# Bad day at Bowers?



## CURMUDGEON (Oct 29, 2013)

Sounds like there were many field level cuts today. Anybody have a count and where? Did the cuts hit Pacific too?


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## MunchkinMedic (Oct 29, 2013)

I was told it was about 200 people between bowers & pacific from a friend that was let go by them.


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## CURMUDGEON (Oct 29, 2013)

Ouch.... tough time in the market for such a large volume of job searchers. It should be interesting to watch Rural Metro's strategies while they continue to lose contracts/market share. More cuts sure to come.


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## dhump4free (Oct 29, 2013)

If you survived The Great Rural/Metro Purge of 2013 you were lucky. They got rid of a lot of people, even employees who had been there for 10+ years.


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## toyskater86 (Oct 30, 2013)

can anyone verify that so many layoff's took place? I feel for the employees and their families so close to the holiday seasons.


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## CURMUDGEON (Oct 30, 2013)

More importantly, who's hiring EMT's in the LA/OC areas? The faster these folks can be picked up, the better.


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## mike1390 (Oct 30, 2013)

Sounds like they cut the highest earners... bummer horrible timing.


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## toyskater86 (Oct 30, 2013)

craigslist has a bunch of EMT ads up, including Care ambulance (orange County) i think craigslist has become a decent job recruiter lol


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## dhump4free (Oct 30, 2013)

Most of my buddies who got layed off drove over to Liberty (which is now being run by Paul Scarborough, ex Bowers/Pacifc grand master) and applied. The ones I feel bad for are the all of the management who got laid off.


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## Woodtownemt (Oct 30, 2013)

If they apply to Liberty might as well apply at PRN. How's is Liberty now I seen a few new rigs running with no company wrap on them. They are just all white with liberty on the doors.


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## toyskater86 (Oct 30, 2013)

liberty is having struggles with maintain their service with the providence system, providence is seeking a secondary provider. If you know anyone of them going to liberty, i would advise them to also apply at another company just in case they end up downsizing later.

**so i heard**


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## exodus (Oct 30, 2013)

dhump4free said:


> Most of my buddies who got layed off drove over to Liberty (which is now being run by Paul Scarborough, ex Bowers/Pacifc grand master) and applied. The ones I feel bad for are the all of the management who got laid off.



Paul is a good guy, I've met him a few times and he know's what he's doing they basically built Pacific up from a single ambulance dispatching themselves out of an apartment into what they are now, well before he sold and it went to hell.


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## CURMUDGEON (Oct 30, 2013)

The word from Rural Metro CEO, Scott Bartos:

"Additionally, as part of our revitalization effort, we have exited several unprofitable contracts in the greater Los Angeles market, which will result in further downsizing of approximately 90 positions. We've also made great progress in our financial restructuring, which we expect will reduce our debt and interest expenses by half, and have identified and are implementing significant operational initiatives that will save millions of dollars, all of which will position Rural/Metro for future success. Our team has not missed a beat and has done a terrific job focusing on the delivery of outstanding service and patient care while we reorganize our company. We are moving through this process quickly and successfully, and will emerge as a stronger and more profitable organization."


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## dhump4free (Oct 30, 2013)

exodus said:


> Paul is a good guy, I've met him a few times and he know's what he's doing they basically built Pacific up from a single ambulance dispatching themselves out of an apartment into what they are now, well before he sold and it went to hell.



I've never met him and while I have heard mixed things, I don't know many people who have good things to say about him. Most of the contracts that he left P/B with didnt make money, and now the Super Corporation is realizing what they bought isn't quite as profitable as it was advertised.


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## Amberlamps916 (Oct 30, 2013)

I'm assuming they are keeping Kaiser, so what contracts are they dumping?


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## CURMUDGEON (Oct 30, 2013)

dhump4free said:


> I've never met him and while I have heard mixed things, I don't know many people who have good things to say about him. Most of the contracts that he left P/B with didnt make money, and now the Super Corporation is realizing what they bought isn't quite as profitable as it was advertised.



Shame on R/M for not doing the math on each contract before they bought the companies. If they can't shed the Kaiser contract, or at least renegotiate it, their troubles are sure to continue.


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## exodus (Oct 30, 2013)

dhump4free said:


> I've never met him and while I have heard mixed things, I don't know many people who have good things to say about him. Most of the contracts that he left P/B with didnt make money, and now the Super Corporation is realizing what they bought isn't quite as profitable as it was advertised.



That's not his fault as long as he showed the numbers without padding them excessively. It's business. When selling, you always value your business at much more than it is worth so you don't lose on the counter offer.  R/M should have researched it better.


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## gonefishing (Oct 30, 2013)

exodus said:


> That's not his fault as long as he showed the numbers without padding them excessively. It's business. When selling, you always value your business at much more than it is worth so you don't lose on the counter offer.  R/M should have researched it better.



No doubt there was monkey math involved which usually takes place in retail audits no real experience of it in ems that I've seen in person.
P/B will probably be ok now that rm has full control of the situation. Its just going to mean a lot of work but most importantly profit.   Shows on his public profile that he was at lifeline for a short period of time.  What happend there?......


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## dhump4free (Oct 30, 2013)

exodus said:


> That's not his fault as long as he showed the numbers without padding them excessively. It's business. When selling, you always value your business at much more than it is worth so you don't lose on the counter offer.  R/M should have researched it better.



Realistically, there should be no padding but I think we all understand how the real world looks.  However, The Super Corporation should have done a little more digging. It does seem like they are going to be ok after all of this and they are making the right decisions for the company.



gonefishing said:


> No doubt there was monkey math involved which usually takes place in retail audits no real experience of it in ems that I've seen in person.
> P/B will probably be ok now that rm has full control of the situation. Its just going to mean a lot of work but most importantly profit.   Shows on his public profile that he was at lifeline for a short period of time.  What happend there?......



Rumor was he was asked to leave but who knows, LL wasn't the most upstanding of companies in the past.


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## bbmtnbb (Oct 30, 2013)

I hope  those cut loose find new positions quickly!


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## Amberlamps916 (Oct 30, 2013)

I wonder which kidney-mobile companies in LA will go after the newly open contracts, looking to buy new Range Rovers.


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## gonefishing (Oct 31, 2013)

Addrobo said:


> I wonder which kidney-mobile companies in LA will go after the newly open contracts, looking to buy new Range Rovers.



LOL! That's exactly who the hospitals want. People that are going to be sly, dirty and ben over backwards for them.  Be it illegal and the improper billing of medi-medi to those patients nurses just wanna get ridd of but "can't find them a ride"  I swear you think the gov would be following the kidney companys around.  We would probably fix the defecit.lol


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## NPO (Nov 4, 2013)

I was one of the ones cut. There were a lot of good people let go. 

I have met Paul Scarborough and I do not like him. You will find me working back in retail before you see me in an ambulance run by him, and for those that know how much I love what I do, that should mean something. I'd do it for free if I didnt have bills. 

R/M is both loosing and cutting contracts. A lot of them were unprofitable. I think they made too many cuts to staffing, and I dont say that just because I was one. Even the all might Kaiser contract doesnt pay that well, so I found out.

It doesnt look like I will have too much trouble getting a job. I expect an offer from PRN later this week, from the mouth of a supervisor there, and am hoping that another interview goes well tomorrow for "accelerated hiring" somewhere else. Fingers crossed. Nothing promised yet.

I am sad to see so many people going to liberty, personally, let them run themselves into the ground. You can already see that they are doing it with Providence, and PRN is picking up their slack. 

Oh well. Its all a bunch of drama. The worst thing for me was losing my family at Bowers. The last few months there have been terrible because of this Providence thing and it affected everyone's mood, especially after we lost it. Before all of this it was a great place to work. I loved the people there, I just hope I am lucky enough to work with people just as nice where ever I end up.

Its been less than a week and I already am going crazy. I just want to be back on a rig.


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## TRSpeed (Nov 5, 2013)

NPO why don't you take a look at Hall ambulance in Kern County? Great place, protocols. They pay for you to go to medic school aswell


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## NPO (Nov 5, 2013)

TRSpeed said:


> NPO why don't you take a look at Hall ambulance in Kern County? Great place, protocols. They pay for you to go to medic school aswell



I interviewed with them a month ago but they didnt like my date for availability (December). I called twice to tell them I am available now, but they havnt gotten back to me.


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## Blueprint1970 (Nov 9, 2013)

How many of the medics did they let go?


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## NPO (Nov 9, 2013)

10 is the number I heard.


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## Blueprint1970 (Nov 13, 2013)

man that sucks to hear i hope they find a job soon.


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## Woodtownemt (Nov 14, 2013)

R/M just posted an ad on indeed.com. Are they serious?


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## NPO (Nov 14, 2013)

I saw that. I emailed HR.


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## CURMUDGEON (Nov 14, 2013)

NPO said:


> I saw that. I emailed HR.


REALLY???? Here's the ad line:

Overview: 

This is a BOWERS AMBULANCE Job Posting, with openings located in our Los Angeles County Stations including Long Beach, Los Angeles, North Hollywood, and outlying Hospitals.


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## NPO (Nov 14, 2013)

Thats in all of their postings. I talked to the supervisor. He told me to put in an app and put his name on it. I'll be calling HR to discuss rehire options


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## Gimpy17 (Nov 15, 2013)

NPO said:


> I'll be calling HR to discuss rehire options



Why? I was a 5.5 year employee of Bowers and was laid off also. The way they handled everything was absolutely terrible....don't go back. 

I don't recommend R/M or Bowers to anyone.


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## Gimpy17 (Nov 15, 2013)

exodus said:


> Paul is a good guy, I've met him a few times and he know's what he's doing they basically built Pacific up from a single ambulance dispatching themselves out of an apartment into what they are now, well before he sold and it went to hell.



Paul did not sell Bowers/Pacific because he was not an owner, Ray Iskander and Brian Cates were the owners who sold to R/M.


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## Gimpy17 (Nov 15, 2013)

exodus said:


> When selling, you always value your business at much more than it is worth so you don't lose on the counter offer.  R/M should have researched it better.



That is Fraud. Value your business accurately, if they make a counter offer that is too low you don't have to accept. Simply prove the value of your company, don't inflate numbers. (In a perfect world of course)

But yes, R/M should have researched better.


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## NPO (Nov 15, 2013)

Gimpy17 said:


> Why? I was a 5.5 year employee of Bowers and was laid off also. The way they handled everything was absolutely terrible....don't go back.
> 
> I don't recommend R/M or Bowers to anyone.



5.5 Years huh.. Gonna have to figure out who you were lol. Medic or EMT?

I loved working there. It was the people, they made it fun to come to work. I got pretty good experience for an IFT company. I would go back in a heart beat, until I can get an offer in a 911 setting and finish pre-reqs for medic school.


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## Gimpy17 (Nov 15, 2013)

NPO said:


> 5.5 Years huh.. Gonna have to figure out who you were lol. Medic or EMT?
> 
> I loved working there. It was the people, they made it fun to come to work. I got pretty good experience for an IFT company. I would go back in a heart beat, until I can get an offer in a 911 setting and finish pre-reqs for medic school.



I am an EMT but wasn't in the field anymore, perhaps my name "Gimpy" might give you a clue?

Sure, most of the field staff were good people, but management/corporate oversight has gone to :censored::censored::censored::censored:. They are rehiring 2 weeks after lay offs? Come on!! Huge red flag they don't know what the heck they are doing! Or they are trying to rehire EMT's for a cheaper rate.

You can do better then R/M. I was promised a different position within the company by managers only to get laid off...sinking ship, take your severance pay and go to a different company.


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## toyskater86 (Nov 15, 2013)

lay off all employees that were making good hourly rates, then rehire same or new EMTs at extreme low rates and save money.


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## ITBITB13 (Nov 15, 2013)

toyskater86 said:


> lay off all employees that were making good hourly rates, then rehire same or new EMTs at extreme low rates and save money.



Unfortunately, this seems to be the norm..

For all you SoCal guys lacking employment, I heard Care Ambulance from LA/Orange county is hiring quite a bit of EMTs due to recent expansion into LA City, and addition of units to their LA fire areas. Check it out! I've heard nothing but good things about em'.

That, and I may or may not work, or have worked there.^_^


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## dhump4free (Nov 15, 2013)




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## ITBITB13 (Nov 15, 2013)

dhump4free said:


>



:lol:


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## NPO (Jan 10, 2014)

toyskater86 said:


> lay off all employees that were making good hourly rates, then rehire same or new EMTs at extreme low rates and save money.



Everyone rehired was offered their previous rate. Many high earning employees remain. 

The rehire seems to be a result of increased Kaiser calls. PRN has been helping another company with their increased call volume that they can't handle (same contract Bowers lost resulting in cuts). As a result PRN is running less Kaiser.


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