# Alaska Paramedic Job?



## Fwgun (Nov 1, 2014)

I am currently an NREMT - P in Indiana, I have been a paramedic for approx 4 months, working full time for a critical care transport service, and part time for a 911 service. I am interested in moving to Alaska and working for a year or 2 while I am still young, single, and have nothing holding me back.

I have been doing quite a bit of searching online, but not had much luck. Anyone know of any of the main services in Alaska (other than LifeMed Alaska) that is hiring? I found some fire departments but not really interested in that.

Any input would help! Especially from medics that currently work in Alaska.


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## STXmedic (Nov 1, 2014)

@akflightmedic


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## akflightmedic (Nov 2, 2014)

All depends on where you want to work. Alaska is big. Additionally, your options are VERY limited. There are a lot of volunteer agencies in Alaska and actual paramedics are few and far between. Alaska has EMT I, II and III which are certifications and then paramedics are called MICPs which is licensed. The EMT IIIs are pseudo medics in the sense that they do ACLS measures, so most communities just use them. Cheaper and easier to get.

So where do you want to go because the answer will be different depending on that. 

My AK MICP number is 3 digits....LOL.


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## Fwgun (Nov 4, 2014)

akflightmedic said:


> All depends on where you want to work. Alaska is big. Additionally, your options are VERY limited. There are a lot of volunteer agencies in Alaska and actual paramedics are few and far between. Alaska has EMT I, II and III which are certifications and then paramedics are called MICPs which is licensed. The EMT IIIs are pseudo medics in the sense that they do ACLS measures, so most communities just use them. Cheaper and easier to get.
> 
> So where do you want to go because the answer will be different depending on that.
> 
> My AK MICP number is 3 digits....LOL.




I'm really open for anywhere in Alaska, I thought about LifeMed alaska, not sure how willing they are to work with someone out of state because of the licensing. Also looked into North Slope, but not much housing available there.

Any idea how long it would take for Alaska to issue a license for me? I am nationally registered, but only licensed in Indiana.

I would need full time employment, could you name off a few that you know that i can look into?

@akflightmedic


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## akflightmedic (Nov 4, 2014)

Being that you are so new, I would rule out most of the remote areas (Nome, Barrow/North Slope, Dutch Harbor, etc). Not saying they would not hire you, however they look for more experienced and seasoned medics due to the austere environment. For example, my typical medevac flight lasted anywhere from 3-24 hours depending on weather. Take a critical patient whether trauma or medical and then manage them for that length of time. On the plus side, if you get in one of those areas, you will have some serious experience under your belt that most in the lower 48 will never see. I did my first field chest tube in Alaska, numerous surgical crics, hung blood, fibrinolytics, and delivered babies. 

I recommend you look in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau or Soldotna. You can get just an EMS job in the last 3, Anchorage is Fire-Rescue but they may be willing to train you since you will have MICP status. Juneau look for Capitol City EMS. Other possibilities but rare are in Ketchikan or Sitka. Keep in mind the majority of these areas have a heavy volunteer base and a lot of them simply have paid on call staff as well. If you want FT employment seek out the big 3 listed above. 

If you can get in the North Slope, go for it! You will get lots of training and the pay is ok. When you see those $25-30/hour salaries do not forget the cost of living is HIGH. $6 for a gallon of milk is normal. Do not worry about housing as most of those remote places either have housing you can rent or some even provide it. It all comes down to negotiations when you interview, including moving costs, etc. Of course the city EMS or Fire services wont do that, just the remote areas.

In order to apply for a MICP you actually have to have an AK Medical Director already so that means you must get a job before you can apply. The departments know this and they work around it if they want you. Once you relocate, you get a provisional license but the MICP may take 4-8 weeks. I hate asking this, but have you visited Alaska? It is beautiful but a completely different way of life. It is a big jump if you are not as informed. 

http://www.matsugov.us/admin/hr/jobopportunities
https://www.nortonsoundhealth.org/Join-NSHC/Vacancy-List
http://www.egovlink.com/ketchikan/postings.asp?listtype=JOB
http://www.cityofsitka.com/government/departments/fire/
http://www.juneau.org/ccfr/
http://www.cityofkotzebue.com/fire
http://www.north-slope.org/
This is a great resource   http://www.jobs.state.ak.us/

Also do not forget about USA JOBS as there are many military positions available in Alaska.


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## TransportJockey (Nov 4, 2014)

akflightmedic said:


> Being that you are so new, I would rule out most of the remote areas (Nome, Barrow/North Slope, Dutch Harbor, etc). Not saying they would not hire you, however they look for more experienced and seasoned medics due to the austere environment. For example, my typical medevac flight lasted anywhere from 3-24 hours depending on weather. Take a critical patient whether trauma or medical and then manage them for that length of time. On the plus side, if you get in one of those areas, you will have some serious experience under your belt that most in the lower 48 will never see. I did my first field chest tube in Alaska, numerous surgical crics, hung blood, fibrinolytics, and delivered babies.
> 
> I recommend you look in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau or Soldotna. You can get just an EMS job in the last 3, Anchorage is Fire-Rescue but they may be willing to train you since you will have MICP status. Juneau look for Capitol City EMS. Other possibilities but rare are in Ketchikan or Sitka. Keep in mind the majority of these areas have a heavy volunteer base and a lot of them simply have paid on call staff as well. If you want FT employment seek out the big 3 listed above.
> 
> ...


Do the military positions use nremt just like they do in the lower 48?  I know that to work as a civilian medic on a base in CONUS all you need is registry, not state most times.


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## Fwgun (Nov 5, 2014)

I really appreciate your insight on this! I've been making a lot of calls around to see what I can work out.

Do you know much about LifeMed Alaska, what would a ground paramedic do for them, and are they are good company to work for?

@akflightmedic


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## akflightmedic (Nov 5, 2014)

Lifemed primarily hired only flight nurses unless that has changed in recent years. If you were a ground paramedic for them I would assume you would drive. Many other flight services employ this same model, they hire a medic for the ground transports which means you help load and offload the patient from the aircraft to the ambulance and you drive when weather is too inclement. Give them a call and ask...


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## akflightmedic (Nov 5, 2014)

I went to their website and I see they have a flight medic opening in FB and Ground medic in Anchorage...so at least they are flying medics. As a ground medic however, you would be doing the interfacilities as 911 is handled by the AFD. There was only one other ground transport service in Anchorage when I flew in there, trying to remember their name as they were who we hired to pick us up. Options are definitely limited but having MICP elevates you on the field.


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## Fwgun (Nov 5, 2014)

akflightmedic said:


> I went to their website and I see they have a flight medic opening in FB and Ground medic in Anchorage...so at least they are flying medics. As a ground medic however, you would be doing the interfacilities as 911 is handled by the AFD. There was only one other ground transport service in Anchorage when I flew in there, trying to remember their name as they were who we hired to pick us up. Options are definitely limited but having MICP elevates you on the field.



I was thinking maybe try to get on as a ground paramedic with them which will at least get me a job in Alaska and get my the MICP license, then once I'm in alaska and have that license it will be easier to find something else if I didn't like it there.

I currently work in Critical Care in Indiana and don't mind it, has its challenges, I work in 911 as well though and enjoy that much more. The other option is to work as a Community Health Aide for a year just to get my licensing and get moved there then move into a paramedic job. 

Does the company you work for hire medics with less than 1 year experience?

@akflightmedic


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## akflightmedic (Nov 6, 2014)

I am no longer in Alaska however most did not hire those with only a year. However, as things change you should still pursue...you simply never know without trying. I have no contacts or I would pass those along. 

Are you talking Community Health Aide in Alaska? Those positions are typically Native. We used to fly in villagers with potential and train them to be CHA which essentially was less than an EMT. It is a government program to foster education and employment in the villages, some areas are a success and others are a waste. If you know anything about reservations, the same scenarios apply in the villages. Some of the larger villages do get a PA who rotates through and provides training as well, but becoming a CHA in Alaska would simply not be possible for you unless you are a Native and a member of that community already.


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## epipusher (Nov 6, 2014)

Whats wrong with the Hoosier state?


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## Stoked (Nov 10, 2014)

akflightmedic said:


> If you can get in the North Slope, go for it! You will get lots of training and the pay is ok. When you see those $25-30/hour salaries do not forget the cost of living is HIGH. $6 for a gallon of milk is normal. Do not worry about housing as most of those remote places either have housing you can rent or some even provide it. It all comes down to negotiations when you interview, including moving costs, etc. Of course the city EMS or Fire services wont do that, just the remote areas.


As a general FYI, there's almost no housing available in Barrow at the moment.  I was speaking with 2 good friends who are still living/working there last week; both said since Shell Oil came to town for work the housing has gone from tight to nil, and the costs from bad to outrageous.  As an example, when I was there in 2004-2005, I was paying $900 a month for a 2-bedroom place rented from the housing authority (TNHA).  That was WITH a $600/month subsidy.  Nowadays even shared rooms are allegedly fetching upwards of $600/month, and my old 2-br was last rented to Shell for $4600/month.  The last place to provide housing is apparently the PD, which only allows their officers a 60-day stay before they have to find a place of their own.


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## akflightmedic (Nov 14, 2014)

http://www.flightweb.com/jobs/index.php?post_id=2552

Could be interesting...never know until you try.


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## ExpatMedic0 (Jun 1, 2016)

First of all, I am sorry for resurrecting such an old thread. However, I wonder if there is anymore up to date information on this? Speicifically on any information about temporary seasonal positions and contracts? How do taxes work there if you work there but reside outside of Alaska? Thanks in advance


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## akflightmedic (Jun 1, 2016)

There are no state taxes. You will pay Federal taxes of course...and if your primary state has state tax, then you are obligated to report and pay taxes there, however you need to check with that particular state. If you reside out of the country, then state tax is non issue, but still on hook for Federal.

In all my years there, I really did not see or hear of too many seasonal positions worth pursuing. You get some remote logging or gold mine projects but that is all HSE type work with the occasional thrill, but the pay was not much to cluck about. A lot of guys worked the pipeline where they had staging points at certain "mile markers' or what not...basically never see/do anything and fight boredom to extreme. They must pay well enough to live on as openings were scarce and it was set up 2 week on 2 week off rotation for some.

Start some research here... http://www.alyeska-pipe.com/   Might be of some use and great starting point. 

Actual paramedics (called MICPs) up there are not all that common. My Medic number was 3 digits long and started with a 5. 
A lot of the temporary or remote assignments when I was stomping around used EMT IIIs (pseudo medics) as they are cheaper and easier to find. 

A lot of the opportunities in Alaska are found on specific sites pertaining to Alaska, usually buried in the state website or in local town papers (online). They just never needed to advertise that much.


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## FutureFlight (Jul 9, 2019)

Hello,
*@Fwgun and @akflightmedic*
I am in Paramedic school in CT and will be testing for my NR in August 2020. I am interested in moving to AK as a medic. I am a Pilot (fixed-wing, single-engine). I could work as a pilot or as a medic, but I really would like to work as a FT medic. I am willing to move anywhere in the state. I don't really want to be FF, but I'm ok with being EMS only in a Fire Department. 
Fwgun, did you end up moving to AK and becoming a medic? Where did you find a job.


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## chughes (Aug 3, 2019)

FutureFlight said:


> Hello,
> *@Fwgun and @akflightmedic*
> I am in Paramedic school in CT and will be testing for my NR in August 2020. I am interested in moving to AK as a medic. I am a Pilot (fixed-wing, single-engine). I could work as a pilot or as a medic, but I really would like to work as a FT medic. I am willing to move anywhere in the state. I don't really want to be FF, but I'm ok with being EMS only in a Fire Department.
> Fwgun, did you end up moving to AK and becoming a medic? Where did you find a job.




Give me a call when you get a chance, I would like to discuss what your looking for. 

907-310-9001

Cory Hughes
Operations Manager 
Medevac Alaska


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## PotatoMedic (Aug 3, 2019)

chughes said:


> Give me a call when you get a chance, I would like to discuss what your looking for.
> 
> 907-310-9001
> 
> ...


I'd love to work in Alaska as a flight medic.  I miss rural medicine and am loving the flights I do.

Maybe someday I'll find a way to convince my wife to move.  Or I'll commute 😆


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## ExpatMedic0 (Aug 3, 2019)

I have looked into rotational stuff on northslope with a well known company in the area. The hourly pay was not as good as I had hoped. No day rate despite being on call 24/7 while ok project site. Only a little OT paid. Maybe I just found a bad contract...


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## chughes (Aug 3, 2019)

Having done international remote work no, I am never impressed with remote medic contracts in Alaska. The dynamics are different it’s too easy to get a 3 for labor and a pa to run the clinic. I have had 3’s hired away from our ground truck with just a couple of months of bls shutteling made a “remote medic”, 15 minutes with their dr and an hour suturing an orange and away they go. So no remote medic contracts here are not exactly like anywhere else.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 12, 2019)

ExpatMedic0 said:


> I have looked into rotational stuff on northslope with a well known company in the area. The hourly pay was not as good as I had hoped. No day rate despite being on call 24/7 while ok project site. Only a little OT paid. Maybe I just found a bad contract...


I like this thread revival.
I've chatted with a couple of folks who work on the slope and they say the gettin' is good at the RN/PA level. They said that EMT 3s are the mainstay up there and they do "okay." It's a pretty sweet schedule and there is no income tax. Did you try Beacon? @chughes seems to know a bit more about it with the experience to boot.

A paramedic in the MatSu borough (Wasilla area) about an hour north of Anchorage can make 6 figures easy as a single role medic in the EMS department.
An FPC can work for LifeMed (fixed/911rotor/remote) and make 6 figures working 2 days/week  (but I'm pretty sure you have to start as an IFT ground guy). In Anchorage, the FD is 911 ALS. LifeMed is the predominate private on the ground running IFT as I eluded to earlier. I haven't heard or seen much in the way of Medevac Alaska other than a few rigs around Anchorage on occasion; I believe they do fixed wing transports also. Guardian is in AK also, and they are owned by AMRG. AirMethods does not have medcrews, but they contract mechanics and pilots to AK services.

They have a different EMS structure in AK. EMT 1, 2, 3 (I,II,III). A 3 is like a watered down paramedic, yet the certification is easier to get because it is not through the medical board. Even with my NRP and FPC I'd probably work as an EMT III if I had time. In my opinion, having looked at the process, a true paramedic card (MICP) is time consuming and arduous to get, especially coming from out of state. It is through the medical board which credentials physicians & PAs, so you can imagine all of the hoops they require for a temporary cert. Plus, they only meet a few times a year to actually grant licensure. Therefore, most jobs are for EMT III's.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 12, 2019)

@ExpatMedic0 Also, I have heard that people do commute to/from the "lower 48" for a gig on the slope. A 2-week on 2-week off schedule can facilitate that if it's your thing.  I guess you need to keep looking until you find something that good. @akflightmedic probably knows someone who knows someone


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## chughes (Aug 12, 2019)

So for Medevac Alaska, I feel pretty qualified to answer this one. We primarily are a fixed wing medevac service and we do some ground ambulance work. We have few local hospital contracts in anchorage for ground but we primarily use our ground to transport our air as well as to do long distance ground when air is not needed or possible.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 12, 2019)

chughes said:


> So for Medevac Alaska, I feel pretty qualified to answer this one. We primarily are a fixed wing medevac service and we do some ground ambulance work. We have few local hospital contracts in anchorage for ground but we primarily use our ground to transport our air as well as to do long distance ground when air is not needed or possible.


How does your medical escort service work? Do you guys have per diem/part time medics?


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## PotatoMedic (Aug 12, 2019)

chughes said:


> So for Medevac Alaska, I feel pretty qualified to answer this one. We primarily are a fixed wing medevac service and we do some ground ambulance work. We have few local hospital contracts in anchorage for ground but we primarily use our ground to transport our air as well as to do long distance ground when air is not needed or possible.


What are your schedules like?


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## chughes (Aug 12, 2019)

I don’t keep a lot of part time guys the ones I do have all work full time for other services so they are flying everyday regardless. The schedules are month on month off. Obviously there not working 24 hours a day during that time but there on location or the dispatcher knows where they are.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 12, 2019)

chughes said:


> I don’t keep a lot of part time guys the ones I do have all work full time for other services so they are flying everyday regardless. The schedules are month on month off. Obviously there not working 24 hours a day during that time but there on location or the dispatcher knows where they are.


When you say on location do you mean out in the bush or villages?


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## akflightmedic (Aug 12, 2019)

Getting my MICP in AK was easy, even with it going through the Medical Board. I know online the process looks horrendous, however it was actually quick and easy. FYI, my Alaska # was in the very LOW 500s and this was back in 2004. They do not get a whole lot of Medics if ya know what I mean.

The IIIs are called Pseudo-Medics and they were a dime a dozen because you could be a III without leaving AK. AT the time, in order to become a MICP in AK, you had to go to the Lower 48 to complete Clinicals. May have changed in the years since, unsure. Yes, I still know quite a few people in AK....


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## akflightmedic (Aug 12, 2019)

SandpitMedic said:


> When you say on location do you mean out in the bush or villages?



I do not wish to speak for him, however nearly every Medevac Service in AK will stage at hubs. There is not much reason/need to stage in a village or the bush.

Your pilots and AC will be in Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Nome, Barrow, etc. Many other places too, was just naming a few of the regional "hot spots" for basing crews.


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## PotatoMedic (Aug 12, 2019)

I'm really interested in the idea of working up there.    Would need to see if my wife was ok with month on month off...  But if everything lined up... It would be a great move.


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## chughes (Aug 13, 2019)

Before anyone chucks it all and comes to Alaska: 

On location means at your base, or within a few minutes of it. Our year round base is in Anchorage. We have had temp basis in some really well lets just say small places but generally speaking that is temporary as its hard to maintain a plane in such exciting locals as Yakutat AK. 

Openings: At the Moment I need RN's Per Diem to fill in when my full timers get sick or for some reason need a week off (they work month on month off but you know OK, sure couldn't get that done on your month off, got it) Always need Hourly local RN's

Unfortunately unless you manage to check multiple boxes at the moment I am plain full of Per Diem (Month/Month off) Paramedics,  (I.E. a paramedic or RN/commercial pilot) is a great look if anyone didnt notice how much I liked that idea. I am almost always looking for part time hourly local paramedics or EMT III's. 

We  dont hire EMT I or II (Basics) at all anymore, all of our employees must be qualified to get on an aircraft at this point, In the beginning we tried to run a full ALS and BLS ambulance service as well as the airplanes and well that was just more hassle than it was worth. So at this point we focus on our strengths we do Fixed wing as well as our own ground, we do our contracted facilities and we do long distance inter-facility for upgrade incare. 
	

		
			
		

		
	







Little about all the flight programs if anyone is interested:  
We are primarily RN/MICP on occasions we will run MICP/MICP, RN/MICP/RP, MICP/EMTIII; 
Airlift NW RN/RN
Lifemed RN/MICP
Norton RN/MICP or MICP/MICP
North Slope MICP/MICP or MICP/EMTIII
40 Mile Air: ill be very honest I really dont know
Guardian RN/MICP

Salaries: For the love of god you may see some crazy salaries thrown around but let me tell you what things cost in some of these places so keep that in mind, we have had people come to us for 40% and take home more money so be careful where you end up and who is paying for what if you go looking. 

Licensing: As AKFlight Medic stated licencing here is licensing, you work with an association with an MD but you have your own license through the department of health, if you do everything right it takes about 4 months to get a MICP (well a temporary one). For RN's it takes about 2 weeks (sorry medics I dont make the rules) 

Schedules; As i stated we run a month on month off for our primary flight crews, it goes back to our remote medic roots: to lesson the impact we use hourly employees to keep the work load reasonable and provide surge capacity, actually I feel like our people have a really great work life balance. Much better than mine. 

I do know that Airlift has jobs posted but from what I am aware they generally hire from UW, Guardian and Lifemed both always keep openings. Lifemed seems to try to stay in Alaska with there hires, Guardian (AMGH) seems to go wherever they need to. Norton will hire you from where ever but getting there is on you, Northslope will fly you from Anchorage good program but make sure you know where your going,  40 Mile Air is just for locals like really local. There is also a few smaller outfits than even ours scattered about, but even if I told you where they were you probably couldn't or wouldn't want to find them. 

I believe I have given my full primer and discourse on Alaska, if I have failed to answer your question or given you answers that you dislike I apologize, but its late and I have great deal of paperwork to still go through. If anyone does wish to send a resume you may do so at chughes@medevacalaska.com but as I said above I have limited need of additional personal at the moment unless someone is crazy enough to take my job in which case I will be happy to fly around again and not stare at quite so much paperwork.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 13, 2019)

So it’s not 2004 anymore, and the need for Paramedics is just not like it used to be.

And the licensing... real headache for medics these days while EMTs and RNs have it streamlined. I concur.

Good post.


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## chughes (Nov 8, 2019)

I currently have one job opening for a Paramedic in Anchorage. 

Will attach link below but these are the answers to all the questions I am willing to answer. 

Will be a Month on Month off Per Diem (Day rate) Position.
Full Time with benefits starting after 60 days of employment (60 days from your first day of employment)
Health, Dental, Vision, Life

To start unless Paramedic Already has there Alaska Mobile Intensive Care Paramedic Licence they will start as an EMT III. 

Paramedic will work the ground unit almost exclusively until such time as they obtain there AK MICP, and AK Air Medical Escort Certification, typically 3-4 months. Ground is fairly low tempo but has high expectations; 3-4 transports a day: with winter time increasing the number of long distance transports that are done by ground 5-6 hour round trips typically 3-4 times per week. Paramedic will ride along with flight crew when volume allows for training and orientation.

Point of Hire will be Anchorage Ak

Transport to and from Anchorage is employees responsibility. Medevac Alaska gives a per diem to offset and should generally cover flight cost.

Any Company travel is Handled by Medevac Alaska (offsite crew changes, remote postings, etc) 

Housing is provided while on Duty, (Including arriving the day before shift change it does get crowded that day though)

Applicants will receive a complete job description but it is rather standard. 

I generally want 3 years of relevant Paramedic Experience but we have been really impressed before and have taken a little less. 

Flight weight must be less than 235 lbs

Must be over the age of 25 to be eligible to drive any company vehicle per our insurance carrier. 

Must have experience with vent patients, and multiple medications, multiple pumps





__





						Employment
					






					medevacalaska.com
				




Position pays 61,000.00-65,000.00 per year depending on experience not including travel per diem.


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## Tigger (Nov 9, 2019)

Man this intriguing.


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## PotatoMedic (Nov 10, 2019)

Meh... I'm too fat.


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## Carlos Danger (Nov 10, 2019)

Anchorage is a pretty cool place and AK overall is....incredible. 

That’s all I have.


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## akflightmedic (Nov 30, 2019)

Corey, sorry to hear about your crash today. I know it does not sound good right now and you are slammed busy with the search and recovery. Hang in there brother.









						Plane with 3 on board crashes west of Cooper Landing; no survivors expected, troopers say
					

The pilot worked for Security Aviation and two Medevac Alaska crew members were on board, according to officials. Security Aviation has voluntarily suspended operations.




					www.adn.com


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## RocketMedic (Dec 1, 2019)

Well that is terrible


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## SandpitMedic (Dec 1, 2019)

RIP.
Terrible, I was just coming to post.
The recovery mission is ongoing with elements of the 212th RQS.


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## CANMAN (Dec 1, 2019)

SandpitMedic said:


> RIP.
> Terrible, I was just coming to post.
> The recovery mission is ongoing with elements of the 212th RQS.



Same, when I saw the crash notification I was like ugh I was just reading this thread the other day.


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## SandpitMedic (Dec 3, 2019)

So the latest is that the remains were recovered on Sunday. The NTSB is hoping to take a look at the wreckage as soon as tomorrow, weather permitting (it is high on a mountain in rural terrain).

Here is the deal I have a real issue with. The flight that ended 3 lives was accepted by Medevac Alaska *after* it had been turned down by both Guardian Air fixed wing and LifeMed HEMS _*AND*_ fixed wing units...

This is why aeromedical shopping and why pressure on crews to accept flights should be illegal. It is dangerous, unethical, and immoral.
Maybe this isn’t the thread for this but it really chaps my *** that this **** is still happening.


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## CANMAN (Dec 3, 2019)

SandpitMedic said:


> So the latest is that the remains were recovered on Sunday. The NTSB is hoping to take a look at the wreckage as soon as tomorrow, weather permitting (it is high on a mountain in rural terrain).
> 
> Here is the deal I have a real issue with. The flight that ended 3 lives was accepted by Medevac Alaska *after* it had been turned down by both Guardian Air fixed wing and LifeMed HEMS _*AND*_ fixed wing units...
> 
> ...



I saw that info came out as well, and totally agree. The crew members also have a responsibility to speak up and say no as well, but we don’t know what kind of pressure they were under that lead to the poor decision making.

I have taken flights in my career that other programs have turned down, and we have done it well within safety margins, but a lot factors into those decisions. Weather can be very different obviously location to location and base to base. Aircraft capability and such also play into it. But I have never taken a flight that two other programs have turned down when they’re all based at the same place. That should of been the standout point for the crew....


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## SandpitMedic (Dec 13, 2019)

Their jobs were posted on Facebook.
That didn’t take long. 👎 I guess it’s true what they say, you could die tomorrow and corporate would replace you next week.

I get it on one side it’s a business, but how it’s ran I disagree with. My own opinion, of course.

Never be afraid to say no to an unsafe mission, and if you are pressured for saying no then quit immediately. Don’t end up another dead aeromedical crew member. It is your responsibility to look out for your own safety.


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## SandpitMedic (Dec 27, 2019)

For those who stumble onto this website and do so without looking at other threads:

Medevac Alaska just had a second plane crash in less than a month. While they didn’t die this time, I would strongly advice not working for this company if that’s what you’re thinking from reading the thread thus far.  AKflightmedic posted in another thread:









						3 people survive Christmas Eve crash involving Medevac Alaska
					

The crash near Koliganek follows deadly crash involving the air ambulance service Nov. 29 near Cooper Landing.




					www.ktva.com


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## MICP2585 (Jan 11, 2020)

y


SandpitMedic said:


> So the latest is that the remains were recovered on Sunday. The NTSB is hoping to take a look at the wreckage as soon as tomorrow, weather permitting (it is high on a mountain in rural terrain).
> 
> Here is the deal I have a real issue with. The flight that ended 3 lives was accepted by Medevac Alaska *after* it had been turned down by both Guardian Air fixed wing and LifeMed HEMS _*AND*_ fixed wing units...
> 
> ...


The Doctor that authorized the Medevac shopping @providence Seward absolutely has blood on their hands


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## MICP2585 (Jan 11, 2020)

yu ca


SandpitMedic said:


> I like this thread revival.
> I've chatted with a couple of folks who work on the slope and they say the gettin' is good at the RN/PA level. They said that EMT 3s are the mainstay up there and they do "okay." It's a pretty sweet schedule and there is no income tax. Did you try Beacon? @chughes seems to know a bit more about it with the experience to boot.
> 
> A paramedic in the MatSu borough (Wasilla area) about an hour north of Anchorage can make 6 figures easy as a single role medic in the EMS department.
> ...



you can be hired straight away to the flight line, if you have the credentials to do so


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## akflightmedic (Jan 11, 2020)

Akflightmedic2019 said:


> The Doctor that authorized the Medevac shopping @providence Seward absolutely has blood on their hands



Interesting. I would argue the Corporate Policies/Procedures/Hiring Practices/Pilots and the Crew themselves as responsible before I would place blame on a doc trying to call around until he finds an answer he likes. My assumption is the doc knows weather is bad, but he is not flight competent and is simply advocating for his patient. If everyone he calls says same answer, then he knows he has tried his best. However, if a gung ho startup is trying to make revenue, and they have the pilots willing to say "lets do it" despite it not being the best course of action...then responsibility falls exactly where I stated in sentence one.


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## Carlos Danger (Jan 11, 2020)

akflightmedic said:


> Interesting. I would argue the Corporate Policies/Procedures/Hiring Practices/Pilots and the Crew themselves as responsible before I would place blame on a doc trying to call around until he finds an answer he likes. My assumption is the doc knows weather is bad, but he is not flight competent and is simply advocating for his patient. If everyone he calls says same answer, then he knows he has tried his best. However, if a gung ho startup is trying to make revenue, and they have the pilots willing to say "lets do it" despite it not being the best course of action...then responsibility falls exactly where I stated in sentence one.


This.


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## Tigger (Jan 12, 2020)

I would feel quite terrible if I called a helicopter in bad weather and there was a subsequent accident. Several of the local vollie departments ask for a helicopter on every critical sounding call at dispatch. Even in the snow. I get that flight crews can check the weather in a multitude of ways. But if the weather sucks (and I mean sucks, not questionable) and you call for flight, you are part of the problem too.


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## FrozenEMT (Jan 16, 2020)

New to the forum and live in Alaska.  I work for another service in Anchorage.  Here is my perspective.  A lot of the regular non ems flight companies up here have their pilots on standby for flights however the pilot only gets paid for actual flight time.  This is why hagaland and Ravn have had accidents with their commercial flights.  Crappy conditions that they shouldnt be flying in but the pilot needs to eat so the pilot pushes limits.  LifeMed and Guardian both have pilots that are getting paid regardless of whether or not they are in the air which makes it a lot easier to turn down flights if it looks sketchy.  I wouldnt be surprised if the companies that Medevac Alaska uses is more inline with Hagaland.


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## PotatoMedic (Jan 16, 2020)

Another airmed went down in Alaska. https://www.alaskapublic.org/2020/0...ZrBEiEpdO7MWlNDVQhQD1VJHgK-dLGrnb5ev_eiFPcmfI


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## SandpitMedic (Jan 16, 2020)

MICP2585 said:


> you can be hired straight away to the flight line, if you have the credentials to do so



You mean FP-C?


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## Barsa (Jan 17, 2022)

Sorry if this is a poorly placed thread revival, but I was curious if anyone had some current contacts with either Guardian Flight or LifeMed.  I have a few questions that I can't seem to find answers to with my Google fu abilities.  Thanks in advance!


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## MICP2585 (Jan 17, 2022)

Sure drops me a DM I’ve worked for both


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## Barsa (Jan 17, 2022)

MICP2585 said:


> Sure drops me a DM I’ve worked for both


I think I might be missing a few posts to get to the magic number to start using the DM feature.  Once I can, I will certainly do so, thanks!


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## Barsa (Feb 3, 2022)

@MICP2585, since I still haven't hit the magic number to DM yet, I thought there would be a couple questions that more people would be interested in as well.  The couple big ones to start, what does pay look like between LifeMed and Guardian and do they have any kind of step process over time to increase earnings?  What are the usual schedules and do they allow or encourage movement between bases at all?  Finally, are there any treatments or procedures that are strictly nurse skills, or all things considered are both providers "equal" on each flight?  Thanks in advance!


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