Private IFT only company in LA Co, first 6 months on a BLS unit that did mostly hospital transfers and discharges to SNF's, last 3 months at the company got put on a CCT shift, once again mostly non emergent hospital transfers, and ventilator transports, had a grand total of 1 emergent call in my entire time at the company for a STEMI transfer. It was a good company overall, with none of the horror stories I've heard about other LA area companies, but the monotony of stable patients where I did little more than monitor vitals (even on CCT) led me to apply elsewhere
My second job was at a company that did a mix of IFT and 911 transport for the city of Torrance in LA Co. I went from $10/hour to $8.50/hour with nearly twice as long commute, but I thought the calls would be worth it...nope. Code 2 to every 911 call regardless of what it was (once in a blue moon fire would upgrade us to Code 3, but even calls they would transport ALS, which policy required Code 3 transport, but 9 times out of 10 they were content to let us stay Code 2 coming into the scene). Combined with old equipment, company wide shortages of some equipment nearly every day it seemed, 12 hours of street corner posting all day with more than 3 calls being a busy day, low pay, clear favoritism on the part of dispatch and management, and being treated as little more than gurney pushers by fire...well lets just say I was less than happy there. That being said, echoing above, they were still better than a lot of the dialysis derby "shady" horror story little companies in the county. I stayed 6 months there, and only because I was in backgrounds at my current job. (This company has since closed its doors and ceased operations)
Where I currently have just under a year at my fire department EMT ambulance operator job that is heads and shoulders above both of those^ companies...heck, I think it's about the best single role EMT job in the county...exclusively 911 only response to all ALS and BLS calls, only 3 calls is a slow day, upwards of 6 calls in a 12 hour shift, 10-12 in a 24hr shift, no street corner posting, half the rigs in the city are brand new (less than a year old), with pay that's half again as much as the privates, plus it's a city job so we get CALPers retirement contributions and other benefits, plus being in house with the department part of the culture and all that gives us a vital edge to win the lottery and get the coveted fire fighter job.
