# Gerber ambulance 2013



## Woodtownemt (Jan 27, 2013)

Just was wondering how this company is doing? Have they made any improvments as far as new stations, posting, etc.


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## Jim37F (May 8, 2013)

Bump, just cause I'm interested in learning some more about Gerber myself


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## NPO (May 11, 2013)

What is your definition of lately?

This past year (actually like 6-9 months) when AmeriCare took the Santa Monica contract, they issued warnings to their medics about possible layoffs. They only serve Torrence now, and do very little IFT work, although they are doing more now.


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## Jim37F (May 13, 2013)

So in other words I'd be better off looking to get my OCEMS card or SB county card and finding work there before Gerber?


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## NPO (May 13, 2013)

Right. But there are a few options between gerber and SB. Also, to my knowledge you don't need a special cert for SB. only LA and OC. Everywhere else only wants a state card. Correct me if I'm wrong.


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## DesertMedic66 (May 13, 2013)

NPO said:


> Right. But there are a few options between gerber and SB. Also, to my knowledge you don't need a special cert for SB. only LA and OC. Everywhere else only wants a state card. Correct me if I'm wrong.



You are correct, SB does not have a special cert that you have to get. I also believe it is just LA/OC counties that require the "expanded scope"


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## Jim37F (May 13, 2013)

Oh nice, didn't realize the other counties only wanted state card. But yeah I was more looking at Gerber as a backup choice than primary. I think SB Co is about as far from me as Torrance is anyway and if I don't have to spend more money to take another course to work out there, might make more sense to look out there for a backup choice than Gerber...


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## NPO (May 13, 2013)

Jim37F said:


> Oh nice, didn't realize the other counties only wanted state card. But yeah I was more looking at Gerber as a backup choice than primary. I think SB Co is about as far from me as Torrance is anyway and if I don't have to spend more money to take another course to work out there, might make more sense to look out there for a backup choice than Gerber...



Just so you're aware, UCLA has added the LA County Expanded scope to their online classes. It can be completed in a few hours, and best of all, it's free. 

Mind me asking what area you live in? You can be general if you wish.

https://www.cpc.mednet.ucla.edu/course/localscope2011


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## Jim37F (May 13, 2013)

I live in the San Gabriel Valley area of LA Co. I have my LA Scope, and am at an IFT company. I've been wanting to switch to 911 and I knew Gerber does 911 but all I knew about them was that they were in Torrance. 

I have another thread where I asked about IFT to 911 and got some great stuff about AMR and Care and some second hand info on Schaefer, but I saw this thread about Gerber, so I bumped it and voila, info about Gerber lol


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## NPO (May 13, 2013)

Jim37F said:


> I live in the San Gabriel Valley area of LA Co. I have my LA Scope, and am at an IFT company. I've been wanting to switch to 911 and I knew Gerber does 911 but all I knew about them was that they were in Torrance.
> 
> I have another thread where I asked about IFT to 911 and got some great stuff about AMR and Care and some second hand info on Schaefer, but I saw this thread about Gerber, so I bumped it and voila, info about Gerber lol



Oh okay. I thought you were trying to get into a first job. My misunderstanding. I'm in your boat as well. I work IFT, and actually like my company. But I joined EMS to do 911. IFT is cool, I do CCT so I see some interesting stuff,  but 911 is where I belong. Even if it means a pay cut.


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## Jim37F (May 13, 2013)

No problemo, and that sounds like the exact same boat I'm in too!


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## aquabear (Jun 17, 2013)

Gerber still transports for Torrance Fire and does IFTs and First-In's, the split is approx. 40% 911 and 60% IFT/First-In. During my time at Gerber the Ops Manager and the HR manager were replaced and the new Ops Manager reimplemented code-2 IFT units to take some of the IFT call volume off of the code-3 units which lead to better ETA's for TFD and more units in 911 coverage. BLS units still post and work 12hr shifts, and the Medics have been on 24s since 2012. It's a good place to work when you consider some of the other outfits in LA County.


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## Jim37F (Jun 17, 2013)

Jargon clarification: First in? Like if you arrive before FD? (Wouldn't that be 911 though?) Or where you happen upon/get flagged down for an accident before the dispatched unit arrives?


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## NPO (Jun 17, 2013)

First in means that when 911 gets a call, you are dispatched. Second in would be like what Bowers does for Vernon FD. VFD has ambulance(s?). If they are not available, Bowers get the call. Bowers would be second in.


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## Jim37F (Jun 17, 2013)

Ok, makes sense, kinda threw me for a second there when aquabear separated first in from 911 and joined it with IFT.

Sounds like what AmeriCare does for Compton Fire. BTW did not know Bowers had any backup or second in contracts


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## NPO (Jun 17, 2013)

Jim37F said:


> Ok, makes sense, kinda threw me for a second there when aquabear separated first in from 911 and joined it with IFT.
> 
> Sounds like what AmeriCare does for Compton Fire. BTW did not know Bowers had any backup or second in contracts



Does AmeriCare still do Compton? They are primary in Santa Monica now, and from the grape vine I hear the guys who run the place are penny pinchers. But take what you hear with a grain of salt.

Yeah, Bowers does Vernon Fire. Used to have a station and a dedicated unit there, but Vernon downsized their contract when they got their own ALS ambulance, but Bowers still gets a fair amount of Vernon Fire calls. VFD usually sends the patients via *B*owers *L*ife *S*upport unless the patient is REALLY bad, even if they are ALS criteria. The nearest hospital isnt that far, and LAC-USC is still pretty close. But Vernon Fire doesnt have the greatest rep amongst the White Memorial ER staff.


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## Jim37F (Jun 17, 2013)

I don't know for sure 100% but yeah, I think AmeriCare still rubs backup. At any rate their website still says they do back up for Compton and Downey (take that with a grain of sand). I know a medic at my current company who used to work for Compton FD and said that they used them a lot their too, whether or not that's still true idk. I do know I've never seen an AmeriCare rig at Kaiser Downey though. I also know AC tried to take the Torrance contract away from Gerber a few years ago, but (obviously) failed


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## NPO (Jun 17, 2013)

Yeah I really dont see AmeriCare much outside of Santa Monica now. Every once in awhile an older rig driving around somewhere.

Bowers was trying for Torrence this last year too, along with some others. It was close. Gerber issued warnings to its medics about employment. But like you said, obviously they got it back.


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## aquabear (Jun 17, 2013)

Jim37F said:


> Jargon clarification: First in? Like if you arrive before FD? (Wouldn't that be 911 though?) Or where you happen upon/get flagged down for an accident before the dispatched unit arrives?


First-In is a call where a patient or patient's family calls dispatch directly for a transport, usually BLS however some turn into ALS calls where the EMT crew will call for fire to respond.


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## Jim37F (Sep 3, 2013)

aquabear said:


> First-In is a call where a patient or patient's family calls dispatch directly for a transport, usually BLS however some turn into ALS calls where the EMT crew will call for fire to respond.



Oh ok, so they'll call dispatch directly instead of 911? I'm assuming there's set protocols on when Gerber's dispatch would automatically call Torrance FD vs when just sending an ambulance? Would those responses/transports ever be code 3?


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## NPO (Sep 3, 2013)

aquabear said:


> First-In is a call where a patient or patient's family calls dispatch directly for a transport, usually BLS however some turn into ALS calls where the EMT crew will call for fire to respond.



This is not correct. First in means your are the first ambulance service to respond. 

Example : Vernon Fire Dept is first in ambulance to Vernon. Bowers is second in. 

Private dispatch centers are not supposed to field 911 calls. They are supposed to be EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatcher) so they can triage the call and transfer the call to the  local 911 dispatch center.


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## Danno (Sep 3, 2013)

Jim37F said:


> Oh ok, so they'll call dispatch directly instead of 911? I'm assuming there's set protocols on when Gerber's dispatch would automatically call Torrance FD vs when just sending an ambulance? Would those responses/transports ever be code 3?



The previous definition of "first-in" in this thread is correct, this one is not.  What he just described is still an IFT....You will not respond code 3 and you will definitely not transport if the call is deemed ALS.


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## Jim37F (Sep 3, 2013)

NPO said:


> This is not correct. First in means your are the first ambulance service to respond.
> 
> Example : Vernon Fire Dept is first in ambulance to Vernon. Bowers is second in.
> 
> Private dispatch centers are not supposed to field 911 calls. They are supposed to be EMD (Emergency Medical Dispatcher) so they can triage the call and transfer the call to the  local 911 dispatch center.





Danno said:


> The previous definition of "first-in" in this thread is correct, this one is not.  What he just described is still an IFT....You will not respond code 3 and you will definitely not transport if the call is deemed ALS.



Ok, thanks for the clarification guys


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