First a little background on the EMS system of ABQ, NM.1. What is the base salary hourly ratre? EMT-B and EMT-P? Do you know if there are regular pay rate increases?
EMT-B typically starts at over $11/hr. I know my preceptor was making in the neighborhood of $18/hr as a medic.
Typically how long you are at each rate? and what the cap pay rate is for medics?
2. Uniform allowances?
Something like $350 yearly for uniform expenses
3. Health, dental, vision - good? - bad? - ugly?
Decent insurance benefits overall. They are owned by Presbyterian Healthcare, so that helps a bit.
4. Is there usually a good amount of overtime available? Extra shifts? ( do they mandate that you can't work more than like 36hr straight etc)
There are usually OT shifts to pick up. Normal shifts are 13s and you are usually schedule for 3/week. There are two areas of the city with 24s, but you are not allowed to work a 24 followed by a 13. No working over 16 hours a shift.
5. How does shift bidding work? Are you on a unit/shift for say 3-6 months then they rebid? or?
Shifts are on a seniority basis, but I'm not quite sure how that works. I know friends of mine that are brand new or upgrading to medic or intermediate get tossed into the float pool for a few months. I think it's scheduling on a monthly basis though
6. Is there some type of union?
Not sure, I'll ask about it
7. How is management, community, hospital staff, and fire dept towards paramedics/emt's
See under this post.
8. How are the EMT's and Paramedic's treated by Hospital staff i.e. RN's, Md's, etc?
See under this post.
9. Unit set-up emt-p/emt-b? emt-p / emt-p...Are there first responding medics on the engines?
EMT-I/EMT-B trucks run transfers and some low acuity 911 calls. There are some EMT-I/EMT-P trucks that run 911, but most are EMT-B/EMT-P. The EMT-Bs are mostly EVO, as County EMS protocols state that AAS must have at least an EMT-I in the back with the patient.
10. Do you call ahead via radio and give a report to a radio RN, or are you just giving a heads up of your ETA?
You give a short radio report to whatever hospital you are going to, and then give the full report to the RN at bedside/trauma room.
11. How is the management?
Seems to be very good towards the staff. There's not a lot of turnover among the medics there.
12. Equipment? is most of the equipment in good working order? e.g rigs, etc?
Good equipment. All fully upgraded LP12s (last I heard 15s were being considered.) Sprinter Type IIs for some of the IFT trucks, most of the 911 trucks are F350 boxes, with some being E350 boxes (those are being phased out in favor of the long nose rigs)
13. Protocols?
Not bad. More restrictive than state protocols in general are, but that's due to you being in proximity to eight hospitals in the county, including the state's only Lvl1 trauma center.
Protocols can be found here http://www.bernco.gov/live/..%5C%5Cupload%5Cimages%5Cfire_rescue%5Cems_protocols.pdf
14. Anything else you can add. That would help me make an informed decision of possibly relocating, and working for this company.
Thank you