but I'm worried about taking the EMT course and holding out for that one. I could pass these others up and then the one I really want to get into might reject me. Do you have any advice?
