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why...? Because if you're planning to stay in NYC, the future seems to be FDNY. And there ARE changes being done, however slow. It's about the standard of care, and the the standards for the dept. From someone who has worked for privates, voluntaries, voluntaries which CLOSED, I can tell you that security and experience, and training lies with FDNY. As for the $$, well... still working on it. That's why I'm looking to becoming a medic/hosemonkey out west. NYC's a busy place with lots of experience to be had.

I don't know to much about what the rules of dispatching are, but coming from the other end... I'll take a stab at it. The computer recommends units based on distance, priority, and availability. At times all units within a region, even a entire borough can be "busy." Manhattan is split between, South, Central, and North. Bronx units get sent to Manhattan North, Queens to Central, and Brooklyn to South all the time b/c of the high call volume in Manhattan. Now Staten Island would generally be closest to the South. If all Manhattan units were busy at the time; all units bordering Manhattan in their respective boroughs were ALSO busy, than there would be a possibility of a ridiculously long response time. Now here lies the problem. If a closer unit becomes available seconds after the job has been given out, I've noticed that the dispatcher does not always catch it. He/she may choose NOT to reassign the job, instead giving the available unit yet another job. Seeing that the recent weeks have been extremely busy, this may have been the case. Last Thursday I happened to be doing some BLS overtime in Midtown Manhattan. If I remember right, I heard the SI crew go over the air several times stating their location, the fact that they were in bumper to bumper traffic in SI. The unit tried to refuse the job, stating that there was no way they could make it to midtown in a sufficient time. They had been refusing to press their "63 enroute" button. A few moments later, I heard a LT or CPT go on the air and basically say that if the unit refuses, put them out admin and send them back to their station. The crew ended up responding to the call since I didn't hear anything from the dispatcher. That same week I was in downtown Manhattan around 16th street on the east side. I was dispatched to 98th street on the west side for the Cardiac Arrest. Dispatch was notified of my location and it was documented, but we continued in. The BLS, ended up transporting the pt on their own b/c of our asinine distance at the time. Yet there were several ALS units that became available as I fought my way uptown. Can we question dispatch? Not really.

http://www.rootv.com/?channel=Fox+News+Loc...amp;bitrate=300 Was it documentation error or negligence? Either way it looks ugly for us.

I was there a month ago. Primary BLS 911 coverage for those areas are held by Care Ambulance, and Mccormick. As for experience, bls continues to be supervised by FD ALS, and the pay is less than meager. Move or go FD. >.<

hehe, you're making me have second thoughts here. Starting to fit the stereotype of the gun-slinging state. Everybody's packing eh?

Thanks for the low-down dust. I'll be looking into some of the protocols to take a glimpse at what kind of backwards medical thinking you were talking about. The way you were speaking about their EMS, it seems as if it's a completely separate division. I was reading on their website, (and I'll be asking more about it when I visit Houston in 2 weeks to take the entrance exam) it says that all their medics are cross trained as FF's. Do you know if they perform both job duties on a rotational schedule. Because that's the stick to it. I may have a new interest in suppression/rescue but there's no way I could give up the EMS side. As for $$$ I'll have to experience some of the city for myself... When you mention professional opportunities, what kind of things are you thinking about?

thanks for the info. I'm looking to become a fire-medic. (Fire suppression is a new interest...) I'm working as a medic in NYC right now. Pay as a fire trainee with HFD is on the low side. (Although I realize the cost of living in Houston is much lower than where I am now) I was thinking I might be able to pick up some medic tours with a private while in the academy. Then again, I'm also debating whether HFD is the place to be. I'm hoping someone here would be able to shed some light.

I'm doing some looking into with EMS in Houston, Texas. If anyone works in the area, pls let me know as I've got some questions. Has anyone worked with the Houston FD? What are the private 911 contracts (company names) over there? and also, what is the pay like for the privates? (Paramedic).

I've been seeing this one question coming up more often over the past years. Describe a situation when you have gone above and beyond your call of duty. How would you answer this question? Even if you have some pretty nifty war story's, they're still a sense part of our job description. What "amazing" feat might you describe? Not everyone has run out of a burning building with a baby... I'm curious as to what interviewers are looking for.

Looking for some input on these private company's in the LA area. These three plus AMR seem to be the big ones that were able to snag 911 contracts - (BLS I believe) I'm a medic, but I guess I'm looking for something temporary even if it's IFT until I can get into FD. Anyone know or work for any of them? I suppose I'm applying to a few to see how much $$$ they'll pay. Schaefer looks like a smaller gig - correct me if I'm wrong. I'm interested in standby events to.

This is for all you LA "EMS'ers" out there. Where can I find up to date protocols, BLS and ALS ?! The dept of health of LA county offers some protocols, but their last update was in 2002. Not only that, but I can't seem to find any medical control options. All I can see are standing orders. Shouldn't the medical control options shortly follow the standing orders on each protocol? My google search is stumped. Here is the DOH LA County website with the list of "protocols." http://dhs.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/c...C502DJNGGVS2094 Educate me if I'm looking for something that doesn't exist. Are all medical control options discretionary, and is telemetry contact a more frequent occurrence? My experience with EMS outside of New York City is minimal, and I currently operate under nyc regional protocols that can be found here : http://www.nycremsco.org/ I thought I'd do some reading up on protocols while my reciprocity in Cali was in motion.

hey Anthony, would you happen to know the hourly AMR rate for Medics?

Anyone work for AMR in california? I would like to know what the hourly rate for a paramedic is over there (with approx 1 year of experience.) Update from last post (LA EMS) I'm moving to LA to continue school but would need a temporary job. (I'll accept working transport again :shock: ) BUT. I did once upon a time work for AMR in NYC. I'm trying to decide whether the next 6 months I should return to AMR here in NYC (To do transport )so that I can transfer over to cali with the same wage. (Which may be more than what cali AMR medics are making) Before I dump one of my 911 gigs to go back to transport, I'd like to see if the wages compare. Otherwise I'll just finish working 911 here and go in as a new Hire over in California. (situation seems to get more complex every day...)

By P.A. I had meant physician assistant. So curious... If all/most of ALS is run my Fire, whom is staffed by firefighters/paramedics, do they just rotate shifts on EMS and fire...? It's perceptible having a EMS division of fire, but requiring their paramedics to be firefighters is... well, what.. total crap? Putting together 2 completely different professions... I guess the overall picture is, I need to become a firefighter to work 911 ALS in LA. And as most FD go, they want full time commitment and have schedules that don't mesh well with a second job or school. :evil:

"Since 1973 the LAFD has run EMS in LA City and unlike the FDNY I believe all Paramedics are also firefighters." kiwimedic :shock: I really hope that isn't true....and I thought FDNY had problems... And if it IS true I can forget about ever doing any ALS in LA. :roll: The surrounding counties sound like a good idea. One of the schools I'm looking at is USC. Any ALS services/counties in that area? I'm assuming these places would all be very different from city EMS.

Hey folks, Looking for some input on Los Angelos EMS. I might be making the move out there from NYC to pursue a Master's in P.A. But I'd like to continue working as a Medic. Is 911 handled by FD / private hospitals / or private amb companies? Just looking for some direction, doing my preliminary research. As of now I'm working 911 in NYC via some private hospitals. I'd be interested in how different it is out there. Thanks.

ebay one looks pretty good, I'll check back with that closer to the end date. As for armstrong, I did see that one when I was searching. Look at the prices 4cmk6. They don't seem to sell them alone either.

Looking for an up to date Pediatric Broselow Tape online or shops in NYC. Having some trouble finding them online. I saw a couple of them for ridiculous prices. Anyone help me out?

well hold on there, were you working on a BLS ambulance? It sound's like you were maybe doing some sort of first aid station at the event? If you were doing a non-ambulance standyby, than sure you did good in calling for ems to cover yourself. If you were on a bls unit, I'd think it was a bit unnecessary since he did'nt have any imminent/signs of cardiac issues that would require ALS. That's what I gathered from the information anyhow. :wink:

I wonder how real this is... I mean they've been talkin about places like cabrini closing up shop for a long time and it's always been able to stick around. And it's suprising with St. Clares, they cover the big touristy area. So much for my *dream* getin on 6 vic and 4 willie.. :roll: And I've always wanted to work over at St. Clares. Their salary has always been sweet. Guess I'll have to go out burnin on 6 john :twisted: The only suggestion I got from one of my preceptors was to either go grab a pair of white pants or hope for the best at the hill.

This is painful... Hospital shuts down... along with the voluntary FDNY units. I suppose. So hows this going to effect ems? I supposed FDNY will take over those units? (Those in NYC anyways) My job security just took a big hit. :shock: I'm curious to know what their goals are for this "overhaul." New York Sun 9 Hospitals Proposed for Closing By JACOB GERSHMAN Staff Reporter of the Sun November 28, 2006 Governor Pataki's commission to overhaul health care in New York is recommending the closure of nine hospitals in the state, according to an industry source. The source said the panel is calling for reducing the number of hospital beds by 4,100, a smaller cut than the hospital industry had feared. As first reported in The New York Sun, the commission is calling for the closure of five hospitals in the city and is recommending that another hospital in Manhattan eliminate inpatient care. New York State has roughly 230 hospitals and 64,000 hospital beds. The Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century is releasing its final report today and submitting it to the governor for approval. If the governor and lawmakers don't reject the report in its entirety by December 31, the panel's recommendations become law and are to be implemented in 18 months. The nine hospitals slated for closure are, in Manhattan, St. Vincent's Midtown Hospital and Cabrini Medical Center; Victory Memorial Hospital in Brooklyn; New York Westchester Square Medical Center in the Bronx; the Parkway Hospital in Queens; Millard Fillmore Gates Circle Hospital in Buffalo; Bellevue Woman's Hospital in the Albany capital region; Community Hospital at Dobbs Ferry in Westchester County, and St. Joseph Hospital in Cheektowaga, according to the source. Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital may lose its inpatient beds.

well... THAT sucks... :shock: Another genius research project by the ever rich Presbyterian hospital. At least they put their money to good uses...

listen?

So what if you're one of those people that just can't settle with one job. Or maybe you just havn't found your place yet. Every field has different specialities and angles, as does the medical field. There are different types of lawyers as there are different types of bankers - all of which fluctuate in salary. Here's what I know, I want to become a paramedic, and I have been enjoying my time as a EMT. So that's exactly what I'm doing. But what I also know is that I can't be doing such a physically taxing job as I get older. I've got a lot of respect for some of the old-timers still working on the streets, but I just don't see how they do it. Another thing, as you all know, this salary just doesn't cut it. Whether I decide to become a RN, PA, or even MD later on (as some of you are discussing) it's because it's a job that's in the same field that earns the salary and won't break my back in the future years. (And right now, I just don't want to be anything other than paramedic) :roll: "In order to get more "field experience" and to survey if I really do want to spend the rest of my life in emergency medicine (let's face it....it's not for everyone!! Y'all here should know that!), I'd like to become a paramedic." Why don't you become a RN for your "field experience?" Of perhaps you should become a PA for "experience" before going to medical school. It really doesnt work that way. Becoming an EMT or Paramedic is not a question of advancement into other area's, it's a choice. If you're becoming an EMT because you think it's just a step in becoming a PA, RN, etc, then you should probably re-evaluate. Like 2 leads said, if you want to become a PA, then do it. Why become a paramedic in between? The only reason I see of one becoming a paramedic is because you actually like the profession. And the only reasons I can think of why people move on is because of $$$, change in interests, and age.

well.. think of it this way. Lets say the driver were to have his/her seatbelt on and a passenger did'nt. Depending on the angle and speed of the collision, the seatbelt may have saved the driver from being propelled out of the vehicle, but at the same time the unrestrained passenger may fly forward and have his head go straight into the restrained driver and cause some massive head trauma. So what do we end up with? Two pancakes instead of one. There are some pretty crazy UK seatbelt commercials that show this very thing...