It will be seven years this October that I have been a Fulltime union FF/Medic(and it is the best job in the world).  I find myself as of late more interested in Law Enforcement.  I find myself drawn to the SWAT TEAM style LE.  The high energy stuff , not the everyday bullshit our LEO have to put up with.  Even the guys I work with say I should have been a COP.  They say that because they think I am a gun "nut".  I'm looking for something else but I am not sure what.  I've gone back and forth for months now.  I thought about enlisting,  to the Air Force, with thoughts of being a PJ.  I looked in to oppurtunies with the ATF, FBI, and the Marshall service.  I figured maybe I could be a independant contractor in Iraq. What do I do!

 Decide what is right for you, and then DO IT - don't wait around for it to drop in your lap, until you are too old to pursue it anymore.

Check into being a SWAT Medic.  Other than that, follow your heart.

90% of this board waited too long to do something like that-reseach and pick one!!!

Quoted: Check into being a SWAT Medic.  Other than that, follow your heart.

Bingo. If you are an EMT, and can handle yourself on both ends of a gun, I would think you would get right into a SWAT team.

Quoted: I find myself drawn to the SWAT TEAM style LE.  The high energy stuff , not the everyday bullshit our LEO have to put up with.

If you want to get into law enforcement just because you want to be on a SWAT team.......

...... you don't belong in law enforcement

Quoted: It will be seven years this October that I have been a Fulltime union FF/Medic(and it is the best job in the world).  I find myself as of late more interested in Law Enforcement.  I find myself drawn to the SWAT TEAM style LE.  The high energy stuff , not the everyday bullshit our LEO have to put up with.  Even the guys I work with say I should have been a COP.  They say that because they think I am a gun "nut".  I'm looking for something else but I am not sure what.  I've gone back and forth for months now.  I thought about enlisting,  to the Air Force, with thoughts of being a PJ.  I looked in to oppurtunies with the ATF, FBI, and the Marshall service.  I figured maybe I could be a independant contractor in Iraq. What do I do!

Take this from an urban LEO-keep your FF job.  The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence, but usually FF's have far less public scrutiny and deal with less politics.
As far as SWAT, I'm not gonna say anything at all to denigrate them, BUT my agency has about 3,000 officers and the lowly patrolman takes far more lumps and bruises on a daily basis than the SWAT guys.
SWAT responds AFTER patrol has already arrived on the scene and controled the situation.  SWAT gets to work out on duty, they get cool weapons, and a lot of training, and they're like a parachute-if you need 'em, you need 'em now, but they ain't the end all.
Like another poster already stated, if the only reason you want to be a LEO is because you like guns and only want the glory of SAWT, you're far better off staying where you are.  Besides, everybody likes fireman.

Two words for you: COMBAT MEDIC

Check out www.tftt.com and contact Max about his combat medic course. You could work toward hooking up with a local swat group

I left law enforcement for a career in military/aerospace sales...I regret it sometimes but then I realize that if I stuck it out I wouldn't have my wife and two daughters now...so I made the right choice...you will too.

Good luck

HK Tactical Medic Course

TEMS

Get on your local SWAT team as a medic.


I did 10 years in EMS/Fire then crossed over to LE. I was burnt out big time on medic work so I found my nich in the training division and became my agencys Master Firearms Instructor/Armorer.

Hunter out...

First of all, it is nothing like it appears on television.  If you are happy with the job that you have, stick with it.  If you get hired in law enforcement, you won't start it SWAT.  It took me six years to get on our SWAT team.  But as RYANN has already stated, Patrol guys get way more action anyway.  I have worked Patrol for eight years and have been injured bad enough to put me on light duty three times.  I haven't gotten more than a scratch on any TAC call-ups.

We use Fire Department paramedics for out SWAT medics, and as already stated, "Everyone loves Firemen".

If your interested in LE why not become a reserve deputy sheriff or reserve police officer?

Quoted: It will be seven years this October that I have been a Fulltime union FF/Medic(and it is the best job in the world).  I find myself as of late more interested in Law Enforcement.  I find myself drawn to the SWAT TEAM style LE.  The high energy stuff , not the everyday bullshit our LEO have to put up with.  Even the guys I work with say I should have been a COP.  They say that because they think I am a gun "nut".  I'm looking for something else but I am not sure what.  I've gone back and forth for months now.  I thought about enlisting,  to the Air Force, with thoughts of being a PJ.  I looked in to oppurtunies with the ATF, FBI, and the Marshall service.  I figured maybe I could be a independant contractor in Iraq. What do I do!

Independant contractor in Iraq......  I just had a few beers with one last week.  They shoot at you.  They shoot mortars at you.  It is hot.  No pussy.   Hot.  Shooting at you.  No remote control for the big screen.  Dream on or get with it.  I like my pussy and remote, thank you.

Just some advice from a fellow FF/EMT-P, If i were you I'd keep you're current job, with the exception of possibly persuing an on call position as a tactical medic with an ESU. You cant just walk into an esu le position, it's a very highly specialized (And thanks to hollywood, misunderstood and thus sought after) field. Im not sure about NH but in NY/NJ you have to know all kinds of people after putting in years as a patrolman to even be considered. The tactical medic option might be interesting though- see if they offer it in NH- or im me and I can send you info on the NJ course which might fit NR requirements for CEU's if you need 'em. Im 22 and am on the list for NYPD, however I have a desire to be a patrolman and do the entire job, not just what i want to specialize in- hope i helped

Quoted: Quoted: I find myself drawn to the SWAT TEAM style LE.  The high energy stuff , not the everyday bullshit our LEO have to put up with.   If you want to get into law enforcement just because you want to be on a SWAT team....... ...... you don't belong in law enforcement

Agreed. SWAT is an extra carricular activity for one. Two, the everyday stuff is what being in law enforcement is all about. Third, the everyday stuff is more likely to get you into something that is more exciting than the SWAT stuff, and it will over with before SWAT can even start the van to get there.  If you are thinking about changing to just be on a SWAT team, you don't know a lot about law enforcment.

Solution for you: Enlist.