Pros
They offer new EMT-B's the opportunity to use their newfound skills and certification. You applied for the company KNOWING that it is for-profit. Understand that and do your best to uphold that business purpose. This is accomplished by providing EXCEPTIONAL patient care (to retain customers) and by EXCELLENT documentation (to collect from insurance companies). You gain invaluable experience from the inter facility transfers (Reading history and physicals from discharging facilities helps you understand disease processes, medication uses, et cetera.) Backup 911 for the county teaches you the people-in-the-wild side of things, forces you to remain professional while obtaining a complete SAMPLE history, and teaches scene control and awareness. Contracts in my district involve nursing home emergencies and critical care transports, seasoned with backup-911 calls. Management is VERY responsive if you stay in touch with them. People at my workplace complain that they aren't out in the ambulance bay involved in gossip, because they are indoors. I routinely check in on them and they are more than jovial, just busy with upholding contracts and the bigwig side of business. Equipment is on par with the competitors, the pay is on par, and benefits are within normal expectations. I have received over eight dollars in raises since I started there 6 years ago. Keep an open mind, don't whine and complain about trivial things, and a long, rewarding career will await you. Whine because the new dispatcher is "crossing trucks" and they make you do your own dishes now, and you will have a terrible time. I can count on two hands the amount of times I've gotten off work an hour late in SIX YEARS. The competitor has no off-time! Most complainers are new to EMS and have yet to realize that their complaints are relevant industry-wide. Sometimes you get a late run, you better fuel and stock your truck at the end of the shift, and realize that life is not fair, and sometimes you will do one more run than the "other" truck. Sometimes you will get complained on for doing nothing wrong. It is the supervisors job to investigate. Such is life, and every workplace.
Cons
New EMT-Bs must learn that occasional late runs happen, and you will spend most of your time completing dialysis transfers, wait and returns, and out of town transfers. Paramedics new to the company must realize that inter facility transfers are what pays the company. The acquisition of these contracts that produce IFTs are what pushed the starting wage for paramedics up $5.64 in the past few years. Don't ruin them with a bad attitude. There are opportunities for counseling for EMS providers with burnout OFFERED BY THE COMPANY. The CEO of Rural/Metro visited this location last year, and noted that it was the most aged fleet of all operations. A stellar mechanic has kept these vehicles running. Don't destroy them. The majority of dispatchers are new to the field, and play nice with those who play nice to them. Some call it favoritism, some call it learning to shut your mouth. 4-5 runs on a 12 hour shift is normal. Sometimes you work harder than that. Backup 911 calls mean mostly nonemergent runs with less than acute illnesses or injuries. Get over it. Sometimes people with bad attitudes don't get full raises on their yearly evaluations. Hint Hint Hint. Bad attitudes mean a loss in customer base.
