# Got an Interview with Olympic Ambulance in Washington



## Monkeywrench (Mar 29, 2015)

I've got an interview up on the Olympic Peninsula for Olympic Ambulance.  Anyone on here work for them or know what to expect?


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 29, 2015)

Yep. I did.


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## Monkeywrench (Mar 29, 2015)

Any idea of what to expect?


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 29, 2015)

Are you interviewing in Bremerton? Are you a medic or basic?


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## Monkeywrench (Mar 29, 2015)

Sequim, just a basic  for a part time gig until I can put myself through medic school.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 29, 2015)

Expect the basic interview questions. (https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-answer-the-31-most-common-interview-questions)

There used to be a basic test and a scenario. Don't know if they're still doing that. Good group in Sequim. 

Good luck.


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## Monkeywrench (Mar 29, 2015)

Awesome, thanks.  I've met a couple people that work up there that seem good and also seem to enjoy it there.
Why'd you end up leaving the company?


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 29, 2015)

I worked as a per diem medic in Bremerton and I left Washington. It's a pretty dismal state for EMS unless you're a fire medic or work for King county medic one.


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## Monkeywrench (Mar 29, 2015)

Ah gotcha. Yeah until I got involved with EMS a couple years ago I had no idea how many EMTs or medics there were or just how few jobs there were.


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## Monkeywrench (Mar 29, 2015)

is it really that hard for a paramedic to find work in Washington?


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## waaaemt (Mar 29, 2015)

I believe they are primary up in Sequim? so that's cool.  actually if you look hard enough,  there's decent amount of jobs for paramedics. you will just need to shell out the  $ to test... NTN, PA, bates etc


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 29, 2015)

It's not a great place to work unless you're a fire medic. Private services pay lousy and work you to the bone. If you want great experience, work as a medic in Yakima for a year. You will see more GSWs and other trauma, coupled with really sick people, than you'll find almost anywhere. Again, money sucks and the equipment is "meh", but you'll run great stuff, shift after shift. They say you get 5 years of experience the first year there. KCM1 is really the only true third service, difficult to get hired, but truly a dream career gig for most.


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## Monkeywrench (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks for the tips guys. That's one thing that I was told was that the pay isn't great at the basic or medic level but the experience from all the patient contact will be worth it.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 30, 2015)

It's not great til you're a fire medic. Then, look out!


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## waaaemt (Mar 30, 2015)

actually Skagit County medic one is just as legit as King County. if not better.  king County is too isolated from the outside world imo. not that i would ever turn down a job offer from them..  there's also North Country EMS  in yacolt, WA,  third service,  starts medics at $18 or something. also Skamania County EMS who start medics at $20. but full time spot there are few.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 30, 2015)

waaaemt said:


> actually Skagit County medic one is just as legit as King County. if not better.  king County is too isolated from the outside world imo. not that i would ever turn down a job offer from them..  there's also North Country EMS  in yacolt, WA,  third service,  starts medics at $18 or something. also Skamania County EMS who start medics at $20. but full time spot there are few.



Very true. I have a friend at Skagit, it's a great service, but people never leave. Just like Cascade and Island... There are good jobs, but few and far between.


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## PotatoMedic (Mar 30, 2015)

If anyone care

https://cascademedicalcenter.applicantpro.com/jobs/202281.html

I would apply... but sadly I have not even finished school yet.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 30, 2015)

FireWA1 said:


> If anyone care
> 
> https://cascademedicalcenter.applicantpro.com/jobs/202281.html
> 
> I would apply... but sadly I have not even finished school yet.




I don't know how progressive the medicine is, but an awesome place to live. (It reminds me of Arendelle from Frozen.)
Most of those guys have been there 10 years +. http://www.cascademedical.org/ambulance-service/meet-our-team

I talked to a couple of the guys when I was up there a few years ago, and they said, "unless you're from here, it's damn near impossible to get hired."

Just like Mason County Medic One. They like their medics "homegrown"


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## Monkeywrench (Mar 30, 2015)

Yeah I bet. I start training next Tuesday then hopefully get offered a job. They warned me that they will work me to death if I let them.


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## NomadicMedic (Mar 30, 2015)

Good luck.
 Let us know how it goes.


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## Monkeywrench (Mar 30, 2015)

Thanks I'll be more than happy to keep you guys in the loop.


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## Monkeywrench (Apr 17, 2015)

Just wanted to say that Olympic Ambulance has been treating great. Great training with people that even gave me their personal numbers and said call any time with any questions. But it's a lot of training they try to cram into one month. They're hiring right now too.


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## NomadicMedic (Apr 17, 2015)

I really enjoyed my time there. The Bremerton station was awesome, and the per diem pay was great.


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## Monkeywrench (Apr 18, 2015)

Yeah I'm not going to pretend I've got their system figured out yet but they seem to have a lot of opportunities to pick up extra pay whether it's for being on call or easily lots of overtime.  I'm just looking for part time.


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## Vegasmedic (Sep 28, 2015)

Just out of curiosity how is the medic pay and is there any 911 work? I work at Spokane AMR now but keeping my options open for later. 

Thanks


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## Monkeywrench (Sep 28, 2015)

OIF3vet said:


> Just out of curiosity how is the medic pay and is there any 911 work? I work at Spokane AMR now but keeping my options open for later.
> 
> Thanks



I'm not sure what the medic pay is like. I'm guessing low since EMTs get paid minimum. The Port Angeles location has medics and runs 911 calls. The branch in Bremerton I believe does as well but I'm not familiar with their system or their pay scale.


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## NomadicMedic (Sep 28, 2015)

Monkeywrench said:


> I'm not sure what the medic pay is like. I'm guessing low since EMTs get paid minimum. The Port Angeles location has medics and runs 911 calls. The branch in Bremerton I believe does as well but I'm not familiar with their system or their pay scale.



Bremerton does no ALS 911, it's all IFT. The BLS trucks do 911 with the Brem medics. Per Diem medics made $22/hour when I left in 2010. Full time medics made +/- $16/hour. Fantastic facility, good place to make extra medic money and get some good training. I took a LOT of sick people to Seattle from Brem when the Helicopter couldn't fly and you'll take a LOT of active labor, STEMIs and unstable PTs out of the Silverdale Campus and Port Orchard urgent care. You'll also take unstable patients from the Navy Hospital to Madigan.

You can, after a while at Oly, try to get in per diem MCMO, running 911 (and IFT). MCMO is not a government agency, it's owned by Oly. The pay there sucks, but it's a fun place to pick up some extra hours.


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## DWR (Sep 30, 2015)

I think overall (I know it's probably been said before) but experience and presenting yourself is key. Also the willingness to work in an area you might not want to live in particularly is also a big thing. I went to Paramedic school at Columbia Basin College in the Tri Cities. Personally I dislike it down there (I moved from Bellingham) but the departments are always hiring and they run predominantly ALS crews. To be honest it's a pain to get hired in WA due to the influx of people wanting a job in that neck of the woods. For example I'm a medic in Wilmington, NC and a few Wilmington Firefighters have talked to me about testing out there. I think you need to look overall what you wan't to do and where you want to go. In some departments you might be a "fire medic" but that might translate you essentially being a full time medic and not so much a firefighter. My suggestion is find out what you want to do and where you want to go, and once you figure that out see whats in the area. Just be open to your options, especially early in your career.


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