# Medresponse Van Nuys



## luke_31 (Apr 12, 2012)

Looking for info on Medresponse as a paramedic.  Hours, pay, shifts, call ran?

Thanks


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## mike1390 (Feb 12, 2013)

bump for info


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## Amberlamps916 (Feb 12, 2013)

Stay away! Rumor has it that the owners of this company are related to the owners of Medlife Ambulance in LA, which had their county license denied for being shady. Steer very clear my friend.


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## Rano Pano (Feb 13, 2013)

24hr shifts
Pay close to 15
8-10 calls a shift
You can pick up OT

I hear they've made changes, but it was rough when I was there. The owners are jack asses IMO, but it's a job where your check won't bounce. The paramedic supervisor was a good dude.


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## Bandaid Box (Feb 15, 2013)

The owners of MedResponse are NOT related to MED Life (their not Armenian). MedResponse has their LA County licenses for BLS, ALS and CCT. I have worked for them for a couple of years as an EMT.  I have been to other companies, but I came back to MedResponse.  They work well with school schedules. A lot of good EMT's and Paramedics work here. Over 60% of EMT's can't pass their written test.

I know I'm throwing a lot of info at you, but don't tell people things you don't know for sure. 

They are above average company and happy to work with my fellow partners.


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## Amberlamps916 (Feb 15, 2013)

Regardless, it's still LA county IFT. Dialysis, followed by some more dialysis, followed by some psych transfers, followed by a CCT call to a lesser quality hospital for insurance reasons, capped off by more dialysis.


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## Matches (Feb 25, 2013)

48's or 72's a week? You said 8-10 calls a shift, but is that is that 8-10 within your area or 8-10 all over LA County? Paid 24 on 24?


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## Acetone (Mar 11, 2013)

I hope you haven't joined them yet.  MedResponse used to be an ok company.  IFT in LA county = slave work to dialysis centers.  They work you hard, like a dog.  Some of their rigs are terrible too.  Exhaust fumes galore.


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## zgreenfield (Mar 12, 2013)

*Try AmeriCare*

You can talk about private companies in LA all day long, they all have their pros and cons, and it's gonna be a lot of IFT's. I would try AmeriCare in Carson farther south, the pay is hard to beat as far as LA goes, around 385 for a shift, decent quarters, supervisors are friendly and easy to get along with..I've worked at many of the others and this is the best option in LA...Plus they do 911 contract for Compton, Downey, and Vernon...


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## iftmedic (Jun 1, 2013)

Mr Greenfield? Did you leave?


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## Matches (Jun 1, 2013)

*Do Not Try AmeriCare*



zgreenfield said:


> You can talk about private companies in LA all day long, they all have their pros and cons, and it's gonna be a lot of IFT's. I would try AmeriCare in Carson farther south, the pay is hard to beat as far as LA goes, around 385 for a shift, decent quarters, supervisors are friendly and easy to get along with..I've worked at many of the others and this is the best option in LA...Plus they do 911 contract for Compton, Downey, and Vernon...



No self respecting EMS worker would.


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## zgreenfield (Jun 1, 2013)

That's pretty assumptive to say that about my self-respect seeing as you don't know me. It's not a dream job, it's a stepping stone, and as long as you realize that and keep a positive attitude it's just fine. In addition, maybe you should post the reasons why you have this opinion so others can take your opinion into consideration.


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## Matches (Jun 1, 2013)

zgreenfield said:


> That's pretty assumptive to say that about my self-respect seeing as you don't know me. It's not a dream job, it's a stepping stone, and as long as you realize that and keep a positive attitude it's just fine. In addition, maybe you should post the reasons why you have this opinion so others can take your opinion into consideration.



Fair enough. I'm just going to list a few of things I've observed there. Some if the ambulances gears slip into neutral while driving, they wouldn't fix it. Another ambulance's gurney's locking mechanism is so loose I have to hold it in with my feet for fear that my legs will be crushed, they won't fix that either. In one of the rigs, the suction doesn't work and they say it's fine to run calls without it. Many EMT's and Paramedics tried to put one particular rig out of service since the right blinker didn't work but dispatch and supervisors didn't see this as a problem until it was CHP check out day. They forced most of their older, loyal employees to take a $3 pay cut. They cut the 24 on 24 pay scale to 16 on 24. They had a talk with one of the paramedics that was going to be covering their Santa Monica station for the day, the fire contract, and told him not to report any of the shady ALS he sees there before he left for his shift. They fired many of the old timers so they could hire new emoyees at 1/3 less the pay. The list goes on. The company takes no regard to the employees or pt's safety and continually ignores request for mechanical support. I had one partner get screamed out for downing a rig that's brakes were shotty. Yes, it is a stepping stone, but I'd beware of your safety and job security. I know of employees that have been injured and then thrown to the wind, preventing them from getting another job in EMS due to the injury and are unable to get the medical care they need from AmeriCare. Rumor has it that the owner is selling the company, in which case the EMT's will take a pay upgrade and the paramedics will be taking a huge pay cut. If your looking for money in EMS, AmeriCare is as good as your going to get in LA County, for now until they sell. If your looking for experience and a working EMS system, you avoid LA and OC like C-diff.


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## iftmedic (Jun 1, 2013)

Selling? Who did you get that info from??


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## Matches (Jun 1, 2013)

I've heard this from about 6 people now. Mike Summers has been going around to different stations and taking pictures of the quarters and ambulances. He's been talking with company representatives such as Rural/Metro. A few old school co-workers said that this is exactly what happened when Adams and other companies were taken over and became AMR a long time ago, or Bowers to Rural/Metro. They start down sizing crews (all those unassigned shifts), they start updating equipment to make it more desiresable to sell (dispatch was updated, Paramount is closed for repairs) then they talk with other companies and one day you get a letter saying that the company has changed hands, at which point the pay scale, benefits, hours, and employee policy changes. From what I've heard, part of it has to do with the unsuccessful paramedic expansion. They've tried to expand their ALS crews since December and placing them out in Arcadia, Van Nuys, and so on. The need for ALS wasn't what they expected, and now as you know, they've pulled them into Carson. So now they have tons of paramedics getting paid big bucks but not the ALS calls to support them. Plus they're not getting paid for a decent amount of their Santa Monica calls for insurance reasons, so what was supposed to be profitable is now a money drain.


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## iftmedic (Jun 1, 2013)

Well it could only be a good thing if a larger company buys them out... do you think ?


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## zgreenfield (Jun 2, 2013)

*True...but*

What you're saying is probably true, I've heard it as well from several people...That being said, my original post still holds true: The pay is better than most. As we all know most companies in LA have less than ideal working conditions, and sometimes it IS dangerous due to equipment etc. But remember, we don't have to work there! It's always our choice and for a temp job it's gotta work sometimes. I never injured myself on the job but I have also heard of people who were more or less left by the wayside. But in comparison with most other ALS providers on this level (IFT, small contracts) I still think it is a fine option. I was fortunate enough to get hired out of state before I was at Americare for too long. But I will tell you being there motivated me to aggressively take the next step in my career!


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## Matches (Jun 3, 2013)

zgreenfield said:


> What you're saying is probably true, I've heard it as well from several people...That being said, my original post still holds true: The pay is better than most. As we all know most companies in LA have less than ideal working conditions, and sometimes it IS dangerous due to equipment etc. But remember, we don't have to work there! It's always our choice and for a temp job it's gotta work sometimes. I never injured myself on the job but I have also heard of people who were more or less left by the wayside. But in comparison with most other ALS providers on this level (IFT, small contracts) I still think it is a fine option. I was fortunate enough to get hired out of state before I was at Americare for too long. But I will tell you being there motivated me to aggressively take the next step in my career!



Amen to that!


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## Tquan22 (Sep 23, 2015)

Bandaid Box said:


> The owners of MedResponse are NOT related to MED Life (their not Armenian). MedResponse has their LA County licenses for BLS, ALS and CCT. I have worked for them for a couple of years as an EMT.  I have been to other companies, but I came back to MedResponse.  They work well with school schedules. A lot of good EMT's and Paramedics work here. Over 60% of EMT's can't pass their written test.
> 
> I know I'm throwing a lot of info at you, but don't tell people things you don't know for sure.
> 
> They are above average company and happy to work with my fellow partners.


What do you mean over 60% can't pass their written test


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## Bandaid Box (Oct 19, 2015)

Tquan22 said:


> What do you mean over 60% can't pass their written test



MedResponse sees a lot of applicants, in which most can't pass their written test. Test is a standard EMT test, so you have to know your stuff. There not looking for warm bodies like most Dialysis companies, no orientation, no training, just pickup patient and transport. At least MedResponse requires patient assessments on all their transports. I'm on the short list for FD, and the background investigator stated that FD has a lot candidates from MedResponse.


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## MonkeyArrow (Oct 19, 2015)

Bandaid Box said:


> MedResponse sees a lot of applicants, in which most can't pass their written test. Test is a standard EMT test, so you have to know your stuff. There not looking for warm bodies like most Dialysis companies, *no orientation, no training, just pickup patient and transport*. At least MedResponse requires patient assessments on all their transports. I'm on the short list for FD, and the background investigator stated that FD has a lot candidates from MedResponse.


That is definitely NOT the sign of a good company.


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## Bandaid Box (Oct 19, 2015)

MonkeyArrow said:


> That is definitely NOT the sign of a good company.


You misunderstood what I said, that other companies don't do* orientation, no field training, just pickup patient and transport.*
MedResponse has classroom orientation, field training for both attendants and drivers. Even if you have experience you get training. Just to break the bad habits from other companies.


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## gonefishing (Oct 23, 2015)




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