Albuquerque Ambulance

Wayward2w1

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I'm currently working for AAS as an EMT-I / FTO (yes, New Mexico still uses Intermediate instead of Advanced). It looks like this ad is for the Espanola branch, which I admit I've never worked for. From what I've heard, they work 48/96s out of the hospital, sounded like most of the calls were overdoses. Again, never been there myself and that is all third party info.

The actual Albuquerque Ambulance, however, I do work for. If you have questions about them I can give you my views, but if you're looking for information on just the Espanola branch I've done about all I can do.
 
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RocketMedic

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Any information helps, thanks! Looking at metro ABQ too.
 

Wayward2w1

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OK, so AAS is the contracted service for all of ABQ and Bernillio county. You have AMR working the counties to the south, and Superior Ambulance works 911 throughout the state, but only handles IFT in ABQ. The ABQ and BernCo area is a two tiered response system, with both AAS and fire responding to medical calls although AFD and BCFD can only transport in extreme cases, i.e. severe trauma and we're minutes out. Other than that, all patients in the metro and county area are transported by AAS. Oh, we also do IFTs ourselves. AS for the company itself, I only have so much to go on. I've been here for two years, and it's my first EMS gig. Compared to everyone else in the area, we have better rigs, equipment, and resources, but like I said I have no direct comparison, only what others have told me after starting at AAS.
Pay is good, not quite on the level of fire or the hospitals, but decent. I make a touch over $15 an hour as an advanced, with an extra $1 on top of that for being an FTO. My partner is a medic captain with 8 years at the company, she says she makes "way too much for what I do, especially since I make you do everything." I know we're hiring a lot right now, and we have both sign on bonuses and relocation bonuses for out of state medics coming here. Oh, plus uniform allotments.

Schedule wise there are some options. I currently work 13 hour overnights 3 days a week. There are also 10 hour shifts four days a week, a couple 11 hour shifts, and 12-12-24 hour shifts for our KAFB and Mountain crews. CCT works a 24 hour staging out of a hospital. We don't have anywhere to stage out on the street, you just get posted and wait for a call. On that note, we're a heavy volume system. Part of that is ABQ itself, but I'm not gonna talk about that here, DM me if you have more specific questions. In a 13 hour shift we'll run between 8 and 13 calls. I think my record is 16, with 3 cancel enroutes and one cancel on scene. We usually get at least one IFT a night, sometimes more. Calls are typically mundane, sometimes you'll get something that actually requires you to paramedic.

Supervision is actually pretty great. For the street crews there's usually two on duty commanders to call if you need help or have and equipment failure. Our new chief worked to get us all raises, and is also trying to negotiate with the city on response times. We have a logistics department that handles truck washing and restock, so all I have to do is make sure everything in there at the start of my shift and gas the truck before I go back to base. No issues there, for the most part.

All in all, it's a great company. It has it's issues, but I figure ever company does. Let me know if you have any other questions, DM me for anything specific.
 
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RocketMedic

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Yep I'm pretty interested in ABQ. I really like that I'd start as a "Paramedic-V".
 
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RocketMedic

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Kind of an aside, but how is AMR in the NM/ABQ area now? Looking a little bit at Alamogordo or Las Cruces. I miss the desert.
 

DrParasite

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The ABQ and BernCo area is a two tiered response system, with both AAS and fire responding to medical calls although AFD and BCFD can only transport in extreme cases, i.e. severe trauma and we're minutes out. Other than that, all patients in the metro and county area are transported by AAS.
For clarification: does that mean ABQ and BernCo FDs send a transport capable ambulance to all calls, in addition to AAS? Or a non-transport first responder unit with 1 or 2 guys (leaving the engine in service, but short staffed)? And is the FD an ALS or ILS agency, or BLS only? Do they respond to all calls, or just high priority calls?
We don't have anywhere to stage out on the street, you just get posted and wait for a call.
What does that mean? are you posted to a street corner or area of the city? or are you posted to a physical station, hospital, fire house, etc.
 

Wayward2w1

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For clarification: does that mean ABQ and BernCo FDs send a transport capable ambulance to all calls, in addition to AAS? Or a non-transport first responder unit with 1 or 2 guys (leaving the engine in service, but short staffed)? And is the FD an ALS or ILS agency, or BLS only? Do they respond to all calls, or just high priority calls?
Depends on how the call is triaged. More "critical" codings get a transport capable rescue from the FD, others just an engine, the most critical get both. (On that note, I'm still trying to figure out the fire logic of "more people must mean better care") The FD, for the most part, will only transport if it's a critical trauma and we're not there, or if we're level 0 and they've been on scene for a bit. The FD rescues are usually double medic, I think the county will use a medic / EMT combo. Not certain.

What does that mean? are you posted to a street corner or area of the city? or are you posted to a physical station, hospital, fire house, etc.
Street corners. No buildings for us. Well, let me clarify. Our postings are done by major cross streets, and we have to stay within a short distance. Usually there's a parking lot that's both out of the way, but has good egress and lines of sight so we don't get snuck up on.
 

TransportJockey

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Kind of an aside, but how is AMR in the NM/ABQ area now? Looking a little bit at Alamogordo or Las Cruces. I miss the desert.
They still cover Alamo and Dona Ana County last I heard. Plus they're IFT in ABQ and 911 for all of Valencia County. That hasn't changed since I was ODS for them before I moved to TX. DAC AMR isn't bad. Alamo is still 'special'.
 

TransportJockey

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The FD rescues are usually double medic, I think the county will use a medic / EMT combo. Not certain.
Yea, BCFD still uses a mixed crew at times from what I have heard.
Street corners. No buildings for us. Well, let me clarify. Our postings are done by major cross streets, and we have to stay within a short distance. Usually there's a parking lot that's both out of the way, but has good egress and lines of sight so we don't get snuck up on.
The Lomas and Broadway Starbucks used to always have a 55 convention when I lived down the road. That still a popular posting spot?
 

Wayward2w1

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The Lomas and Broadway Starbucks used to always have a 55 convention when I lived down the road. That still a popular posting spot?

0.o Dude, I didn't even know that was a post at some point. Now it's usually San Mateo and I-40 that gets the most units, but with the call volume we have now there's barely time to say hello to anyone else.
 

TransportJockey

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0.o Dude, I didn't even know that was a post at some point. Now it's usually San Mateo and I-40 that gets the most units, but with the call volume we have now there's barely time to say hello to anyone else.
Lol it's been a while since I worked in the metro. I used to be Medic 80 (ODS) for AMR when they took over ValCo 911. Worked for Living Cross before that.
 

MICP2585

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OK, so AAS is the contracted service for all of ABQ and Bernillio county. You have AMR working the counties to the south, and Superior Ambulance works 911 throughout the state, but only handles IFT in ABQ. The ABQ and BernCo area is a two tiered response system, with both AAS and fire responding to medical calls although AFD and BCFD can only transport in extreme cases, i.e. severe trauma and we're minutes out. Other than that, all patients in the metro and county area are transported by AAS. Oh, we also do IFTs ourselves. AS for the company itself, I only have so much to go on. I've been here for two years, and it's my first EMS gig. Compared to everyone else in the area, we have better rigs, equipment, and resources, but like I said I have no direct comparison, only what others have told me after starting at AAS.
Pay is good, not quite on the level of fire or the hospitals, but decent. I make a touch over $15 an hour as an advanced, with an extra $1 on top of that for being an FTO. My partner is a medic captain with 8 years at the company, she says she makes "way too much for what I do, especially since I make you do everything." I know we're hiring a lot right now, and we have both sign on bonuses and relocation bonuses for out of state medics coming here. Oh, plus uniform allotments.

Schedule wise there are some options. I currently work 13 hour overnights 3 days a week. There are also 10 hour shifts four days a week, a couple 11 hour shifts, and 12-12-24 hour shifts for our KAFB and Mountain crews. CCT works a 24 hour staging out of a hospital. We don't have anywhere to stage out on the street, you just get posted and wait for a call. On that note, we're a heavy volume system. Part of that is ABQ itself, but I'm not gonna talk about that here, DM me if you have more specific questions. In a 13 hour shift we'll run between 8 and 13 calls. I think my record is 16, with 3 cancel enroutes and one cancel on scene. We usually get at least one IFT a night, sometimes more. Calls are typically mundane, sometimes you'll get something that actually requires you to paramedic.

Supervision is actually pretty great. For the street crews there's usually two on duty commanders to call if you need help or have and equipment failure. Our new chief worked to get us all raises, and is also trying to negotiate with the city on response times. We have a logistics department that handles truck washing and restock, so all I have to do is make sure everything in there at the start of my shift and gas the truck before I go back to base. No issues there, for the most part.

All in all, it's a great company. It has it's issues, but I figure ever company does. Let me know if you have any other questions, DM me for anything specific.
I am a 19 year paramedic and they are offering 27-28 an hour, how does this compare? It seems low, but I would be coming form Alaska. I also looked at the area protocols and didn't see RSI anywhere or any mention of Paralytics.
 
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RocketMedic

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It’s pretty amazing.
 

VentMonkey

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I am a 19 year paramedic and they are offering 27-28 an hour, how does this compare? It seems low, but I would be coming form Alaska. I also looked at the area protocols and didn't see RSI anywhere or any mention of Paralytics.
Why do you need any of this? I’m guessing it’s a busy metropolitan area with the call volume and transport times to reflect it.
 
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RocketMedic

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well what about an extended extrication?

Extended extrications that require airway management are both a vanishingly rare occurance AND a situation in which associated poly trauma would tend to make facilitated intubation extremely hazardous. Unless you’ve got blood and surgery, a better answer would be to use less-invasive measures and go quickly to blood and surgery. If you’re in a rural area like East or West Texas with a lot of time, that hazard might be worth taking, but in a relatively compact area like Albuquerque I don’t really see a need for it.
As far as pay goes, they’re extremely competitive. Those rates are outstanding.
 
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