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Working as an Emergency Medical Technician, either as a volunteer, or a paid member, has benefits ranging from tuition reimbursement plans to discounts on property tax. The agency you belong to will have their own list of benefits you are eligible for, so be sure to get familiar with all of the options available to you.
Some of the common financial and health benefits are listed below:
- Retirement Plans – Employers generally offer a range of different retirement plans, which you may take full advantage of. These plans can range depending on years of service or age eligibility.
- Health Insurance – EMTs are eligible to receive health insurance packages, which may include vision, dental, and prescription plans depending on your terms of employment. These plans can generally be used by your spouse and children as well.
- Tuition Reimbursement – Employees that want to take advantage of learning higher education at a partially or fully refunded cost often capitalize on this benefit offered by some employers or agencies.
- Flexible Schedules – One of the most asked questions about getting involved with EMS is, “what is the schedule like?”. Well, the beauty of providing a service to the public is that it is a 24/7 operation. Depending on the needs of the organization, shifts of all hours of the day could be available. You will need to agree on a schedule with your agency, but most paid agencies will have specific shifts that are previously set up. Depending on your agency, you could work 12-hour shifts or 8-hour shifts. Some even offer 24-hours.
- Property or tax credits – Some counties in New York offer property tax rebates and tax credits depending on service. Check with your agency to see if you qualify. NYS also offers a $200 State tax credit every year you volunteer with an agency.
- Promotional Opportunities – There are promotional opportunities in EMS as a system. Most commonly, EMTs attend paramedic school and have the ability to promote as a paramedic within their agency.
