It appears that I may finally be a functional member of society again.

I was trying to go a different career route and learn a technical trade, but it appears I am going back to the death investigation world.

With that being said, I am writing to inquire and obtain forum members advice, experience, and observations of the St. Lucie/ Fort Pierce area.

Earlier in the week I was given a conditional offer of employment at the District 19 Medical Examiners Office, and I am conducting research to see how far the 49500 to 52000 salary will go.

The current (and future) office is located on the Indian River State College, but unlike previous departments it is very slow and only runs a day shift with each investigator taking a rotation for being on call for evening and weekend call outs. The other down side is that they do not pay OT. It is either flex or comp time for those call outs.

If money gets real tight, I can transfer out of the IRR and back into a drilling unit. I know there are two units in Orlando, one being a tactical intelligence unit and the other is a combat engineer unit.

If all goes well, I will work my hours and take UAV/UAS courses at the college.

Plus my parents are just outside of Ocala so I can check and visit them regularly.

This whole scenario goes out the window if the other half loses her job at the Veterans Hospital. If that happens I will have to go back on the road doing shutdowns or construction projects where per diem is paid because we cannot afford two places.

Thanks in advance for everyone's help.

Prices here have gone up quite a bit here, sadly and for no reason. Prices used to be a lot cheaper but now we have a lot of transplants from up north and will pay the stupid prices they are asking. Rent can cost you $1,500 for a small apartment. For a house, you can pay double in Port Saint Lucie, in just rent. The county really has no big business here, yet, although a couple are supposedly coming. I moved here 29 years ago from Broward County/Fort Lauderdale, as at the time it was a "bedroom community" in that there was no real business(s) that offered employment and most people bought a house here and traveled down to Palm Beach or Broward-(about a 2 hour drive one way). At the time, you couldn't give away 1/4 acre lots but now they are around 90K to start in Port Saint Lucie. There is a new home that was just built across the street from me and couldn't sell for the price they were asking but instead they rented it out and I spoke to a couple guys who rent it and they said it is $3k/month.

For the pay, there may be some cheaper homes in Fort Pierce or you can try Indian River,just north of us but unless you have 2 jobs, it is tough to make it. I guess the same could be said anywhere.

If you can locate others who served in investigator roles, you should talk to them. An earlier pathologist, now deceased, indulged in some questionable behavior. You should be sure that has changed.

ALSO, consider Okeechobee area for housing.

Tieddy:

The second zoom interview I had was with the Head Pathologist of the Office.

She arrived in May 2020, after spending 18 years with the Maryland OCME.

I had a lot of questions, and needed some clarification on some issues that I had heard/read about.

It’s not just rent but insurance is bloody expensive here. $150/month for a Honda Civic?

Or you can get out of IRR and start drilling again for some $$$

Sent you an email with an opportunity closer to Ocala.

L90814

Thanks for the information