Fire Department
Berkeley County Emergency Management
Moncks Corner, SC · Berkeley County
County EMS: ~70 providers · 14 medic units
Berkeley County is hiring an Emergency Medical Technician to provide primary medical care. The role requires a South Carolina EMT certification or reciprocity, a valid driver's license, and BLS certification.
Berkeley County Paramedic position with competitive salary and comprehensive benefits including health insurance, retirement plan, and 12 paid holidays; requires SC Paramedic certification and 1 year experience.
Paramedic position at Berkeley County with $25/hr pay and required SC Paramedic certification. Benefits include optional retirement plan and deferred compensation program.
Berkeley County Emergency Management is the county office in Moncks Corner, South Carolina that coordinates preparedness for natural, intentional, and technological hazards across Berkeley County. The small coordinating staff operates the county Emergency Operations Center, maintains the Emergency Operations Plan along with the county's recovery and mitigation plans, runs the county's emergency management training and exercise programs, administers statewide mutual aid, and serves as the liaison and contract manager for the fire departments covering unincorporated Berkeley County.
Emergency medical careers in the county run through Berkeley County EMS (BCEMS), the county ambulance service headquartered on North Live Oak Drive in Moncks Corner. BCEMS staffs nearly 70 medical providers plus support staff and lists 20,000 annual calls for service, answered by a fleet of 14 medic units, 4 rescue squads, and a natural disaster response vehicle. Its motto is "Excellence Through Care."
Beyond 911 response, BCEMS fields a Community Outreach Resource and Education (CORE) team that brings hands-only CPR and first aid awareness, injury prevention, and health education to county events, and its providers are certified in Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support, and Pediatric Advanced Life Support.
MissionTo serve the citizens, residents, and visitors of Berkeley County through preparedness for natural, intentional, and technological hazards employing prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery capabilities through coordination of an integrated emergency management program.
Berkeley County posts EMS openings on its GovernmentJobs portal, and paramedic and part-time EMT/paramedic postings run on a continuous basis. Candidates apply through Berkeley County Human Resources, then complete a practical and written skills evaluation followed by an interview. Positions are safety-sensitive, with a criminal background investigation and pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing.
Certification is not required at the door: the paid EMT Trainee program hires candidates at $16 an hour to attend BCEMS's in-house 16-week EMT course — one 8-hour classroom and lab day per week plus ambulance time as a third crew member, roughly a 36-hour work week — with promotion to full-time EMT once National Registry and South Carolina certification are earned. Trainees must score at least 75% on the department's EMT entrance exam and pass the National Registry within three attempts.
Requirements
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Valid South Carolina driver's license (or obtained within 30 days of relocation) with a safe driving record
- National Registry and South Carolina certification at the EMT, Advanced EMT, or Paramedic level for certified positions
- AHA Basic Life Support certification; ACLS also required for paramedics
- NIMS certifications ICS 100, 200, and 700 (ICS 800 preferred)
- EMT Trainees: minimum 75% on the department EMT entrance exam (no prior certification required)
Hiring process
- Apply through the Berkeley County portal on GovernmentJobs.com
- Pass the department's practical and written skills evaluation
- Interview
- Criminal background investigation and drug and alcohol screening
Benefits
Full-time Berkeley County employees receive:
- Health, life, and dental insurance, with optional life and disability coverage
- Optional medical and dependent care spending accounts
- Personal leave and 12 paid holidays
- South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS) pension, with optional 401(k)/457 deferred compensation
- Employee assistance and wellness programs
BCEMS teaches its own 16-week EMT course in house; paid EMT Trainees attend weekly classroom and lab sessions plus ambulance ride time en route to National Registry and South Carolina certification.
Does Berkeley County EMS offer in-house training?
Yes. BCEMS runs its own American Heart Association courses — ACLS as a two-day, 16-hour class that opens with BLS, and PALS as a two-day, 14-hour class. Standalone BLS classes are also scheduled every February and July.
How is Berkeley County EMS funded?
Partly by county taxes and partly by patient billing. The department's published FAQ puts its total budget at $3.2 million, with billing offsetting about a third of operational expenses.
Can I volunteer with Berkeley County Emergency Management?
The department coordinates the county's emergency management volunteers, including the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Community Organizations Active in Disasters, and the Long-Term Recovery Group, and maintains a public training calendar.