Police Officer/Paramedic

[Post#83Chief]

Well the days are flying by and as a senior in High School I need to start making those difficult decisions about college and life.

Currently, I've been accepted to Lake Superior State University (U.P. of Michigan) and will be attending for Paramedic. Well, I've been thinking about it and I know there is such a thing as cross trained Police Officers/Paramedics. How rare is this??? Are job possibilities just luck??? I've researched online and found endless paramedic/firefighter positions, but I don't want to work fire.

How does this whole setup work???

If I could do the two things that I love, that would be awesome.

Thanks everyone, and if you have any information regarding and you aren't a verified LEO, drop me a pm, I don't mind.

Autumn

[acreature]

It would work out to be a benefit to you. The more progressive Departments like this. Our area has defibrillators in a lot of it's cars, and we have quite a few EMTs and Paramedics that are sworn and working LE.

[Joeyd6]

Some larger departments with choppers use the medics in them....such as the Maryland State Police. Others use them in their SWAT teams for obvious reasons. Having it can nevere hurt you. When I interned withe the Secret Service, that agents would tell me what a desirable skill that was.

There is one department...I think in Maryland...wher eyou are cross-trained as a police officer and a firefighter. You do 30 days as one...30 as another. They used to advertise in Police Magazine for employees alot.

Godo luck!

[scott715us]

My department is cross-trained, but we also do aircraft firefighting. It is always good to have your EMT or Paramedic, no matter what your career. You will hold a good amount of medical training above the rest that will definitely help in the long run.

There are public safety departments out there that do both, but usually firefighting is part of it.

We were the first airport public safety department in the nation and many have followed our footsteps. There is only one dept close to us (not airport) that have training in both. A large majority of the depts that are cross trained usually have just first responder level medical training.

Although we are cross trained, only about 18-20 of our officers (out of 68) are EMT level or higher. The rest are first responders. From what I've seen on a volunteer and professional level, there are many officers that don't want to have anything to do with medicals. Many officers are like that in my dept. Anytime a medical call comes out and I'm working, guess who is responding?

I have seen many city PD's just hang around the patient till the ambulance arrives. Probably because the lack of better medical training. Usually police academies do basic first aid and CPR. That's the only thing you get and if you don't keep up the training, you pretty much forget.

If you are really interested in Paramedic/EMT, I don't think firefighting would be a huge issue. Nashville Fire Dept are now integrating paramedics on their engine companies. All of their firefighters are EMT's, but the chief wants ALS capabilities on the engine companies. So a majority of calls that engines respond to are medicals, not fires. I think it is the major trend for all FD's around the country. Good luck. ;)

[bhanson]

It seems to depend on where you are. In my area Paramedics usually work with the Fire Department and are FF/Paramedics. Very few PD's want that as part of their duties.

[Nole795]

Definately a great skill to have. I have worked with police officers who were cross trained as EMT's. Two of them were on the SWAT Team and got all the great toys that come with being on a team. Plus as an EMT, they got to be Instructors for our PD on First Responder. Definately a great resume builder, not to mention it's a great skill period.

[michiganstud]

Hey post.............first things first......Halloween is over.

[michiganstud]

Michigan has many police/emt positions out there. Genesee County Sheriff Department has EMT units. They drive SUV's (used to be caprice wagons) with emt supplies.

Other departments have medical units or first responders (which is what I am, however I don't respond to medicals as a reserve).

It basically works like this: You are a police officer, do police calls. But when a medical comes up you would respond. The idea is that you will be faster than some of their volunteer fire or EMS departments.

[Post#83Chief]

Thanks for the information everyone.

Still looking around and researching. Now that hard part, explaining to the parentals why I want to do this. lol

Autumn