Again?

Well, I did it. After putting it off, and not making the time, I went down to my local Fire/EMS service and picked up an application.

It was a fun morning. I met some nice people, and just walking through the bay rooms by the rigs was comforting. Weird I know, but for someone who lived on these things for five years, and have come to be part of my self identity, it is like comming home.

Granted the building is hodge podge, and I did not get to see much of the equipment, but the ambulances looked pretty new. I have to get over being the spoilt EMS service, where we had hydraulic stretchers, new fancy stair chairs, and a new rig every two years. Not every town has the industry base to donate to the EMS service. This town has about 1/4 the population density, and about 1/10th the industrial base. But, it is something.

So I picked up the appilcation, and filled it out. The only thing that might put things to a difficult light, my NJ state license expired in 2007, and it was not a national certification. So, I may have to take the EMT Basic 130 hour course all over again, followed by the practical exam, and the National Registry written exam. That would not be fun, but my own fault for not joining a squad as soon as I got up here. Honestly, what I was told when i first contacted the state was that I would need to take the course over anyways, due to my NJ certs not being the same as NH. The course would be a breeze after 5.5 years of active service on an ambulance, but it would be a big time drain, and costs over $600 out of pocket.

Well, who knows. I really would like to ride again, maybe, just maybe I will.