# Best EMS Organizations



## thegreypilgrim (Sep 9, 2011)

I know a similar thread was made in the past, but I was hoping with the moderator's permission this could be turned into a sticky thread. What I was thinking we'd do is make a comprehensive list of the EMS organizations with the best reputations as far as working conditions, clinical progressiveness, etc. and sort them by type (i.e. private, fire-based, third service, flight, etc.). I'll start.

*Private*
REMSA - Reno, NV
Acadian Ambulance - LA, TX, MS
EMSA - Tulsa, OK
CareFlight - DFW, TX

*Hospital-Based*
North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Center - NYC, NY
Jamaica Hospital Medical Center - Jamaica, NY
NewYork Presbyterian - NYC, NY
New Jersey University Hospital - Newark, NJ

*Third Service*
King County Medic One - Kent, WA
Boston - Boston, MA
Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh, PA
Honolulu - Oahu, HI
Austin-Travis County - Austin, TX
Lee County EMS - Ft. Myers, FL
MedStar - Fort Worth, TX

*Fire-Based*
Seattle - Seattle, WA

*Aeromedical*
PHI Air Medical - National
Mercy Flights - Medford, OR
Life Flight Network - OR, WA, ID
MidAtlantic Medevac - Philadelphia, PA
Mercy Flight Central - Canandaigua, NY
Boston MedFlight - Boston, MA
STAR Flight - Austin, TX

*International*
Ambulance Service of New South Wales - Sydney, NSW, Australia
Queensland Ambulance Service - Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Australian Capital Territory Ambulance Service - Canberra, ACT, Australia 
Ambulance Victoria - Melbourne, VIC, Australia
South Australia Ambulance Service - Adelaide, SA, Australia
Ambulance Tasmania - Hobart, TAS, Australia
St. John's Ambulance Services - International but this links to New Zealand
Wellington Free Ambulance - Wellington, NZ
NHS Ambulance Trusts - United Kingdom
Netcare911 - South Africa (Gauteng, Northwest Province, Limpopo, Mpumulanga, Free State, KZN, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape)
Metro EMS - Cape Town, South Africa


----------



## Shishkabob (Sep 9, 2011)

What are you using as your definition of 'private'?  Does private encompass for profit and not-for profit?


MedStar is technically a public utility model agency. Same with EMSA and REMSA.


----------



## thegreypilgrim (Sep 9, 2011)

Linuss said:


> What are you using as your definition of 'private'?  Does private encompass for profit and not-for profit?


 Yes.



> MedStar isn't private, it's a public utility model agency. Same with EMSA and REMSA.


 Looks like I C/P'd MedStar into the wrong spot, thanks for that. I consider EMSA and REMSA private since the former contracts with Paramedics Plus and the latter is an NPO.


----------



## Shishkabob (Sep 9, 2011)

That's technically what a public utility model agency is though... they contract out the day-to-day operations to companies.  Rural/Metro ran MedStars daily ops till 2005.  


Montgomery County EMS, here in Texas, is also well known throughout the state for aggressiveness and fairness to employees.  

Ditto with Cypress Creek EMS. (Jerks do a 24/72 with $45k starting... grr)


Champion EMS and ETMC EMS, both in East Texas, tend to have decent like-ness by their employees, though Champion is more progressive/aggressive protocol wise.  Both are technically not-for-profit hospital based systems.


----------



## thegreypilgrim (Sep 9, 2011)

Linuss said:


> That's technically what a public utility model agency is though... they contract out the day-to-day operations to companies.  Rural/Metro ran MedStars daily ops till 2005.


 Yeah I know, but I'm considering them as private since the services are not provided by the local government directly.




> Montgomery County EMS, here in Texas, is also well known throughout the state for aggressiveness and fairness to employees.
> 
> Ditto with Cypress Creek EMS. (Jerks do a 24/72 with $45k starting... grr)
> 
> ...


 Thanks man!


----------



## emt junkie (Sep 9, 2011)

I would like to add Life Air Rescue out of Shrevport.  Always been a fast response and their air crews have always been very pleasant to deal with on scene.


----------



## Scott33 (Sep 9, 2011)

> What I was thinking we'd do is make a comprehensive list of the EMS organizations with the best reputations as far as working conditions, clinical progressiveness, etc. and sort them by type



Is this based on what has been posted on this forum from an employee perspective? Or does 'best reputation' extend to patient satisfaction reports, response times, profit margins, investment in research and clinical development etc?

Either way, glad I have made the list already :beerchug:


----------



## thegreypilgrim (Sep 9, 2011)

Scott33 said:


> Is this based on what has been posted on this forum from an employee perspective? Or does 'best reputation' extend to patient satisfaction reports, response times, profit margins, investment in research and clinical development etc?


 Basically all of the above. 



> Either way, glad I have made the list already :beerchug:


 Congrats!


----------



## sir.shocksalot (Sep 9, 2011)

I would add Airlife Denver to the aeromedical side, they were named 2010 AAMS flight program of the year.

I would also add Denver Health Paramedic Division, they are often involved in clinical trials of new prehospital treatments. They are currently doing a trial  for Droperidol, and have done trials in the past for PolyHeme.


----------



## ArcticKat (Sep 9, 2011)

Mine is the best.

You may lock the thread now.


----------



## usafmedic45 (Sep 9, 2011)

> PHI Air Medical - National



LOL That's a little too broad.  It's a bit like saying "US Airways Express is a really great commuter airline!" when there are about six different companies actually operating under it.  Nice try though....


----------



## Flight-LP (Sep 10, 2011)

usafmedic45 said:


> LOL That's a little too broad.  It's a bit like saying "US Airways Express is a really great commuter airline!" when there are about six different companies actually operating under it.  Nice try though....



Careful buddy! 

PSA was my first (and only!) regional commuter job.............


----------



## usafmedic45 (Sep 10, 2011)

Nothing against them....just saying that making generalizations like that is generally a bad idea.



> I would add Airlife Denver to the aeromedical side, they were named 2010 AAMS flight program of the year.



Let's not forget the wonderful Duracell commercials about flying around thunderstorms with NVGs....   I put about as much faith in the AAMS as I do in the Republican Party picking a sane person for the nomination this year.


----------



## ArcticKat (Sep 10, 2011)

usafmedic45 said:


> I put about as much faith in the AAMS as I do in the Republican Party picking a sane person for the nomination this year.




But you're still gonna vote for them again, aren't you?


----------



## usafmedic45 (Sep 10, 2011)

> But you're still gonna vote for them again, aren't you?



Eh....I'll vote for whichever person I think is less dangerous.  If the choice is Perry versus Obama, I'll go with Obama.  Perry's a little too paranoid, dictatorial and seccesionist for my liking.


----------



## medicsb (Sep 10, 2011)

Places that I've generally heard good things about:

Saint's Paramedics (aka Greater Lowel EMS - a hospital based ALS service), Lowell, MA

Worcester EMS (operated by UMass Memorial Medical Center), Worcester, MA

New Castle County EMS (County-based ALS in Delaware)

Whatcom County Medic One (Fire based service in WA)

In NJ, its tough to tell who's "the best" as all services seem to have their problems.  More research has come out of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital EMS than any other, I think.  They're aggressive and have a physician responder.  I've never heard anyone who works for them say anything bad about them.


----------



## medicdan (Sep 10, 2011)

How about Professional Ambulance in Cambridge, MA? They are a private, but hold only one 911 contract, and have built it from the ground up for 30 years. They have a highly respected paramedic program, and teach courses internationally.


----------



## EMTSTUDENT25 (Sep 11, 2011)

Although I've never worked for them, I would like to add Vanderbilt Lifeflight (Nashville) to the list.


----------



## Handsome Robb (Sep 11, 2011)

I'm glad to be the newest employee to a top rated company  Now just gotta make it through my TAI then finish school then my TAP.



sir.shocksalot said:


> I would also add Denver Health Paramedic Division



I'll second this. Never heard anything but good things about them. I would love to work for them one day.


----------



## Fish (Sep 11, 2011)

*Private*

Had a hard time with this one..........

EMSA in Tulsa/Oka City
Sunstar Paramedics

*Hospital Based*

Denver Health

*Third Service*

Williamson County EMS- Tx (Great Pay, Benefits and very low turnover. Very Progressive and an excellent Rep. for Clinical excellence)
Montgomery County EMS- Tx (Great Pay, Benefits and very low turnover. Very Progressive and an excellent Rep. for Clinical excellence)
Austin-Travis County EMS (Good Pay and Benefits, However they tend to have generally unhappy employess, and are run to the ground)
Boston EMS
Pittsburg EMS
New Castle County EMS- DE
Sussex County EMS- DE

*Fire Based*

Consensus is there is only one
Seatles Medic One (King County)


----------



## hoss42141 (Sep 12, 2011)

AAMS- Airevac. Great group of people. They have atleast 100 bases throught the Midwest, and the south.


----------



## usalsfyre (Sep 12, 2011)

Fire-based needs Fairfax City (not county) Fire Department added. Not a big name but they run an extremely well thought out EMS program, I had the distinct pleasure of working for them early in my career and have yet to see a better totally fire-based department. 

Another "fire-based" operation (though it's EMS division is separate and runs more like a third service) is City of Alexandria FD in VA.


----------



## usalsfyre (Sep 12, 2011)

hoss42141 said:


> AAMS- Airevac. Great group of people. They have atleast 100 bases throught the Midwest, and the south.



Unfortunately "good people" and "good organization" don't always mean the same thing.


----------



## NomadicMedic (Sep 12, 2011)

Fish said:


> Sussex County EMS- DE



As the newest medic at Sussex County EMS, I'll concur with the mention of our system. Good pay, benefits, equipment and protocols. Happy people, great education opportunities, lots of research, 100% peer review on every call... It's really an amazing service. If you're ever out this way, come for a ride along and see how we do it in Delaware. 


Sent from my iPhone.


----------



## Wes (Sep 12, 2011)

Austin/Travis County EMS for the pay, promotional opportunities, and career path.  (Not so much for being run into the ground and fairly "vanilla" protocols.)

Harris County Emergency Corps (formerly Harris County ESD-1) for incredible protocols, phenomenal medical direction, and incredible call acuity.  (Not so much for promotional opportunities and agency politics.)

I've also heard a lot of people in Texas like Schertz EMS (near San Antonio).

Also have heard very good things about all of the Delaware counties' ALS programs.  

Hennepin EMS covering Minneapolis has a justifiably good reputation.

If you want truly rural/frontier EMS, look at Humboldt General Hospital EMS in Winnemuca, NV.

Wake County NC has a good reputation, but I'm not too familiar with them.


----------



## STXmedic (Sep 12, 2011)

I'll definitely second Schertz 

San Antonio Fire/EMS for the pay....


----------



## hoss42141 (Sep 12, 2011)

usalsfyre said:


> Unfortunately "good people" and "good organization" don't always mean the same thing.



This is true, but they have to be doing something right. The only AAMS that is bigger than them is airmethods.


----------



## Iceman26 (Sep 13, 2011)

I have a friend from medic school that works for EMSA in Tulsa and he can't say enough about how much he likes it there and how great of a place it is to work.

As for fire department EMS, Chicago Fire Department should be added to the list. They don't score points with regard to progressiveness, but they make up for it elsewhere in that they have great pay, benefits second to none, a lot of action, and a lot of promotional positions and opportunity.


----------



## DrParasite (Sep 14, 2011)

usalsfyre said:


> Fire-based needs Fairfax City (not county) Fire Department added. Not a big name but they run an extremely well thought out EMS program, I had the distinct pleasure of working for them early in my career and have yet to see a better totally fire-based department.


I applied for Fairfax City, passed every test.... if my HazMat certification had transferred over, there is a good chance that I would be working for that department instead of my current one.  Sadly it didn't, but they definitely impressed me with the way they were running, especially from an EMS point of view.

I want to caution people who look at these agencies as ones to apply to: unless a person has first hand experience from within the organization, going on reputation alone is a good way to get wrong info.  Meaning, unless you are getting a positive referral from someone who works (or has worked) in the system, take it with a grain of salt.

just knowing what I know about EMS agencies in the NY/NJ/PA (and beyond), and what people are saying are good organizations based on reputation aren't as good to work for, and there are many good agencies that aren't even listed (often due to their lack of size when compared to other).  

Plus a lot of "what is the best agency" seems to be a very subjective statement, based less on actual facts and more on hearsay.


----------



## bigdogems (Sep 14, 2011)

Wes said:


> Harris County Emergency Corps (formerly Harris County ESD-1) for incredible protocols, phenomenal medical direction, and incredible call acuity.  (Not so much for promotional opportunities and agency politics.)
> 
> 
> Wake County NC has a good reputation, but I'm not too familiar with them.



Well now your just stroking your ego lol. I have to give it that you guys have a huge number of high acuity and trauma patients. And some badass looking trucks.

For sure Wake county and Denver Health

Vanderbuilt Lifeflight and I'll even say Hermann Lifeflight. I've never had a bad call with them and I usually deal with them a couple times a month. 

As far as PHI Im not sure how they are on a national level but I havent heard too many good things with their Gulf operations


----------



## akjim99 (Sep 29, 2011)

*AirEvac*

I'll add AirEvac.  While they don't use the sexiest aircraft, I loved working with them throughout Texas.  I found the corporate environment comfortable and by fellow flight crew a pleasure to work with.  I'm far from the nearest AE base right now, but if I'm ever in the neighborhood again I'll look them up.


----------



## epipusher (Sep 29, 2011)

akjim99 said:


> I'll add AirEvac.  While they don't use the sexiest aircraft, I loved working with them throughout Texas.  I found the corporate environment comfortable and by fellow flight crew a pleasure to work with.  I'm far from the nearest AE base right now, but if I'm ever in the neighborhood again I'll look them up.



Uh oh, here comes the inevitable AirEvac bashing. Worked for them early in my career and I loved it. I have many friends that work for them now, both in Indiana and Iowa, and they have nothing but good things to say as well.


----------



## hoss42141 (Oct 2, 2011)

We have an airevac base here where I live, and the people are great. Couldn't ask for a better group of people.


----------



## usalsfyre (Oct 2, 2011)

hoss42141 said:


> We have an airevac base here where I live, and the people are great. Couldn't ask for a better group of people.



I worked for them. I worked with a bunch of good people.

I fear for them because of the aircraft. No other oppreator seems to have an issue with aircraft coming apart inflight.


----------



## Flight-LP (Oct 2, 2011)

usalsfyre said:


> I worked for them. I worked with a bunch of good people.
> 
> I fear for them because of the aircraft. No other oppreator seems to have an issue with aircraft coming apart inflight.



I second this. Sorry, the Bell 206L series is not an effective platform in any fashion other than operational cost. They are old, ragged out with high hours on the airframes, and have a multitude of issues, especially in Texas and wherever the density altitude gets up there in the summer.

Usalfyre, if you only knew the total history of your former ride (CJ) back in the day, you probably would have never stepped foot in it. lol

Good people, yes, but minimalistic definitely defines them in my mind.


----------



## usalsfyre (Oct 2, 2011)

Flight-LP said:


> Usalfyre, if you only knew the total history of your former ride (CJ) back in the day, you probably would have never stepped foot in it. lol



Your probably right. That said it couldn't have been any worse than the Crit Air configuration L1 backup(PH) that you could see through light some of the seams . That one came from the gulf, so I can imagine what it went through.


----------



## 46Young (Oct 2, 2011)

usalsfyre said:


> Fire-based needs Fairfax City (not county) Fire Department added. Not a big name but they run an extremely well thought out EMS program, I had the distinct pleasure of working for them early in my career and have yet to see a better totally fire-based department.
> 
> Another "fire-based" operation (though it's EMS division is separate and runs more like a third service) is City of Alexandria FD in VA.



Why do you say "not county?" Not looking to start an argument, rather I  may agree with you on some points, and other things may have changed since you've left the area.

For example, I liked the fact that NYC EMS was either double medic or double EMT, that medics saw a much greater ratio of high acuity patients when compared to one and one systems, but the protocols were mother-may-I ,there were many different 911 providers in the system, we had to post on street corners, the pay is decent compared to the national average, but low for the area, there's no career ladder, turnover is high. 

Fairfax went to a combo double medic/one and one system, the rank structure isn't a good fit for field EMS when clinical decisions are made, there's a mix of those that want to do EMS and those that do not, medics can run any type of call, so the high acuity patients are few and far between, the protocols are more progressive than NYC, the working conditions and equipment are much better, as is the pay, benefits, and career ladder and the attrition level is much lower. Having 3-4 extra people to lift your patients and carry equipment is cool, to. We have everything we need to do our jobs well. IMO, if we fail at pt care, it's operator error, not because we don't have access to the tools, equipment, and education that we need here.


----------



## usalsfyre (Oct 2, 2011)

46Young, the remark wasn't meant as a "the County sucks" rather more of a distinguisher because a lot of people don't know FFX City is a separate entity. 

You are correct that a lot of my thoughts are colored by the fact that when I left "operator error" was pretty rampant in the county. EMS Lt's and Captains who took a CT class circa '89 and didn't feel the need to learn anything else were common, and probably half or better of the Techs running the ambulances were there because they couldn't do anything else (434 and 408 come to mind). That said I do know there's been big changes so I can't speak intelligently about the County today.


----------



## hoss42141 (Oct 2, 2011)

I know airevac is starting to to bring in fixed wings, and are supposed to opening 3 more bases in KY by July of 2012.


----------

