# Desert Ambulance 2019



## wtferick (Apr 10, 2019)

Any recent employees from Desert Ambulance that may elaborate some information? Such as shifts, and call volume. 

Tired of OC/LA EMS and Hall is just a tad bit to far at the moment.


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## Rano Pano (Apr 13, 2019)

I’ve never worked for Desert Ambulance, but I have worked for Hall. That being said I have ran calls with Desert Ambulance, and spoken to a few of their employees.
Shifts are 48’s & Barstow is a busy city.
The pay is low, and from what I’ve heard management doesn’t have the best reputation. A great place to gain experience though. Bakersfield may be far, but the company treats their employees better then most. Unless you have commitments tying you SoCal I recommend rethinking writing them off.

Also, you have so much outside of OC/LA why did you mention only those two companies?  AMR in Riverside & ICEMA. MBA & SLO both have a good reputation.
Good Luck!


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## wtferick (Apr 13, 2019)

Rano Pano said:


> I’ve never worked for Desert Ambulance, but I have worked for Hall. That being said I have ran calls with Desert Ambulance, and spoken to a few of their employees.
> Shifts are 48’s & Barstow is a busy city.
> The pay is low, and from what I’ve heard management doesn’t have the best reputation. A great place to gain experience though. Bakersfield may be far, but the company treats their employees better then most. Unless you have commitments tying you SoCal I recommend rethinking writing them off.
> 
> ...


AMR. No thanks haha. SLO is further than hall and MBA was another option I was looking in to. Thanks for the Desert info though!


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## RocketMedic (Apr 13, 2019)

How is Hall?


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## CbrMonster (Apr 13, 2019)

Rano Pano said:


> I’ve never worked for Desert Ambulance, but I have worked for Hall. That being said I have ran calls with Desert Ambulance, and spoken to a few of their employees.
> Shifts are 48’s & Barstow is a busy city.
> The pay is low, and from what I’ve heard management doesn’t have the best reputation. A great place to gain experience though. Bakersfield may be far, but the company treats their employees better then most. Unless you have commitments tying you SoCal I recommend rethinking writing them off.
> 
> ...


I know rocket has already asked, but how is Hall’s shifts? I know they have a lot of 24’s and do 12’s as well right?


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## jgmedic (Apr 13, 2019)

Hall is all 12's in Metro Bako. East Kern is on 48s, West Kern on a Kelly.


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## CbrMonster (Apr 13, 2019)

Cool thanks, looking to switch areas so i’m Scoping out basically all of SoCal


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## VentMonkey (Apr 13, 2019)

jgmedic said:


> Hall is all 12's in Metro Bako. East Kern is on 48s, *West Kern on a Kelly*.


Incorrect, Metro Bakersfield shifts also include 8 and 10-hour shifts. East and West Kern are on the same Kern Co. Fire 48-hour schedule. The only WK station on City Fire's Kelly is Arvin, which as a 24, is hanging on by a thread. The airship is also on City Fire's Kelly.


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## jgmedic (Apr 13, 2019)

My mistake, it's been 10 years since I worked at Hall. Thanks for the update.


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## Rano Pano (Apr 13, 2019)

RocketMedic said:


> How is Hall?



I don't know if I can tell you anything that you probably don't know from the many preexisting threads. Also, I'm not sure how it would translate for someone with experience in TX. Hall is a private, but they are one of the few that have their company together. It's been the nicest place I've worked as far as equipment, and benefits go. The pay is better than most, and its a busy system. The "Hall culture" is a real thing. Coworkers were great, but I felt a couple of Sups were power hungry (couldn't tell you if they are even still there). I had a positive experience, but where I was at in my personal life didn't make staying in Bako a reality. If your serious about moving back to CA I think it definitely deserves to be looked at. At the end of the day though private EMS is private EMS.


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## Rano Pano (Apr 13, 2019)

wtferick said:


> AMR. No thanks haha. SLO is further than hall and MBA was another option I was looking in to. Thanks for the Desert info though!



No problem.
Since your committed to the SoCal area I think it's important to mention I haven't heard of a company here that doesn't have the "Cons" that AMR brings - ESPECIALLY Desert Ambulance. The reality is AMR covers every county down here except Imperial. This isn't a push for AMR or denying the horror stories you've heard, but if you're coming from OC/LA anywhere is going to be a upgrade.


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## DesertMedic66 (Apr 13, 2019)

Rano Pano said:


> No problem.
> Since your committed to the SoCal area I think it's important to mention I haven't heard of a company here that doesn't have the "Cons" that AMR brings - ESPECIALLY Desert Ambulance. The reality is AMR covers every county down here except Imperial. This isn't a push for AMR or denying the horror stories you've heard, but if you're coming from OC/LA anywhere is going to be a upgrade.


Actually AMR San Diego is currently covering parts of Imperial where Gold Cross ambulance used to operate.


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## Rano Pano (Apr 13, 2019)

DesertMedic66 said:


> Actually AMR San Diego is currently covering parts of Imperial where Gold Cross ambulance used to operate.



I totally forgot Gold Cross just recently shut down, right? Good to know.


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## DesertMedic66 (Apr 13, 2019)

Rano Pano said:


> I totally forgot Gold Cross just recently shut down, right? Good to know.


Correct. AMR San Diego is currently operating in their old area until a new contract with a new ambulance company is signed. 

No company has been able to survive down there. There have been at least 5 companies all down there in the past 10 years (West Shores, Gold Cross, MBA, Mission, etc). They all either go bankrupt and close shop or pull out of the contract extremely quick.


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## wtferick (Apr 13, 2019)

Rano Pano said:


> No problem.
> Since your committed to the SoCal area I think it's important to mention I haven't heard of a company here that doesn't have the "Cons" that AMR brings - ESPECIALLY Desert Ambulance. The reality is AMR covers every county down here except Imperial. This isn't a push for AMR or denying the horror stories you've heard, but if you're coming from OC/LA anywhere is going to be a upgrade.


No no I agree! Just looking for something that has an extremely convenient Schedule while I build up my personal business. Bakersfield does also have one of my suppliers though....

Thanks for the reply any ways! I'll always keep Hall is a choice.


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## Amberlamps916 (Apr 13, 2019)

Ventura and Santa Barbara never get any love


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## Tigger (Apr 13, 2019)

Addrobo said:


> Ventura and Santa Barbara never get any love


Can you live anywhere near Santa Barbara on just an AMR medic pay check? I'd be in to that if I ever got sick of snow.


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## Amberlamps916 (Apr 13, 2019)

Tigger said:


> Can you live anywhere near Santa Barbara on just an AMR medic pay check? I'd be in to that if I ever got sick of snow.



While it's not extravagant, yes you can. Living and working by the beach is pretty awesome. It's not unheard of for private medics to be making six figures around these areas.

Just the fact that most of the fire departments are BLS was the biggest selling point for me.

If anyone is curious, I've posted about Santa Barbara County in the past in great detail. 

It's still California's best kept EMS secret.


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## Tigger (Apr 13, 2019)

Addrobo said:


> While it's not extravagant, yes you can. Living and working by the beach is pretty awesome. It's not unheard of for private medics to be making six figures around these areas.
> 
> Just the fact that most of the fire departments are BLS was the biggest selling point for me.
> 
> ...


The guidelines also look pretty decent. Only been there once but was immediately enamored.


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## Amberlamps916 (Apr 13, 2019)

Tigger said:


> The guidelines also look pretty decent. Only been there once but was immediately enamored.



And they keep expanding.

Check out their protocols. Another thing unique to Santa Barbara County is the ability for Paramedics to deem certain 911 calls BLS and have their EMT partner run the call. While that might be something other states do, it's virtually unheard of in Southern California.


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## RocketMedic (Apr 14, 2019)

Addrobo said:


> And they keep expanding.
> 
> Check out their protocols. Another thing unique to Santa Barbara County is the ability for Paramedics to deem certain 911 calls BLS and have their EMT partner run the call. While that might be something other states do, it's virtually unheard of in Southern California.


We can’t do that at my current place in Texas...911 = ALS here


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## VentMonkey (Apr 14, 2019)

jgmedic said:


> My mistake, it's been 10 years since I worked at Hall. Thanks for the update.


FWIW, this wasn’t intended to be snarky (having re-read it, I can see how it may have sounded so).

As far as Desert Ambulance, I don’t know of anyone other than a paramedic who’s used to work for them for a good while who now works for us.

If it speaks to anything, he works in Boron—the station that mutual aids at Kramer Junction with Desert Amb. the most—and has been at our company as long as me.

He’s also been a paramedic since I was in high school. I’m guessing he likes it here a smidge more.

KCFD #17, who also does the mutuals with that stretch of Kern/ San Bernardino Co.’s, almost always asks for our Boron unit to respond if they’re available since they seem to almost always be quicker.

If the call is on DA’s side, our hands may be tied, but typically it seems our units either are requested or get to that area before DA’s.

A lot of bad stuff happens at Kramer Junction...


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## wtferick (Apr 14, 2019)

VentMonkey said:


> FWIW, this wasn’t intended to be snarky (having re-read it, I can see how it may have sounded so).
> 
> As far as Desert Ambulance, I don’t know of anyone other than a paramedic who’s used to work for them for a good while who now works for us.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the input! Do you think it's worth commuting for the 12 hr shifts Hall has to offer for new hires? From OC/LA border.


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## VentMonkey (Apr 14, 2019)

wtferick said:


> Thanks for the input! Do you think it's worth commuting for the 12 hr shifts Hall has to offer for new hires? From OC/LA border.


That depends on factors only you could answer. I thought you were nurse-bound?

If so, I’d say no, focus on nursing school first.

How it’s typically working out for B’s: 
They’re put on a BLS car where they actually run a fair amount of high-acuity calls in metro, and carry a large chunk of the workload.

Had a BLS unit launch us a few weeks ago to a scene, so they’re also seeing more time in the rural areas as well. It is a _busy_ system for _all_ ground crews.

Fire isn’t always happy about receiving a BLS unit, cuz’, you know? ALS fixes everything, but that’s another story. 

As far as the physical commute, I’m sure people still room with another, rotating their days to fit their respective schedules; something I have no firsthand experience with.


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## wtferick (Apr 14, 2019)

VentMonkey said:


> That depends on factors only you could answer. I thought you were nurse-bound?
> 
> If so, I’d say no, focus on nursing school first.
> 
> ...


I actually dropped everything relating to nursing. Experimented with a side business for some extra cash, and ended up becoming an actual business... currently pursuing a degree in Marketing/Business Anatalytic. 

Currently keeping employment for the health insurance! 

As to why I'm looking around for a place I would while I attend school.


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## jgmedic (Apr 17, 2019)

No problem. Is that medic's name James? I think I got hired with that guy.






VentMonkey said:


> FWIW, this wasn’t intended to be snarky (having re-read it, I can see how it may have sounded so).
> 
> As far as Desert Ambulance, I don’t know of anyone other than a paramedic who’s used to work for them for a good while who now works for us.
> 
> ...


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## VentMonkey (Apr 17, 2019)

jgmedic said:


> No problem. Is that medic's name James? I think I got hired with that guy.


PM-ed.


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## pl8guy (Apr 17, 2019)

2019 info: 
Pay = insulting 
Teamsters Union so rates are non negotiable 

Medics $12/hr ot after 8 hours ending at 24 hours ( 12 for first 8 hours then 1.5x for the last 16)
Emts $10/hr and only 16/24 hours paid unless you get up x amount of times

Works out to less than having ot after 40hrs a week with the amount of time you spend up there 

1 station in Barstow. 
3 medic (P/b) units daily.
Medics start part time until a full time spot opens. All emts are part time only except for a few dinosaurs. 
Schedule is 48on48off then 48on 96off.
You can pick up just a 24 or stack shifts up to a 120 as a medic or a 48 as an emt.

Call volume 
- busy busy busy! Expect 1-2 hours of sleep per 24hr shift. If you’re lucky maybe 3-4 not consecutively of course. 
You will run all 911 and IFT calls. There are no bls units to supplement call volume

- 16 runs in a 48. Usually 3 are IFTs from BCH to loma linda or arrowhead.
- run all transfers out of BCH and Fort Irwin. 
- bls BCH to local snf or VA 
- Fort Irwin to Camp Pendleton.
- occasionally transport to sunrise in vegas

911s  - majority will be in the city limits with quick turnaround. 
Response district is about an 70 mile radius from Barstow. Response times of 45+ mins are common for the fringes 
95% of your patients will be homeless and or dealing with substance abuse problems

Traumas out on the 15,40 and the infamous Kramer Junction will be common. 

Most Traumas, Strokes and STEMIs you will make the call to fly out or transport by ground or combination ( coordinate a meet up point to transfer care to heli) 
This depends on your clinical judgment and availability of resources. 

Fire departments. 
Barstow fd is ALS and will assist you with pt care. Great bunch of guys. Department has a very high turnover rate. 
SbcoFD hit or miss. Might get a 1 man volunteer ff/emt on a patrol maybe you get a medic. Kind of a mixed bag
Kern county FD. Solid crews. BLS only
Calico/dagget volunteers - either 80 year old grandma or 14 year old timmy. Huge lack of training and clinical competency. Expect to walk into a room with 10 of them standing around wearing 20 year old bunker gear twiddling their thumbs 
MCLB Barstow- ALS great crews always there to back you up when you need it  the most. 

Expect to be the only medic on your calls. Most of the time you will be and it means you need to call the shots. A big difference for most other socal gigs. 

Equipment 
New ford transits
All manual stryker gurneys
Zoll E series monitors 

Management 
Still family owned and old school
No supervisors only an ops manager 
Do your job don’t complain 

Sorry for the formatting but I hope this answers your questions.


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## wtferick (Apr 17, 2019)

pl8guy said:


> 2019 info:
> Pay = insulting
> Teamsters Union so rates are non negotiable
> 
> ...


Everything I was looking for. Thanks!


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## RocketMedic (Apr 17, 2019)

Where do they find stuff for the E series?


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