# American Professional Ambulance?



## Jim37F (Dec 8, 2012)

I'm a new EMT looking for my first job, and I happened to notice a now hiring sign on the back of an APA rig in Pasadena today. So I look up their website and my first impressions is that the website was one of the better and more informative websites for an ambulance company I've seen so far. 

Does anyone know more about APA? How much emergency vs IFT calls do they do? Etc?


----------



## looker (Dec 8, 2012)

They are straight IFT.


----------



## toyskater86 (Dec 8, 2012)

from what i hear they pay a little higher than other companies but they do a lot of dialysis runs.


----------



## MunchkinMedic (Dec 9, 2012)

I worked there for about 2 years & it was an alright company. They went through 4-5 supervisors, one supervisor/manager got sued for sexual harassment, the company had a few court cases against them for wrongful termination and multiple other things. But with that being said, I never had a paycheck bounce, had ok benefits, and had a great partner.


----------



## Jim37F (Dec 11, 2012)

Ok thanks, yeah I have an interview with APA tomorrow afternoon. I also just got a call from PRN today wanting to set up an interview.


----------



## NPO (Jan 8, 2013)

If you see a phone number or a NOW HIRING sign on an ambulance, pass it up.
Also, the more stickers in the back window, the better (Look for the LaCo sticker). If they are LaCo certified, they meet the TIGHTEST requirements.

Either way, good luck. If you get an offer from both, choose PRN. Its a good company. APA is under scrutiny from the county I believe.


(EDIT: just realized this is an older post. Must be time to sleep.....)


----------



## looker (Jan 8, 2013)

NPO said:


> If you see a phone number or a NOW HIRING sign on an ambulance, pass it up.
> Also, the more stickers in the back window, the better (Look for the LaCo sticker). If they are LaCo certified, they meet the TIGHTEST requirements.
> 
> Either way, good luck. If you get an offer from both, choose PRN. Its a good company. APA is under scrutiny from the county I believe.
> ...



APA is not currently county licensed. Looking at the list they probably a minimum 6 month away from board hearing if not much longer consider how slow the county is moving.


----------



## SurfEMT (Oct 18, 2013)

Anyone have recent information on APA? Like Working conditions, quality of the place and people? I see they are on the pending list for an LACounty permit. Also what's their interview process? Thanks.


----------



## Leirsyn (Oct 21, 2013)

Hey SurfEMT, I worked for this company for a bit, and they are alright in my book. The quality of calls depends on which station you work for. The valley/ culver city stations tend to do a lot of dialysis calls - I would say a 70/30 ratio, while for the carson station, the ratio was about 40/60. If you work for Sundays, you are not going to get any dialysis calls obviously. They only give 10 hour shifts, so expect to do anywhere from 2 to 5 calls. 

The people who work there are nice, but like any other place, there will be a few partners who will get on your bad side. Carson/Valley station is the most organized while Culver City is the least organized. 

Interview questions vary from each employee, I hear, but they definitely need people because so many people leave for school or use it as a stepping stone for another career so they will hire you on the spot if deemed qualified. After that, you have 3 days of classroom training and then 3 days of field training followed by 3 days of driver training. I can tell you that it is a lot more legitimate than most companies.


----------



## Pacoima22 (Jan 21, 2015)

Anyone know the address for the Culver City Station?


----------



## NPO (Jan 21, 2015)

40-70% dialysis calls per day still sounds awful. 

What's the other 30-60%?


----------



## gonefishing (Jan 22, 2015)

NPO said:


> 40-70% dialysis calls per day still sounds awful.
> 
> What's the other 30-60%?


Probably snf to ed for flu, loose gtube.  5150's lol


----------



## NPO (Jan 22, 2015)

gonefishing said:


> Probably snf to ed for flu, loose gtube.  5150's lol


The majority of my BLS IFTs that were SNF to ER in LA went code 3. But we didn't do many and when we did we were on our toes.


----------



## gonefishing (Jan 22, 2015)

NPO said:


> The majority of my BLS IFTs that were SNF to ER in LA went code 3. But we didn't do many and when we did we were on our toes.


I think I know who you worked for.  Alot of snf to ed calls are shady ill admit to that and a good crew will spot it.


----------



## NPO (Jan 22, 2015)

gonefishing said:


> I think I know who you worked for.  Alot of snf to ed calls are shady ill admit to that and a good crew will spot it.


I worked for Bowers lol.
Our dead giveaway was "hyperglycemia" I had 3 in one week with that on the pager. All 3 went code 3. One was altered and hypotensive, one was in resp failure and the third was in cardiogenic shock. But hey at least the SMF doc ordered NS 50ml/hr for the hyperglycemia.


----------



## gonefishing (Jan 22, 2015)

NPO said:


> I worked for Bowers lol.
> Our dead giveaway was "hyperglycemia" I had 3 in one week with that on the pager. All 3 went code 3. One was altered and hypotensive, one was in resp failure and the third was in cardiogenic shock. But hey at least the SMF doc ordered NS 50ml/hr for the hyperglycemia.


LOL Ah Bowers the trusted name in SNF emergencies.  They are always going code! I saw them take a patient from LAFD at a con home before bls to bls.


----------



## NPO (Jan 22, 2015)

gonefishing said:


> LOL Ah Bowers the trusted name in SNF emergencies.  They are always going code! I saw them take a patient from LAFD at a con home before bls to bls.


Ha! LAFD probably didn't want to run it so they called Bowers 

Truthfully, I didn't run too many SNF calls but when I did, it was usually legitimate. Either code 3 legitimate, or even just legitimate enough that I don't feel like a taxi driver. 

They do run code a lot. But not usually for SNFs. I worked on CCT and we got a lot of code 3 calls. Medic units do too.


----------



## ImVenom (Aug 23, 2016)

I JUST* APPLIED HERE. HEARD ITS DECENT. ANYONE HAVE ANY UPDATED INFO FOR ME???*


----------



## NPO (Aug 23, 2016)

ImVenom said:


> I JUST* APPLIED HERE. HEARD ITS DECENT. ANYONE HAVE ANY UPDATED INFO FOR ME???*


Nothing has changed. They are not decent. Good luck......


----------



## ImVenom (Aug 23, 2016)

NPO said:


> Nothing has changed. They are not decent. Good luck......


Thank you, do you have any other suggestions as my first EMT job???


----------



## Jim37F (Aug 23, 2016)

For LA/OC, I'd stick with McCormick, AMR, Schaefer, Care, Emergency, and Doctors.

AMR and R/M for San Diego Co

AMR for San Bernardino Co

AMR and Gold Coast for Ventura Co

Hall for Kern Co


----------



## CALEMT (Aug 23, 2016)

Jim37F said:


> I'm a new EMT looking for my first job, and I happened to notice a now hiring sign on the back of an APA rig in Pasadena today. So I look up their website and my first impressions is that the website was one of the better and more informative websites for an ambulance company I've seen so far.
> 
> Does anyone know more about APA? How much emergency vs IFT calls do they do? Etc?



Wow newb...  

***Edit 


Jim37F said:


> For LA/OC, I'd stick with McCormick, AMR, Schaefer, Care, Emergency, and Doctors.
> 
> AMR and R/M for San Diego Co
> 
> ...



SBCoFD has AO jobs as well. 
Riverside Co. AMR is the sole 911 provider if someone wants to travel from the LA area.


----------



## CodeBru1984 (Aug 23, 2016)

Jim37F said:


> For LA/OC, I'd stick with McCormick, AMR, Schaefer, Care, Emergency, and Doctors.
> 
> AMR and R/M for San Diego Co
> 
> ...



I second this recommendation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Qulevrius (Aug 23, 2016)

Suggestion: apply with whoever you can, accept the highest paying job offered, start working and once you lose some of that starry flickering in your eyes + get a better understanding of where you are and what you're doing, reevaluate your options.


----------



## NPO (Sep 8, 2016)

Qulevrius said:


> Suggestion: apply with whoever you can, accept the highest paying job offered, start working and once you lose some of that starry flickering in your eyes + get a better understanding of where you are and what you're doing, reevaluate your options.


I disagree. Working for a ****hole of a company can ruin your outlook on EMS.


----------



## Qulevrius (Sep 9, 2016)

NPO said:


> I disagree. Working for a ****hole of a company can ruin your outlook on EMS.



Positive experience never teaches anything.


----------



## NPO (Sep 9, 2016)

Qulevrius said:


> Positive experience never teaches anything.


I disagree there too. That's some **** advice. Basically don't try to do things right because you wont appreciate it? LOL you've got things all backwards.


----------



## Qulevrius (Sep 9, 2016)

> LOL you've got things all backwards



Obviously.


----------

