# SOUND OFF: What's the Highest paying, and best private ambulance company as Paramedic



## rural911 (Oct 26, 2010)

NATION WIDE – Please take a moment to give your input. I’m almost done with Paramedic school, and would like to find the highest paying and best all around private ambulance company to work for as a Paramedic. From coast to coast what is the best company/location in your opinion/experience to work for, and why? Could ya help me out with my research and point me in the right direction. Thanks much!

Below are some general questions I have, maybe you could answer them here, or simply just point me in the direction where I could get the answers. I greatly appreciate it!

Starting/Caped pay rate?
Location?
What type of system? (e.g system status move ups?, single role paramedic?, paramedics on the responding engines?, etc…)
Cost of living in the area?
Interaction/treatment from Fire crews, RN’s, MD’s, etc?
Protocols: Good? Limited?
Benefits?
Type of shifts worked? (e.g., 12, 24 hr etc)
Management?
Equipment?
Etc?


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## atticrat (Oct 27, 2010)

Not trying to be a jackass, but the internet is your friend.

Try job search engines, monster, careerbuilder.....
City websites for job postings, demographics, cost of living...
Company websites.....

Cast your net far and wide, but don't ask everybody else to do your homework for ya '


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## CAO (Oct 27, 2010)

Also have to worry about reciprocity issues.

A year from now, I'll be a Medic in Tennessee.  Doesn't do me much good in a state that doesn't recognize it.


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## 46Young (Oct 27, 2010)

I've heard that for AMR, if you're employed for a certain amount of time, you can transfer to another location and keep the hourly compensation you enjoyed at the previous location. If you leave NYC making in the mid 20's hourly, you can move out to the sticks and actually consider yourself gainfully employed.

Can any AMR employees confirm or deny this?

That being said, I'd caution against any plans to work long term in the privates. They could lose a contract, and you would either be out of a job, or have to relocate. What if you just bought a house, or married someone from the area that adamantly refuses to relocate out of state?

I'd recommend shooting for a reputable third service or hospital. Here's one:

https://jobsweb.charlestoncounty.org/hronline/public/vacancylisting.aspx

I used to work there. It wasn't my cup of tea, but everyone's different. Those with experience in different systems, particularly west coast and the Northeast are turned off to this place. Many who are new and don't have anything to compare it to think that the County's EMS is the best thing since sliced bread. If you apply, you can be working in two months or less. Search "Charleston County EMS," or leave out "EMS" if there are too many threads, and you'll find my breakdown of the dept. PM me if you like. Their application process is almost always open, and it isn't just to keep an applicant pool. If you pass their test and interview well, you'll get picked up in a hurry.


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## beandip4all (Oct 28, 2010)

atticrat said:


> Not trying to be a jackass, but the internet is your friend.
> 
> Try job search engines, monster, careerbuilder.....
> City websites for job postings, demographics, cost of living...
> ...


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## jgmedic (Oct 28, 2010)

46Young said:


> I've heard that for AMR, if you're employed for a certain amount of time, you can transfer to another location and keep the hourly compensation you enjoyed at the previous location. If you leave NYC making in the mid 20's hourly, you can move out to the sticks and actually consider yourself gainfully employed.
> 
> Can any AMR employees confirm or deny this?
> 
> ...



6 months is the minimum time to transfer at AMR and both sides must approve and you must also pass any division specific testing or interviews.


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## iftmedic (Oct 28, 2010)

AMR by far is the best of the worst as far as private companies are concerned, I worked for AMR 9 years I had good insurance, 401k, PTO, things I would take for granted they even paid for my Paramedic training and kept me as a full time EMT with all my bennies, Back in 07  another Co. offered me a 20k raise so I left AMR with out giving them my 2 weeks and unfortunately I'm not re hirable, and of course it wasn't greener on the other side if I could go back I would. Working for private ambulance companies as a medic is a dead end job unless you go fire atleast in Ca, specially SoCal. Go to nursing school.


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## reaper (Oct 28, 2010)

rural911 said:


> NATION WIDE – Please take a moment to give your input. I’m almost done with Paramedic school, and would like to find the highest paying and best all around private ambulance company to work for as a Paramedic. From coast to coast what is the best company/location in your opinion/experience to work for, and why? Could ya help me out with my research and point me in the right direction. Thanks much!
> 
> Below are some general questions I have, maybe you could answer them here, or simply just point me in the direction where I could get the answers. I greatly appreciate it!
> 
> ...



My question would be, Why are you stuck on private services? If you want good pay and benefits, then you want third service or fire based.


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## TransportJockey (Oct 28, 2010)

reaper said:


> My question would be, Why are you stuck on private services? If you want good pay and benefits, then you want third service or fire based.



Bingo! And despite what people say, there are soem good third services out there, more than you'd think. And as for pay... you might make $20 an hour and be able to live better than someone making almost $40 an hour. It all depends on cost of living in your area


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## 46Young (Oct 28, 2010)

If I might add, a 401k blows compared to a pension. Also try to find a place that has a DROP program. Look it up. In SC it's known as a TERI. You can still do deferred comp (457) on top of the pension, it's just that there's no employer match. That's because they're already funding your pension.


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## Black Snow Slide (Oct 30, 2010)

Privates do suck but i like mixed bag AMR gives in types of calls. 911 work, ALS transfers and a couple BLS calls thrown in. With AMR the pay checks never bounce, 401K, Vacation, uniform, and the bare minimum in required equipment to do anything from vented pts with multiple meds running to MCI plane crashes to nanna needing a ride back to the nursing home. In our area AMR does pay the best for a private but never expect to be a single income family as you will be in a single wide if you know what I mean.

If you are young, get your Medic, get yourself into the gym, and get into a municipality. You need a strong back and be able to stay up 24 hrs working but the benefits if your back can last 25 years will far out way anything a private can do.


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## rural911 (Oct 31, 2010)

Thanks for all the reply. Yes, I agree for the money fire is best, but many play, and not all win the lottery. So wanted to find a decent job. Question, what is the difference between private and third service, and do you have an example location where they utilize third service? Thanks much!


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## TransportJockey (Oct 31, 2010)

rural911 said:


> Thanks for all the reply. Yes, I agree for the money fire is best, but many play, and not all win the lottery. So wanted to find a decent job. Question, what is the difference between private and third service, and do you have an example location where they utilize third service? Thanks much!



THird service is usually a municipal EMS service. here in Pecos TX is an example of a city municipal EMS service. FD here is still volly only.

There is also hospital based as well, and a lot of people don't consider those private services, but their own catagory


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## C.T.E.M.R. (Oct 31, 2010)

i think American ambulance in CT starts at 25-30 an hour for medics, i might be wrong though


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## socalmedic (Oct 31, 2010)

as far as privates go they pretty much run the show. as said the checks never bounce, the ambulances are in fairly good shape with a trade in mileage of around 200,000 regardless of condition. uniforms are never in short supply. however they are a CORPERATION, know that going in and you wont have any problems, you are just a number and a replaceable number at that. all the divisions are run semi independently so they do vary, however they are mostly union with even pay across the nation (some places are higher than base due to cost of living). they give you flexability to work everywhere, Hawaii, new york, Florida, California. 

however with that said, find a municipal gig, nothing beats the union, PENSION, and health insurance till you die.


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