# American Medical Responce?



## Nick647 (Dec 15, 2009)

I am curious if anyone has any opinions here on AMR?  I noticed that they have a training center in Newburyport, MA and thats close to me.  I think I have heard mixed opinons really.  By the way, I will be going for my EMT-B as well. I think it would be relatively convient for me to just go there.  We will see.  Thanks for any help!

Sorry for the typo I just noticed in the title...guess it wont let me change!


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## DV_EMT (Dec 15, 2009)

Nick647 said:


> I am curious if anyone has any opinions here on AMR?



*sound of crickets*


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## guardian528 (Dec 16, 2009)

you'll hear plenty of different things. some people hate them, some love them. in the end, its hard to judge AMR as a whole, because each different division performs and acts differently. I would equate this question to "Anyone here have opinions on college?" lots of different ones, some better than others.

lots of people will say that because they are a national corporation, the employees are just numbers and they don't care about patients. i have seen quite the opposite with the people i work with, but again, every location will be different


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## Aidey (Dec 16, 2009)

AMR is a huge national company, so what people have to say is really going to vary depending on which operation they are familiar with. 

A lot of people think that it isn't a bad place to get your foot in the door, but there are other people who hate it. It is a private company, so their bottom line is money, and I've heard people say the corporation overall doesn't care about their employees because everyone is replaceable. I've known a few people who have worked there, and their experiences were totally different. As with any company, the overall experience is going to depend on the management and the union. 

I've heard they have a separate training division, NTCI (or something like that?). I have no experience with their training division, so hopefully someone who has will come along and be able to help. If the class you are looking at is through the training division and not AMR itself the issues I've heard about AMR may not apply. 

It sounds like you have already talked to some people who have gone there, which is good. People who have actually attended the class are probably going to be your best source of accurate information.


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## medicdan (Dec 16, 2009)

You know what, I am just going to come out and say it! I usually will not speak ill companies or people on the internet, but I am getting fed up right now. AMR Northeast sucks! 

From an outsiders point of view, over the past two years or so (and possibly longer), they seem to be falling apart, in terms of their contracts, the quality of their street crews, and it seems they have lost the support of their national management. Partially as a result (or a cause) of losing the Partners contract, they have started to lose metro Boston 911 contracts, longtime excellent employees have flown the coop (or been transfered to Siberia involuntarily), and it seems local management has made some poor mistakes. Several good friends of mine who work there tell me horror stories and I see it in the crews I interact with on the road (on a personal and professional levels). 

I have seen colleagues mainly local medic mill (NCTI) students tell me stories of how their training is disjointed, poorly coordinated, or how sometimes, they just sit in class with no lecturer. I have, however, heard good things about their local Basic programs, and know one of their Basic I/Cs personally, and I think is brilliant. 

My bias and distrust is clearly personal, so you need to form your own sense of the company, their employees and the training they provide. Before taking classes, ask about their faculty, support staff, lab instructors, facilities, ride time or clinical time, state exam pass rate, graduate employment possibilities, grading policies, etc. 

Good Luck!

Dan


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## Nick647 (Dec 16, 2009)

Thanks man! Appreciate it!  I know from around here other ambulances that serve the area are Action EMS and Lyons. All I really know and the town I live in has a Fire Rescue unit so they show up as well.


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## Hal9000 (Dec 17, 2009)

Like others said, it really depends on what the regional direction is like, and how the independent divisions are handled.  I worked with some well educated people, but some of the supervisors were barn-trained drama queens.  I also made a whole lot per hour for a basic, but I know that I was pretty much at the top of their scale.  

Some of their forms and public billing "things" can be a stupid amount of hassle, but that comes down from the top...

Good luck.


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## atropine (Dec 17, 2009)

AMR in sourthen Cali SUCK's, they lost multiple 911 contracts in the LA County area, however they still are pretty big in Riverside and san Bernardino Counties. Most paramedics just use them as a stepping stone, as the try to get on with the FD's.


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## jgmedic (Dec 17, 2009)

atropine said:


> AMR in sourthen Cali SUCK's, they lost multiple 911 contracts in the LA County area, however they still are pretty big in Riverside and san Bernardino Counties. Most paramedics just use them as a stepping stone, as the try to get on with the FD's.



They lost all of their Orange County contracts, 95% of their LACo stuff, mostly from what I heard due to poor management. Riverside has two 2 good divisions and one not so good. I have heard that in SBCo, Redlands and Victorville are pretty good, Rancho not so much.


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## mikeN (Dec 17, 2009)

AMR is fleeing the northeast.  Since the start of 2009, they lost 7 911 Contracts in NH.  They lost the Partners contract which is a BIG contract.  They also lost Newton, which is a busy city.  Rumor is Cataldo is going for Wellesley and Waltham too.   The battle for the Waltham contract will be an interesting one.


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## DV_EMT (Dec 17, 2009)

yeah.... AMR is still contracted out here in SB/Ventura.. but they did lose their contract with LA because of poor response time i believe.


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## medicdan (Dec 17, 2009)

mikeN said:


> The battle for the Waltham contract will be an interesting one.



It certainly will be! I am sitting down with my popcorn to watch! First Wellesley, Waltham, then Natick, Framingham...

I have all the respect in the world for my friends and close colleagues who work for AMR, I just disagree with the corporate (and local) management tactics. We are all brothers (same job, different shirt).


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## mikeN (Dec 17, 2009)

I heard rumor that Medstar wants Framingham.  Natick Fire is ALS, so they'll just have back up.  Waltham will be interesting thought.  Cataldo and Fallon will put serious bids in and I rumor is my company is putting in a serious bit after turning Waltham down for years.


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