Care / Westmed / Schaefer in SoCal!

[1aCe3]

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.

[AnthonyM83]

Five 911 companies in LA County.

AMR, Care, McCormick, (Cole-)Schaffer, Gerber.

AMR - Northern (Large company, apparently a number of EMT-Medic rigs, known for being very political, lots of their management left for other companies, big name though, previously known for long response times, ambulances have a tracking system on how hard you stop, take turns, etc)

*Care - Eastern/South (Well established in Orange County, wear white shirts w/ navy blue pants, known for competent EMTs, pretty politically correct, lots of box ambulances, 3 months doing IFTs, then 911 units)

McCormick - Western/South (Almost all EMT-BLS units, newest 911 company, apparently, good EMTs, new EMTs may go to IFT side of company or straight to 911 depending on eval from FTO and staffing needs, known for good response times, comparatively good management)

Cole-Schaffer - Sections of Northeast area (All I've heard is "don't work for them" and "dirty dirty horrible stations"...though some people have worked there quite comfortably and they enjoyed their time there)

*Gerber - Two cities, one for which they only respond code 2 to all calls (fire goes code 3). Even though all LA companies are mainly just transport companies, Gerber seems like they're really just a transport company.

*Companies with starts have hot girls

I think they all pay about the same. Info's to the best of my knowledge from word of mouth.

[JPINFV]

Shaffer also has a 911 contract in Orange County, but OC does not have any private medics. It does look like Care is hiring medics though [information night on their main page says it's for EMT-B/1s and EMT-Ps], but no openings are listed on their job page.

[travisxx]

i work for Schaefer ambulance:

i was working for an IFT company for 6months waiting for a word from AMR due to area i live they run 911, but since i never heard back from them i applied with schaefer.

i have been working for schaefer for about 6months as an EMT-B in the Monrovia/duarte area which we have 2 24hr crews and a day car(which i am on- 9am-9pm). i really like work with this company and their starting pay is very well for being a 911 company which you start out at 10.62hr with overtime being over 40hr work week. i currently work 120+hrs every 2 weeks and make about 1200. they have 3$ call bonus' for every "good" call where you complete a call with pt. info and completed run forms and this adds up which i get anywhere between 60-100+ call bonus' every check. Schaefer covers cities along the 210 freeway, 605, 57 and others.

cities include: Monrovia, Duarte, Bradbury,Azusa,San Dimas, Glendora, Pomona, and other cities where they only have Fire RA's if there all busy. The area i work is very nice and we get the usual geriatric calls but we also get a lot of good traumas with TC's on the freeway and Monrovia is currently have a gangwar with 10 deaths within the last 2 months.

Schaefer is a family run buisness and of course there are policies which we have to follow in compliance such as uniforms and just little things like that. Our rigs dont have real MDT's like you see in AMR units but we have a type of mdt that gives us the call with all the info we need. Schaefer uses the mod vans(box) for 24's and day cars get the vans. One draw back is that we dont have county handheld radios so either one partner has to stay in the rig to answer a call or be on the radio.

We dont post out like AMR does but sometimes we do post due to "coverage" in a particular area. Our stations are decent i guess, tv, direct Tv, wifi in some stations and sleeping quarters.

Scheduling: one thing i really dont like!

you have 2 options for 24hr shifts.

A side- monday, wed., friday and every other saturday

B side- tues, thurs, sunday and every other sat.

day cars- 12hr shifts. 8am-8pm, 9am-9pm and several other shifts depending on the area.

medics- you only work 2 days a week, and can always pick up extra shifts. we have medics and always looking for more. there based out in Pomona and respond to both 911 and IFT calls.

Shift bids- about every 1.5-2mnths we have shift bids where you write down 4 stations you would like to go to and try to bid on the area that you want.

we have supervisors that take of our supply orders for each station, drop off o2 and backboards, and basically check up on us and make sure we have done our duties such as wash the rig, clean the station, make sure you look professional. there all really nice guys.

As far as the employess, there nice guys with the ocassional "burnt-out types"

One of my best friends works for Westmed in inglewood and he says he really likes the company and hasnt had any complaints. And this company has the real fire schedule where you only work 10 days a month.

All in all i really like working for this company.

if anyone has any questions just message me or respond to this post