# Best places to work in the Sacramento Area?



## HFF (Sep 22, 2013)

I just got all my certifications together and will be applying to companies for a part time EMT position soon. Which places are the best in terms of culture, pay, etc besides AMR? 

Here's where I plan on applying:

Falck Sacramento (heard they're good)
OnSite Medical Service in Davis (heard they're good)
AlphaOne Ambulance (no idea)
Falcon CCT (no idea)
Sacramento Valley Ambulance (heard they're terrible)
TLC Ambulance (heard they're terrible)
United Ambulance (heard they're terrible)

Are these assessments accurate? I live in Sacramento and am under 21, so that rules out Medic Ambulance, First Responder, NorCal Ambulance, and ProTransport. Ideally I'd like to get paid at least $11/hr since that's what I make at my current job and I don't want to take a pay cut. Is $11/hr and patient care, not just driving a gurney van feasible? I couldn't find any other threads on this, so any info on these companies would be much appreciated. 

Thanks,
Hank


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## stemi (Sep 22, 2013)

Falck: Be careful, as they laid off more than 80% of their staff in San Mateo Co. They aren't getting very good business.

Onsite: Strictly standby events, not really a job. Maybe 20 hours in a month. Think of it as rockmed, except you get paid.

AlphaOne: They have a good number of ALS units as far as I've seen, so as an EMT, you might see some good stuff.

United: Guaranteed you will be on a gurney or wheelchair van for at least 6 months or more. $10/hr, regularly cut hours, and no respect

As for the rest, I have no idea. I have never heard of Sac Valley or TLC. Don't let these comments dissuade you however. A job is a job, and in this industry there's way more supply than demand for EMTs.


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## HFF (Sep 22, 2013)

stemi said:


> Falck: Be careful, as they laid off more than 80% of their staff in San Mateo Co. They aren't getting very good business.
> 
> Onsite: Strictly standby events, not really a job. Maybe 20 hours in a month. Think of it as rockmed, except you get paid.
> 
> ...



Got it, thanks for your help. Really I'm sitting pretty at my current job right now and am not strapped for cash, so I'd rather wait to be hired by a decent ambulance than shotgun applications and take the first offer, which is the reason I made this post. Also, what's the difference between a gurney van and IFT BLS, ALS, CCT, etc in terms of what I'd be doing? In any case won't I just be driving?


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## stemi (Sep 22, 2013)

In every case, you will be drivng. If not for the whole shift, at least half the shift. Every job will require an ambulance drivers license, except for onsite medical service. 

BLS is an ambulance with 2 EMTs. One drives and one attends to the pt in the back. You usually switch driver/attendant roles with each call. Mostly stable patients, not much need for medical care.

ALS ambulance has either 2 paramedics or 1 medic and 1 emt. In this role, emts are mostly if not always driving. Patients are higher acuity and you will respond to more exciting stuff.

CCT is an RN with 2 emts. The emts mostly drive as well. Serious patients that are typically dependent on several pieces of equipment.

IFT stands for interfacility transfer. Basically you will be taking pt from hospital to nursing facility. They go BLS because they are bed confined and their insurance covers it.

Wheelchair van is driving pts who are on wheelchairs to and from medical facilities. No medical care is provided. Gurney van is same thing except they are bed confined, but unlike in bls, require no medical care.

Most emt work is driving, like you said


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## Xandal (Sep 22, 2013)

Falcon I've heard good things about. Company is growing fast and will continue to from what it seems.

AlphaOne when I applied there told me that they really only hire people over 21, so you might be out of luck there.


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## HFF (Sep 24, 2013)

stemi said:


> In every case, you will be drivng. If not for the whole shift, at least half the shift. Every job will require an ambulance drivers license, except for onsite medical service.
> 
> BLS is an ambulance with 2 EMTs. One drives and one attends to the pt in the back. You usually switch driver/attendant roles with each call. Mostly stable patients, not much need for medical care.
> 
> ...



Which are the most desirable among BLS, ALS, and CCT? And will I be using the skills I learned in EMT class working for an IFT company (like Falcon or AlphaOne, etc.)?


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## stemi (Sep 25, 2013)

HFF said:


> Which are the most desirable among BLS, ALS, and CCT? And will I be using the skills I learned in EMT class working for an IFT company (like Falcon or AlphaOne, etc.)?



What is desirable all depends on you. I would say most desire working ALS. Working BLS, patients are very stable, especially for IFTs. Calls are mostly going from a hospital to a SNF/Long care/Hospice along with some 5150 patients going from one psych facility to another. All of these patients are very stable, which is why they are going to a lower level of care. Depending on what company you work for, you might get code 2 or BLS emergency calls. These calls will go to an ER, but they are mostly for small complaints, like headache or fever. There's not much you can do for them and you are just taking them to the ER.

On an ALS ambulance, you will have higher acuity patients that require a paramedic, such as for cardiac monitoring or IVs. Depending on what company you work for, you might get good emergency calls out of SNFs, or you may just be doing IFT stuff for patients that require a higher level of care than an EMT. Probably more exciting than BLS.

CCT, the nurse does nearly all the work, aside from lifting. Typically, CCTs go from ICU to ICU, or ER to higher level of care elsewhere. Patients are dependent on equipment such as a ventilator, IV pumps, cardiac monitor and the nurses will have standing orders from physicians. The role of an EMT here is mostly driving. Its unlikely you will use any EMT skills here, as most of the time you are either driving or lifting. Patients are sometimes critical, so it can be exciting.


In EMT school, most of the stuff you learn is for trauma, and you have very limited scope of practice when it comes to medical problems, so it is unlikely that you will use your skills, unless you are on a 911 ambulance.


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## brooklynmonroe (Sep 25, 2013)

*Live in Lincoln CA and want to become a EMT*

Hello everyone! I am new to this, I actually have been thinking about attending school for EMT. Sierra College offers a class. I have always wanted to work in the medical field, I wanted to work in a hospital or with children as they are my passion and I have a lot of experience with children. I have looked into schools and trade schools are so expensive and there are not very many options except medical assisting.  Anyone live in the Sac area and could give me some advise? I am just worried about finding a job after school and I heard the pay in Sac area isn`t the best. Thank you


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## Xandal (Sep 25, 2013)

I did my EMT class at Sierra College a year ago. You can feel free to PM me with any questions you have brooklynmonroe.


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## brooklynmonroe (Sep 25, 2013)

*Hello*

Thank you! I was thinking about Sierra also PEP in Auburn offers it as well


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## brooklynmonroe (Sep 25, 2013)

*EMT ?`s*

Did you like it? and are you currently a EMT working now?


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## Xandal (Sep 25, 2013)

I haven't heard anything about PEP really, but Sierra has a great EMT program and is very affordable. It's a much better program than ARC, FLC, or NCTI has. The instructors are amazing and have made EMS their life's purpose. I think all of them are active duty FF paramedics. All the IAs that do the skills labs really know their :censored::censored::censored::censored: and are very good at teaching you in a positive environment without putting you under too much pressure. The only benefit I could see to NCTI is that they have an accelerated program that is I believe is somewhere around 6 weeks long. Anyways, sorry to stray from the OP's topic but I hope I was of some help to you.

Edit: Yes I am currently certified and was working up until a few weeks ago when the company I was with was going through some financial issues and was letting people go. I had low seniority and was still a probie so I was one of the first on the chopping block.


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## CodeBru1984 (Sep 26, 2013)

Back in the day, I did my EMT training through the Regional Occupational Program offered through the Sacramento County Office of Education. I had excellent instructors who were all either FF/EMTs or FF/Medics with Metro Fire. I finished in the top 5 of my class. I would look to see if the ROP program still offers EMT training.


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