Calling all FL medics! (Not sure where else to put this…so…here it goes?)

[TornWingedAngel1]

What’s up everyone?


So, I’ll try to keep this brief. I am a medic for suburbs of Detroit MI. We are a private ambulance company that provided 911 for about six cities.


I am going to be moving in the next few months to Florida. I am only in the beginning stages of this. I am NREMT and am going to get a FL license through reciprocity.


I am more than likely going to be in the Tampa area. Although panhandle and Boca Raton are possible options. (Mostly likely the Tampa/Largo/St Peteresberg area.)


Does anyone know how the privates work down there? I expect the systems to work very different than Michigan’s and any general information about the ems systems down there would help a lot.


Are there any companies with exceptionally good reputations or exceptionally poor? I saw that AMR is down there. When I was down there visiting a friend I noticed a company called Sunstar. That’s all I know. (A Google search will follow the posting of this thread.)


Also, on a somewhat non-EMS level, are there any areas to avoid? I always said I’d ask EMS workers where are the “bad areas” cause we seem to know them. (I could most certainly tell you the “bad areas.” in my service area.) So are there any cities that I should try to stay clear of because they are general dangerous areas?


Thanks very much for taking the time to read this. Hopefully I can get some good feedback form here. ^_^

 

[MedicGirl414]

Good Morning,
First I would like to welcome you to the sunny state, be prepared for long brutal days of heat and torrential downpours! Rain gear is a must in everyone's bag!... I live just north of the Tampa Bay area, so i'm unsure of the private companies in Boca Raton and Panhandle. But will shed some light with what I do know. Sunstar is the only private company within the Pasco, Pinellas & Hillsborough counties that runs 9-1-1. All of the other private companies run non-emergency transports between med fac. Sunstar is the name that Pinellas owns for its EMS, the company currently under contract is Paramedics Plus. They run EMT 12hrs and Medic 24hrs. No station or hub between calls, they will post in visual areas. The pay is 'okay', the last I looked into them it was $11.30hr and goes up depending on experience. Sunstar is known as the burn-out company, they have a high turn over rate and will fire any employee for just about anything. Usually the first month you shadow a supervisor on his truck his schedule, then you'll be assigned a main station to report to, Tarpon, Largo, St Pete. Tarpon is usually the hardest to get, it's where those with most time in get 1st pick, St. Pete is where most newbies are placed & of course Largo is a 50/50 shot. The non-emergency companies are easier to hold your job with but pay is significantly less some starting at $9.50... The only other way to run 9-1-1 calls in the Bay area is to be with the FD, however in Pinellas county FD just responds and works on scene then Sunstar will transport pts to the hospital.

As far as living, a good rule of thumb, the further south you go the higher cost of everything becomes in this state. St Pete has some of the nicest beaches and resorts, but crazy rents to pay, Downtown St Pete is a very poor section of the neighborhood. I dread having calls in that area, and I lived outside of the boroughs for a while! All of the other cities has their "bad spots" but its easy to manage them. As far as driving goes, 1st thing you will notice is people do not respond to lights & sirens, they will stay put especially at traffic lights. Drives me nuts in the truck and my own personal vehicle! Traveling e&w is much easier in the Bay area, generally 20mins from Pinellas to Hillsborough. Driving n&s is much different, something that should take 20mins can average 40-50mins, during rush hour or accidents can be closer to 1.5hrs.

Hope this helps you some. If you have any further questions, i'll try my best to answer. Safe Move-

 

[Chimpie]

And if you want to come down a little further south to Manatee or Sarasota Counties, we have Ambitrans and West Coast Southern.

I can't really tell you much about these two, but I've heard they stay busy. Both are IFT. 911 is handled by the county.

Manatee County EMS is strictly EMS and hire (I believe) only medics.

Sarasota County EMS is part of the Fire Department, and you must have both certificates to even be considered.

As for a place to live, I would recommend staying in Sarasota County, or east of 75 in Manatee County. Stay away from Bradenton.

If you have any other questions let me know.

 

[TornWingedAngel1]

Thanks for your responses, guys.

Hearing that about SunStar worries me. I am bg on being treated well at a company. And I alays worry about a company that is going to fire people so quickly. I hate a job that I feel like I'm walking on eggshells all the time.

I may check out Abitrans and West Coast Southern as well. Are they transport only company or do they angle 911s as well?

In the Boca Raton area all google seems to be able to find it Medics Ambulance. Does anyone know how they run?

I'm also keeping everything you're saying into mind about the areas. I'm currently in flight school and so I want to find a flight school that is well accredited and easy to apply to. But I obviously have to take lots of consideration into jobs and environments.

Also, does anyone here have any information on being a cruise medic? I've done some preliminary research on that but it's be nice if anyone had any first-hand testaments.

Thanks for the advice so far. It actually is really helping me with directions for this whole move.