Scott update

Scott finished his EMT (emergency medical training) class a month ago. If anyone has tried to get a job in any EMT or Fire related field, it's a shot in the dark (especially fire). Scott's end career goal, is paramedic/firefighter so we are trying to work up the ladder. And yes, there's a ladder to climb, even before you can get hired as a basic firefighter. EMS/fire services will only hire at specific times during the year. And sometimes only once a year. So they don't even look at you if they aren't hiring. When they do hire, it's a week long testing ordeal, and there are thousands of applicants. You have to take a written test, then a physical test, then they may ask you to come back for an interview. Then if you are still going strong, there's another interview. I'm pretty sure that police departments are the same way. Also when you initially turn in your application for the testing, you have to include background checks, 3 different letter of recommendation, a whole slew of stuff. When Scott finished his first EMT class, ADA County Paramedics just happened to be testing. However, Scott wouldn't have received his actual EMT license yet, so he couldn't apply. We looked around on Craigslist, and a company called Biomat just happened to be hiring. They aren't an EMS service, they are a plasma donating center. They needed a medical supervisor, which if you were an EMT, you would fit the description. We decided to jump on it, because we couldn't find any other fire department/EMS that was hiring in the area. And yes, Scott got the job. Luckily, it will benefit us in the long run. They will eventually train him in phlebotomy, so he can hook people up to the machines. Having phlebotomy will look great down the road, when trying to get on as a paramedic. Not only that, but they do tuition reinburstment. So Scott can finish his paramedic schooling, free of charge. However, our next problem was, to work as an Idaho Certified EMT, you have to be affiliated somewhere. So, if your not actually working for somewhere that can affiliate you, you have to volunteer somewhere. Which is actually great, because then Scott can volunteer at a fire department, and get his foot in the door. However, when you volunteer with a fire department, they put you through a FireFighter I class....which you do need to eventually work with the fire department. The bad thing is, to do that, they take volunteers in groups. So, of course, they only start them around August/September. We drove around to Eagle, Start, Middleton, Meridian, and Kuna, in hopes that someone would take Scott (he couldn't start the job with Biomat until he was affiliated). Eventually we went up to McCall, and was going to make our way around McCall, Donnelly, Cascade, Horseshoe Bend, and Emmett if we needed too. Luckily, those little cities aren't as strict as the big cities. Cascade took him on immediately. The little cities are fire and EMS together. So Scott got on obviously with the EMS service, but that's great for now. He can get his school paid for, and experience working as an EMT to show on a resume when he's ready to apply as a paramedic...and eventually volunteer with somewhere that will put him through firefirghter I. Which I'm sure that Cascade could eventually do. SO, it's going great, and we get health insurance...yay!!! Scott has always done construction, which has never paid for his health insurance....so I'm getting really sick of killing ourselves to pay for health insurance.
As far as I go, I'm on the downward slop for school....finally. I went really part time when Spencer was born, so I'm just getting to where I can take on a more full load. I'm shooting to graduate in music, in December of 2010. Hopefully 3 more semesters. Then I want to teach little people how to play the flute, and eventually go back to get a masters in music ed...and teach little people how to play in a band. And I don't need any comments that I'm aspiring to be a band teacher....leave me alone, I like it.