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Good emergency ambulances?

(Click here to view the original thread on the MassCops Message Board)

Posted by: BostonStraightEdge

I'm in paramedic school now. When I get my medic cert. I'd like to go to a private ambulance that has a 911 contract and isn't too hard for a new medic to get on a permanent 911 shift. I know which companies service which areas but I don't know which is good to work for. All I've heard is AMR (other than being possibly the worst company to work for) makes it really tough to get on the emergency shifts.


Posted by: Sniper

If you purchase a good motorcycle/crash helmet, you can go work at Fallon.


Posted by: Delta784

From what I understand, there is a definite "pecking order" with ambulance companies according to seniority (as there should be) as to who gets the desired assignments.

Fallon has our EMS contract and some of the people have been around for many years, going from Bay State to Norfolk Bristol to AMR to Fallon. We even have some people who have refused paramedic certification because they want to stay as Basic EMT's working the EMS contract rather than as paramedics working transfer trucks.

Like most things in life which are worth it, you're going to have to put your time in and pay your dues before being assigned to a EMS contract, if ever. For what it's worth, Fallon Ambulance has a wide coverage area of EMS municipalities and seems to be a decent employer, from what I've heard.


Posted by: BostonStraightEdge

It's funny that you both mention Fallon because I started there. Terrible place for a Basic but the medics didn't seem to have it too bad. And I think they do 1 and 1 shifts for medics. I left on good terms so I'm welcome back but their pay is on the low end compared to other privates.


Posted by: Tango

Quote:
Originally Posted by Delta784
From what I understand, there is a definite "pecking order" with ambulance companies according to seniority (as there should be) as to who gets the desired assignments.

Fallon has our EMS contract and some of the people have been around for many years, going from Bay State to Norfolk Bristol to AMR to Fallon. We even have some people who have refused paramedic certification because they want to stay as Basic EMT's working the EMS contract rather than as paramedics working transfer trucks.

Like most things in life which are worth it, you're going to have to put your time in and pay your dues before being assigned to a EMS contract, if ever. For what it's worth, Fallon Ambulance has a wide coverage area of EMS municipalities and seems to be a decent employer, from what I've heard.
Delta is right, like anything there is a pecking order for the prime assignments. You are not even a medic yet and looking for a 911 assignment, slow down. For the most part, doing transfers is part of the growing up process for a medic, you will also learn a great deal about taking care of people doing them. Get some experience wherever you can, do your time and then,if you are geared into just doing 911, look to get on a FD,BEMS, or Worcester EMS, which is a good gig as well.


Posted by: Finding Nemo

try pridestar in lowell...... ask for matt libby.


Posted by: andy0921

Quote:
It's funny that you both mention Fallon because I started there.
...and then Val scared him away!


Posted by: screamineagle

Quote:
Originally Posted by andy0921
...and then Val scared him away!
or injured them in a crash.


Posted by: rg1283

This is why I don't go into EMS. Not to seem like an EMS wacker, but doing transfers as a medic must be boring as hell. Atleast if your on a medic truck, there is a fighting chance you could get pulled to go to a 911 Call. I know your not going to be intubating and doing ACLS every single day, even if your on a busy ambulance doing 911s you might only do that once a week.

Check this list out:

http://www.firenews.org/ambulance.html


Posted by: rocksy1826

where did you work as a basic? stick to there for seniority.

otherwise? the likelihood of owning a 911 shift brand new is minimal at most services. pay your dues


Posted by: ALLCOMM

I would look at Cataldo Ambulance... good company to work for, plenty of 911 work and they are growing and hiring like crazy


Posted by: rocksy1826

and hey! i've only been at F for about 2 of the 6 years i've been in ems. and for the love of god, i crashed ONCE and it was when some jackass t-boned me on my right of way!



don't be a typical ems type who just wants lights and sirens crisis so much that they don't learn the shit that they need to and should. the system for getting to the solid 911 shifts are there for a reason... so that you learn what you need to be good at what you do. seniority and proving you can do it

other than that? at most privates (except for the ones that dedicate the trucks to certain facilities) the non dedicated als trucks take a good load of hits for 911. more than they do transfer.

Cataldo has a lot of 911 but has a lot of dedicated transfer trucks. The shifts are supposed to be easy to pick up but not to own as much


Posted by: BostonStraightEdge

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocksy1826
where did you work as a basic? stick to there for seniority.

otherwise? the likelihood of owning a 911 shift brand new is minimal at most services. pay your dues

HAHA. The company I work for now doesn't have and never will have a 911 contract. 99% of the time the medics are doing dialysis calls because we don't have enough trucks on the road to cover them. According to one full time medic there, "One ALS call per week is the norm for me." Hence me asking for advice. I plan on leaving there the second I'm certified as a medic. I understand that I can't get right on all permanent 911 shifts, but I don't want to be stuck doing transfers forever.


Posted by: emt3

Looking into the different privates out there, Fallon has the best benefits and the most 911 coverage. I have been getting my fair share of 911 calls on the BLS truck.


Posted by: rocksy1826

Quote:
Originally Posted by BostonStraightEdge
HAHA. The company I work for now doesn't have and never will have a 911 contract. 99% of the time the medics are doing dialysis calls because we don't have enough trucks on the road to cover them.
Eascare or Mercy?


Posted by: Dr.Magoo

Pay your dues as a newbie and do your renal roundup calls. Emergency calls will come in time. ALS is going to handle most emergency calls (just the way it is).

Lyons Ambulance on the North Shore appears to be an excellent company to work for.


Posted by: BostonStraightEdge

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocksy1826
Eascare or Mercy?
Angels


Posted by: daxxkid

Quote:
Originally Posted by ALLCOMM View Post
I would look at Cataldo Ambulance... good company to work for, plenty of 911 work and they are growing and hiring like crazy
I've been at Cataldo for 5 yers, good company, you should be able to get atleast 1 of the 2 24's on the 911 truck, good luck in class.


Posted by: Irish Wampanoag

Work for Brockton contract ambulance AMR you'll see a good stabbing, shooting, blunt trama at least once a week....and a whole lot of car accidents and section 12s and sick students that puke alot....


Posted by: Sgt Jack

You could also try for Atlantic as they now have the Lynn Contract....Just as nasty as Brockton...if that's closer ride for you


Posted by: mschumann

what is the starting pay like for a new paramedic?


Posted by: Delta784

Quote:
Originally Posted by mschumann View Post
what is the starting pay like for a new paramedic?
Page 2;

http://fallonambulance.com/careers/f...recruitbro.pdf


Posted by: mschumann

thx delta, wow! ummmm..... I had a generalized idea of the pay rates from hear say from a few people i have talked too. But the ALS pay rates definitely are a little suprising. I was mistakenly under the impression that Paramedics started* somewhere around 40,000 annually. But from the looks of that chart, the 40,000 comes ruffly after 15 years.

Are the majority of ALS shifts and some BLS shifts the longer 24 hour shifts or a normal 8 hour day? Or is it the luck f the draw?

Thanks


Posted by: Delta784

Quote:
Originally Posted by mschumann View Post
thx delta, wow! ummmm..... I had a generalized idea of the pay rates from hear say from a few people i have talked too. But the ALS pay rates definitely are a little suprising. I was mistakenly under the impression that Paramedics started* somewhere around 40,000 annually. But from the looks of that chart, the 40,000 comes ruffly after 15 years.
Because most EMS personnel work for private, for-profit companies, they're generally not paid nearly what they're worth. Our Fallon EMS people have to put up with the same crap we do with nothing more to defend themselves than their common sense, while being paid about half of what are. I tell them all the time; they should have "BFI" on the sides of their ambulances.

On a related note, I heard Boston EMS got Group 4 for agreeing to drug testing. Good for them.


Posted by: rocksy1826

Quote:
Originally Posted by mschumann View Post
thx delta, wow! ummmm..... I had a generalized idea of the pay rates from hear say from a few people i have talked too. But the ALS pay rates definitely are a little suprising. I was mistakenly under the impression that Paramedics started* somewhere around 40,000 annually. But from the looks of that chart, the 40,000 comes ruffly after 15 years.
you'd think, huh?

Quote:
Originally Posted by mschumann View Post
Are the majority of ALS shifts and some BLS shifts the longer 24 hour shifts or a normal 8 hour day? Or is it the luck f the draw?

Thanks
ALS are typically 12, 16 or 24 hour shifts when working at privates. Depends on the private. For Fallon BLS the shifts are like 8, 10, 13.33 (yeah, i know) or 16 hour shifts. BLS lives in the truck. ALS can work 24 hours due to the POTENTIAL for downtime.


EMS will never be a place to make great money. BosEMS makes decent starting pay, amazing starting for EMS... but they have higher burnout rate along with more intensive requirements than elsewhere. They almost never hire a brand new EMT with no experience. At least not if you don't know someone higher up there.

Start at the bottom, pay your dues. You'll either love it or hate it. Stay or quit. Just like anything else. If you love it? You gripe about the pay but stick around anyway


Posted by: KEVDEMT

brand new medics on dedicated 911 shifts is a rarity. you really need to spend some time wroking up the ladder and perfecting your skills before being thrown into the fray. its also a matter of seniority. the dedicated 911 trucks are the prime shifts. the veteran employees get them because they have done their time. as far as what company to wrok for, well you need to factor in pay, location(and subsequently commute distance), type of service, quality of service, service area etc.

fallon: worst paying private in the bos area. it helps that they have a great benefits package but its not an even trade. they have severzl 911 contracts(weymouth, braintree, quincy, milton) which are mostly als. but if your looking for a heavy urban(ie violent) type of call, fallon isnt so much going to provide service to that type of setting. its mostly medical calls, which are great to perfect your assesment skills, but not really the pinacle of excitement. they are also very very corporate. they'll tell you in your orientation that they area a familiy company and care about their employees. its bullshit. they care about money. make them money, they'll like you. cost them money, your out on your ass. all in all its certaintly not the worst place to work.

amr- i have never wanted to kill myself more than when i worked for amr. their pay isnt bad, they have 911 in a bunch of areas, decent gear, a lot of their truck are barely running. expect to be ridden like seabisuit by the supervisory staff. plan to spend the bulk of your time doing transfers unless they really need someone for a 911 truck(not really likely but it has happened). after a while, you might have a shot at a brockton or tauton 911 shift but its going to be a while.

alert- 95% interfacility transfers. the bos medic truck is posted at the jpva during their hours of operation to do als transfers to wxva. if their are no transfers, they sit their, in the bus, doing nothing for tmost of their day shift. they can go in and hang out in the urgent care and the satff their is really friendly and receptive. they will also ask for your help working up patients(lines and labs if they cant get one etc). they also used to have a medic that worked for alert but was stationed at the UC and basically worked for the hospital. on the code team, worked up pts etc. i think they have eliminated that position though. but anyway those are your choices. urgent care or the bus. occasionally during the day, you'll get tapped for an H+H back up call but not very often since their contract requires an als truck with in 20min of JPVA all day. after the va closes, they hanldle nursing home emergency calls, interfacility transfers from the brva to wxva and the reverse, H+H calls etc. not a bad company to work for. medica have the run of the place over there. they are basically above the law when it comes to showing up on time, uniform policy etc. they are always hurting for medics so the ones they have get an unlimited supply of second chances. pay isnt terrible. gear isnt terrible but could be better. some of the managers ans supps are good shits, some dont deserve to call themselves chair car drivers.

mercy- the only benefit to working at mercy is the medic truck is brand new. oh and the pay isnt terrible. but thats it. you'll do more bls calls than some of the basic trucks. almost no als experience to be had. the last i heard, they were only running the als truck days, so be prepared to work at least 4 days a week. the als cooridinator works road shifts when the schedule has a hole, so if you like working with your boss whos, charitibly, seasoned(read old washed up and out of touch), it could work for you. if youve heard any of the rumors about the old general ambulance which is now mercy, they havent changed.

cataldo is probably the best private going. you'll move up into a 911 shift probably the fastest there than anywhere else. good urban setting. good gear, progressive service(atleast as progressive as you can be in ma). theyre a little picky as to how things are done but if you toe the line, you'll work out there. pay isnt too shabby either.



Posted by: mschumann

alot of great info thx... right now im in the middle of my emt-b course and emt-p is something that I am starting to consider.... For some reason I was under the impression that paramedics made ruffly 40k annually but with the pay rates that were posted on that site Delta put up im not sure if it would be worth it.

I have a ton of questions about it but i'll probaly just make a new thread somewhere down the line. Thanks again for all of the great information.


Posted by: xbreaka

Cape Cod Ambulance down in Provincetown has a shortage atm I believe, their starting pay is around 45-50k, however I would need to run the numbers on how it all works out considering how expensive it is to live in the ptown area.


Posted by: KEVDEMT

dont use fallons pay rate to judge the entie industry. they are the lowest paid private service. with overtime, a medic can EASILY expect to make 40k in the private sector. whether you will be doing the type of call you want to be doing is another matter entirely but if thats the kind of money you want, its there.

as a basic working full time with my fair share of ot, i have yet to make less than 30k. you wont get rich but you can pay the bills


please for the love of all that is good and holy dont go to medic school right out of basic school. while there are exceptions to every rule, medics that do that are awful medics. imagine running als calls with very minimal patient care experience. its a train wreck. ive watched it happen. its generally reccomended that you have at least 1 year of full time bls experience before starting medic school. and that the minimum. i had almost 5.


Posted by: mschumann

thanks for that info Kev. Its interesting to get a different point of view from another emt.

Someone that i will not mention the name of (you just never know) told me that I should go to medic school straight out of the basic course. He said that I should work as a basic while I am in medic school so that way I would have a year under my belt by the time I finished.

Again, that is the ONLY* advice I have recieved from a person who is in the field. So it is interesting to get advice from different ppl in the EMS field.


Posted by: KEVDEMT

that viewpoint is gaining in popularity. it does have a pretty serious flaw. the only thing you should be learning in medic school is how to be a MEDIC. learning how to be a basic at the same time is an incredible case load. medic school is one of the hardest things you'll ever do. try to limit what else is going on while doing it.

this is, however, just my personal opinion. and remember what your dad told you: opinions are like assholes. everbodies got one and they all stink.


Posted by: rocksy1826

i work for the low paying and i pay my bills, own my truck and bought a house in a nice area last year on my income alone.

While it has it's flaws? All private services suck equally. If not pay? Treatment of field staff. If not that? Benefits. You will never be fully happy at almost any private. I've worked for more than one.

and medic school was on level with getting my bachelors degree in a non medical topic. you work hard. just like anything else. If it's the hardest thing in your life depends on the person. I assume Kevd is in medic school since he states he's an emt.

bottom line.... doesn't matter where you go in ems. it's all pretty much the same bs everywhere. low pay, high pay... emergencies or transfers. It's ALL not the end of the world and equally a pain in the butt. I work a LOT of 911 and i stress on that as much as i do on transfers. Sometimes less, sometimes more depending on circumstances.

One thing i will say? Going into this business determined to mainly be a lights and sirens buff will do nothing but disservice you. Those guys tend to be so busy dying for glory that they don't get a decent grasp of what's up and how the patient truly is.

I've got 6+ years in EMS. I've worked for 2 privates and I teach EMT-Basic. Haven't been around the longest amount of time in the world... not the shortest either, but i've been around long enough to grasp what I feel are some decent priorities on the job. And it isn't if i get a lot of emergencies, if i am at the highest paying private or trying to insist i know it all and have seen the most.


Relax. Finish emt school. Apply to a few. Either way? You're not going to see what any of my emt students seem to desperately hope they will see. Even when you do? . It's something to be humbled by.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mschumann View Post
thanks for that info Kev. Its interesting to get a different point of view from another emt.

Someone that i will not mention the name of (you just never know) told me that I should go to medic school straight out of the basic course. He said that I should work as a basic while I am in medic school so that way I would have a year under my belt by the time I finished.

Again, that is the ONLY* advice I have recieved from a person who is in the field. So it is interesting to get advice from different ppl in the EMS field.
do NOT go right out of basic school. That usually ends up as a disaster from those i've seen do it. Weak medics. You have to have a grasp on BLS to be good at ALS. And EMT school does not give you that grasp in the slightest.


I suggest asking some older medics and emt's... who have been on 10+ years. Welcome to EMS. every single person who's been on the road longer thatn 5 weeks will be DYING to tell you how much they've seen and how much they know.... and half the time they are full of it. Talk to your EMT instructor (it's def not me). Best way to go about it.


Posted by: Lurker

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocksy1826 View Post

EMS will never be a place to make great money. BosEMS makes decent starting pay, amazing starting for EMS... but they have higher burnout rate along with more intensive requirements than elsewhere. They almost never hire a brand new EMT with no experience. At least not if you don't know someone higher up there.
Let me start off by saying that I work for BEMS. We are currently running an academy class of aproximately forty people and are looking to run another class soon. There is an open house in March at some point where they can answer most, if not all of your pay/ benefits questions. I'll get the correct information and post it later. We do have a high turnover rate. There are, and always will be many reasons for this including people going to other police and fire departments, and yes burnout. We are busy. Very busy. On an average eight hour shift you can do eight to ten calls easily, and on a ten hour shift, twelve to fifteen calls. I can tell you we DO hire new EMT's with NO experience. Knowing someone up the chain of command isn't a guarantee. It may or may not get you into the door, but if you're not on top of your game at the end of the academy you won't get offered a job.


Posted by: mschumann

thx guys for the advice... Ive heard from alot of ppl that boston ems is where its at as far as good ems jobs. Curious to know how does one get onto boston ems? Ive read on the city of bostons website that they have test? also what is the academy all about?

Also, I know we have all mentioned many things about working for private companies. But what about hospitals? I have scene paramedic positions posted on different hospital websites and I was curious to know how their pay was?

As far as medic school, i can definitly see why it would be best to wait and get experience in BLS before taking the step up to medic. As a basic student now my grade average is an A, But to be honest I do not feel that im ready to actually put in a life saving situation. I believe that im a good student but its kind of a scary to think of actually stepping out and applying it in the field.


Posted by: KEVDEMT

lurker can correct me if im wrong as he works for them but:

to get on you have to take their written and practical then their oral board. if they like you, they will put you through the BEMS academy which is somewhere around three months. you learn how to do everything the boston way. the t system, hazmat, exactly how many steps it is up and down the creamer building etc. if you pass the academy they offer you a job. your then on probation for one full year during which they can let you go for any or no reason whatsoever. "your just not working out" is popular. the preceptors and fto's are expert professionals and know exactly who will make it in that system and who wont. if you make it past that year, you get pinned and area a full member of the dept.

dont forget, since its a city job you have to attain and maintain boston residency within 6 months of your date of hire. i dont know exactly when that is. from my line of thinking it could be when they offer you a spot in the academy or when you graduate and they actually offer you a job. maybe lurker can clarify.

i have worked with(not for) h+h for years. they give most of their crap calls to the privates and they call us when they have an mci. for the most part my experiences with them have been good. ive met a few of their div chiefs and officers and a whole god damn pisspot full of their street team. i also have 4 or 5 guys that i worked with that are now on h+h.


Posted by: Lurker

Quote:
Originally Posted by KEVDEMT View Post
lurker can correct me if im wrong as he works for them but:

to get on you have to take their written and practical then their oral board. if they like you, they will put you through the BEMS academy which is somewhere around three months. you learn how to do everything the boston way. the t system, hazmat, exactly how many steps it is up and down the creamer building etc. if you pass the academy they offer you a job. your then on probation for one full year during which they can let you go for any or no reason whatsoever. "your just not working out" is popular. the preceptors and fto's are expert professionals and know exactly who will make it in that system and who wont. if you make it past that year, you get pinned and area a full member of the dept.

dont forget, since its a city job you have to attain and maintain boston residency within 6 months of your date of hire. i dont know exactly when that is. from my line of thinking it could be when they offer you a spot in the academy or when you graduate and they actually offer you a job. maybe lurker can clarify.

i have worked with(not for) h+h for years. they give most of their crap calls to the privates and they call us when they have an mci. for the most part my experiences with them have been good. ive met a few of their div chiefs and officers and a whole god damn pisspot full of their street team. i also have 4 or 5 guys that i worked with that are now on h+h.
You have to pass the written exam with a score > 70%. It's nothing fancy or advanced. The questions are from what's given for the state BLS exam.

The practical is a four station pass/ fail exam. There's a trauma assessment, medical assessment, c-spine station, and a lifting station with a 150 Lb dummy in a stair chair that you have to carry down three flights of stairs. You can stop once for no more than 30 seconds and a department member is at the top of the chair.

There is an interview where you sit in front of some of the academy staff and the medical director.

The academy is in two parts, a twelve week class room phase and a fifteen week field internship. The fifteen weeks are broken up into five, three week rounds.

If you pass the field internship, you are on probation for a year. In the past five years I have only seen two people "let go" during their internship.


Posted by: BostonStraightEdge

Quote:
Originally Posted by Lurker View Post
Let me start off by saying that I work for BEMS. We are currently running an academy class of aproximately forty people and are looking to run another class soon. There is an open house in March at some point where they can answer most, if not all of your pay/ benefits questions. I'll get the correct information and post it later. We do have a high turnover rate. There are, and always will be many reasons for this including people going to other police and fire departments, and yes burnout. We are busy. Very busy. On an average eight hour shift you can do eight to ten calls easily, and on a ten hour shift, twelve to fifteen calls. I can tell you we DO hire new EMT's with NO experience. Knowing someone up the chain of command isn't a guarantee. It may or may not get you into the door, but if you're not on top of your game at the end of the academy you won't get offered a job.
I've spoken to a couple of people from BEMS. Do you have any idea when they're hiring again? Even if you know the season that will help. I'd love to get on Boston but I'm in paramedic school now so I'm hoping that they hire after I get a chance to finish up all of my clinical hours.


And I know that they start people as basics first and you need to be promoted to the paramedic level but I'd rather not waste $8,000 by not finishing up clinicals just for a new job. I've also been told explicitly and multiple times that if I'm accepted to the academy to NEVER tell anyone that I'm cert. as a paramedic unless they ask me outright.


Posted by: Lurker

The opone house is March 22 from 1000-1400.
There are entrance exams scheduled for April 4, 2008 at 1900 and April 5, 2008 at 0900.

Check out the BEMS website for info about review sessions and other info.

StriaghtEdge: PM sent


Posted by: mschumann

it's 8,000 for medic school???? Do most medic schools offer any type of tutition assistance?


Posted by: rg1283

Check out the Community Colleges, most have an EMT-B and a Paramedic Program.


Posted by: KEVDEMT

8,000 for medic school. psh. i wish. mine was 18,240


Posted by: sweeper20

Best answer...do your own research with the company you want to work with. As you can see, people comment on an agency that they might not be qualified to comment on... such as they don't hire EMT'S without experience...when they actually might. Dig for the answer, don't rely on everything you read.


Posted by: rocksy1826

Quote:
Originally Posted by KEVDEMT View Post
8,000 for medic school. psh. i wish. mine was 18,240
you obviously went to northeastern during it's power struggle

after tuition, and all other costs mine was about 11,250

hospital ems is mostly transpfer from what i've seen. South Shore Hosp medic's do intercepts when other ALS isn't available. Unsure about other hospitals.


Posted by: Tango

Quote:
Originally Posted by rocksy1826 View Post
you obviously went to northeastern during it's power struggle

after tuition, and all other costs mine was about 11,250

hospital ems is mostly transpfer from what i've seen. South Shore Hosp medic's do intercepts when other ALS isn't available. Unsure about other hospitals.
WEMS is hospital based under UMASS Medical Cntr. I paid 16k per year for my medic- they threw in a bachelor's degree in EMS Management .


Posted by: rocksy1826

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tango View Post
WEMS is hospital based under UMASS Medical Cntr. I paid 16k per year for my medic- they threw in a bachelor's degree in EMS Management .
my apologies, i totally forgot WEMS was run through UMASS Medical.


Posted by: rg1283

Saints Memorial in Lowell, Emerson Hospital and Lawrence General Hospital are the only Hospital based EMS Paramedic Intercept Units (they are non transporting). 2181 at Milford Regional Medical Center, will be disbanding in June or May of this year.

Norwood and Southshore Hospital used to do medic intercepts, now only do transfers.

Metrowest Medical Center (Leonard Morse in Natick) had their own medic intercept unit, but they shut down around 2003.

Webster EMS is technically a hospital funded EMS system.

However Worcester EMS is totally o/o by UMass memorial


Posted by: KEVDEMT

Quote:
Originally Posted by rg1283 View Post
Saints Memorial in Lowell, Emerson Hospital and Lawrence General Hospital are the only Hospital based EMS Paramedic Intercept Units (they are non transporting). 2181 at Milford Regional Medical Center, will be disbanding in June or May of this year.

Norwood and Southshore Hospital used to do medic intercepts, now only do transfers.

Metrowest Medical Center (Leonard Morse in Natick) had their own medic intercept unit, but they shut down around 2003.

Webster EMS is technically a hospital funded EMS system.

However Worcester EMS is totally o/o by UMass memorial
while i have no idea about the rest of the info you wrote, your info on south shore and norwood isnt 100% accurate

the ssh medics take back up calls for weymouth(fallon). their certaintly not as busy as when weymouth was a bls town with all als coming from ssh, but they are doing town 911. i live in town and have seen them responding with fire/pd.

the norwood hospital medics have really slowed down since all the surrounding towns have gone full time als. they still get occasional intercept requests but its is a rarity. their call volume is getting so low that teh last i heard they were disbanding the ambulance service. they may have nixed that idea though. i havent been by there in over a year.


Posted by: KEVDEMT

update: norwood is still hiring medics(as of today). i just came across a job posting for their ambulance service.


Posted by: emt151

Try Professional ambulance service in Cambridge Ma. they also Have EMT and Paramedic programs


Posted by: rocksy1826

Quote:
Originally Posted by emt151 View Post
Try Professional ambulance service in Cambridge Ma. they also Have EMT and Paramedic programs



Quote:
Originally Posted by KEVDEMT View Post
while i have no idea about the rest of the info you wrote, your info on south shore and norwood isnt 100% accurate

the ssh medics take back up calls for weymouth(fallon). their certaintly not as busy as when weymouth was a bls town with all als coming from ssh, but they are doing town 911. i live in town and have seen them responding with fire/pd.
SSH responds only when Fallon BLS is covering the town and decides to request ALS after arrival at the scene and is advised that no Fallon ALS is available. Due to the transport time from anywhere in Weymouth to SSH this is very rare.

Most of SSH's lights/sirens incidents are them doing a priority transfer from ER to ER. Patient in SSH needing to go into town for care and feeling the circumstances warrant a priority transport.

911 action is minimal at best. As far as I know, the medics have been on Fallon 911 calls maybe a handful of times in the last 2 years.


Posted by: SCPDLT

Could these calls also have something to do with Fallon trying to keep SSH happy so they keep getting the discharge work from the hospital?


Posted by: KEVDEMT

doubtful. weymouth is a three truck town. two medic truck in south weymouth and one in north. bls rigs are usually avail as fourth+ in truck but if its an als call and all tree weymouth trucks are out, they'll go to ssh if fallon doesnt have an als truck in town. now, the likelyhood of all three rigs being out at the same time is minimal, but i have seen it happen. i heard the deputy chief request the ssh medics not to long ago so it does happen.


Posted by: dizzle84

a basic for fallon starts out at 11.50 an hour, not too good if you ask me. Armstrong has good pay.


Posted by: stm4710

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sgt Jack View Post
You could also try for Atlantic as they now have the Lynn Contract....Just as nasty as Brockton...if that's closer ride for you
Brother, I got to disagree with you there. I do a 24 on the "pride of the east side" in Lynn. We have a new rhyme. Lynn Lynn city of shit, your never going to do a call thats legit! We do get some good calls, but the majority are P3 glorified transfers with a fire engine.

Bostonstraightedge. I dont know you, but I get an impression of you from your posting. Please take it from someone who has been around and worked the streets for a while. First off, transfers pay a companys bills. The companys bills getting payed means I get a check and my bills get payed. EMS is not a money making profession. You need compassion and a crust to do this. You need to respect your co-workers be they BLS,ALS, firefighter or cop....we all work the same streets. You can learn alot from some transfers, odd conditions not often seen,bagging skills etc. You need to pay your dues and learn from those that were doing this when your were in diapers or scheduling will find it hard to fill your shift....

Boston, try AMR....they are union and there medics can kill people for the hell of it down there and the company still licks there balls cause there medics. BLS, I feel sorry for.....prepare for a spanking when you come in.

I would stay far away from Fallon, either side.

Cataldo is good to work for and good people, but as new medic---welcome to the Boston transfer division!! As a new BLS......welcome to the Boston transfer division!!

If you like sodimy Patriot and Trinity are good.

Lyons is nice and quiet but catches some good calls....but you to deal with the owners wife and write up franny.

Action...well there wont be much Action if they keep loseing there ALS license! Also that and Fallon are some of the lowest payers.

Armstrong, aint to bad neither is the pay. Alot of transfers though.

Northeast regional, Havent heard to much bad but they do have alot mandatory training...not a bad thing though.

Northshore, good company, good people, I hope they dont loose Peabody though.

If you really want to do 911 and seems like you got the cocky I dont do transfer attitude......goto Boston EMS, you can be a BLS paramedic stair chairing all day!


Be safe out there.


Posted by: rg1283

From reading books, and numerous EMS blogs, and listening to the scanner. A majority of 911 EMS calls are non emergency. Shit like, my tummy hurts, or I am drunk, or a Section 12, or I have a cold. Every EMS call is not a code.

Then again its common sense to assume that, every Police call isn't an emergency, every Fire Call isn't either (Food on the stove)


Posted by: Delta784

Quote:
Originally Posted by rg1283 View Post
From reading books, and numerous EMS blogs, and listening to the scanner. A majority of 911 EMS calls are non emergency. Shit like, my tummy hurts, or I am drunk, or a Section 12, or I have a cold. Every EMS call is not a code.
A lot of people call for an ambulance because it's cheaper (to them) than a taxi.


Posted by: SCPDLT

Insurance and Mass Health pay for ambulances they don't pay for a taxi.....that is the sad reality of working on an emergency ambulance 90% BS calls 10% real emergencies


Posted by: KEVDEMT

we had a woman in the city for a while that would call at least weekly, always with a diff chief complaint. she lived in hyde park IIRC, but always wanted to go to BMC. well great. come to find out, her bf lived up the street. she would walk right out of the er as soon as someone took their eyes off her and head down the block. broad used the ambulance as a free taxi.




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