American Ambulance in Fresno

[gonefishing]

Just a side note, had my morning coffee and didn't mean to come off as a mean spirited Jack A** [emoji6]

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[VentMonkey]

Just a side note, had my morning coffee and didn't mean to come off as a mean spirited Jack A** [emoji6]

As did I, as far as how I come off, meh...my opinions are mine, take 'em at face value if you so wish.

 

[Jacedc]

Does anyone know how their pay is determined? Do they look at hospital and EMS experience? I am moving up to Fresno next month and am curious if the pay is going to be decent for an EMT! Thanks!

 

[NPO]

Does anyone know how their pay is determined? Do they look at hospital and EMS experience? I am moving up to Fresno next month and am curious if the pay is going to be decent for an EMT! Thanks!

Pay experience is given for every 1 year of 911 EMS expensive

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[RocketMedic]

I asked, wasn't terribly impressed. An eight-year 911 medic would come in around $18.7x an hour.

 

[Jacedc]

Thanks for the reply, what is typically the starting range for an EMT. Also, do they do any sponsor ship through Fresno Paramedic program?

 

[NPO]

Thanks for the reply, what is typically the starting range for an EMT. Also, do they do any sponsor ship through Fresno Paramedic program?

I don't know pay. They don't do sponsorship. If you're interested in sponsorship, do what I did and go to Hall. I've been a medic about a year now thanks to their sponsorship. Message for details.

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[RocketMedic]

All things considered, I'd go Hall over American, but only just. Riggs looks interesting too, but their base schedule is apparently 60-72 hours. AMR SoCal doesn't look terrible in Riverside or San Bernadino either in comparison to LA, but that's a very outsider view (seeing as how I know next to nothing about CA EMS internal workings).

Honestly though, I'd have a really, really hard time going back. I'd love to, because California was my home and I've got friends, family and relatively aligned political leanings and they treat educators better than many places in Texas do, but at the end of the day, finances, my Texas family and better opportunities here in the Lone Star State keep me from sending in that reciprocity packet. If they had a real state-funded health plan, if wages were 30% higher, or if some other thing changed, absolutely, but as is, I just can't quite justify leaving an all-911 job at $21.50 an hour without state taxes and with decent equipment, great benefits and a pretty decent set of protocols to go to a system where I'd make around $18 an hour with expensive state taxes and a model of practice that constantly reminds me exactly how little I'm considered in comparison to a nurse, despite my having a generally-superior understanding of the job, the pathophysiology, operations and the right thing to do.

I'd move for an education or management gig though.

California is a generally nicer place to live and hands-down better to visit than Texas though. I love the diversity of cultures, people, things to do, etc. Knott's, the Chargers, Big Bear, etc. The only part of Texas that I really like is San Antonio and the Hill Country. Everything else is something to go over or through in order to get to that paradise. Houston is a swampy pit IMO (although NASA is amazing and we do some incredible things here that a lot of the rest of the nation doesn't, and the people are nice). DFW is OK, but it's also clogged with traffic and cookie-cutter communities and feels kind of generic. Amarillo is like one of those cookie cutters, cloned and run-down, stuck in the middle of nowhere. I like El Paso but not enough to put TX over CA; and personally I feel like El Paso is its own little Second World nation sometimes. I miss mountains and snow and trees that aren't swampy and deserts too.

From a professional standpoint though, Texas offer a lot of diverse opportunities that a lot of states can't.

 

[chrisemtmags]

All things considered, I'd go Hall over American, but only just. Riggs looks interesting too, but their base schedule is apparently 60-72 hours. AMR SoCal doesn't look terrible in Riverside or San Bernadino either in comparison to LA, but that's a very outsider view (seeing as how I know next to nothing about CA EMS internal workings).

Honestly though, I'd have a really, really hard time going back. I'd love to, because California was my home and I've got friends, family and relatively aligned political leanings and they treat educators better than many places in Texas do, but at the end of the day, finances, my Texas family and better opportunities here in the Lone Star State keep me from sending in that reciprocity packet. If they had a real state-funded health plan, if wages were 30% higher, or if some other thing changed, absolutely, but as is, I just can't quite justify leaving an all-911 job at $21.50 an hour without state taxes and with decent equipment, great benefits and a pretty decent set of protocols to go to a system where I'd make around $18 an hour with expensive state taxes and a model of practice that constantly reminds me exactly how little I'm considered in comparison to a nurse, despite my having a generally-superior understanding of the job, the pathophysiology, operations and the right thing to do.

I'd move for an education or management gig though.

California is a generally nicer place to live and hands-down better to visit than Texas though. I love the diversity of cultures, people, things to do, etc. Knott's, the Chargers, Big Bear, etc. The only part of Texas that I really like is San Antonio and the Hill Country. Everything else is something to go over or through in order to get to that paradise. Houston is a swampy pit IMO (although NASA is amazing and we do some incredible things here that a lot of the rest of the nation doesn't, and the people are nice). DFW is OK, but it's also clogged with traffic and cookie-cutter communities and feels kind of generic. Amarillo is like one of those cookie cutters, cloned and run-down, stuck in the middle of nowhere. I like El Paso but not enough to put TX over CA; and personally I feel like El Paso is its own little Second World nation sometimes. I miss mountains and snow and trees that aren't swampy and deserts too.

From a professional standpoint though, Texas offer a lot of diverse opportunities that a lot of states can't.

Haha Houston is swampy!! If only you new then how true that would be now

 

[RocketMedic]

I'm pretty done with hurricanes.

 

[terrible one]

Saw a job opening for American offering up to 10k sign on / relocation bonus. Pay was 50k-63k on either 48 or 60hr work weeks. That's pretty good for the central valley

 

[VentMonkey]

Saw a job opening for American offering up to 10k sign on / relocation bonus.

Yes, things are fairly rough up and down the state ATM. On the plus side, paramedics pretty much have their choice of services all throughout CA.

 

[terrible one]

Ya out here in the I.E. I've talked to a few of the medics from AMR and they are constantly short staffed. I feel bad because I know they are non stop running calls.

 

[Goofy]

Hello. Former American Ambulance employee (EMT) here. This isn’t in response to the OP, but more of an informational post to anyone who might become interested in working for American Ambulance in Fresno, CA.

I worked for American Ambulance for three years. They are a vey good company to work for in terms of professionalism, gaining experience and overall morale. Of course that is subjective and even I admit that it couldn’t have been all too great if I ended up leaving to become a cop (different county on the coast). However, it was a good company. The managers and supervisors are truly there to help you whether it be a day off request (I was given an unlimited amount of days off for my marriage and subsequent honeymoon while still on probation) or you’re on scene of an MCI. Side point, Probation is a year long, but honestly you have to really try to get fired.

The system is very busy. If you’re a metro unit (the city of Fresno) you’re typically running 8-10 calls all day with minimal breaks. 24 hour units are pretty busy too depending on the Station (Kerman, Mendota, Riverdale, Selma are pretty busy for the whole 24 hour shift). If you’re a 24, get ready to drive back and forth posting metro on and off during the day and night.

You work either 4 12 hour shifts or 1 24 hour w/ 2 12s. Of course, OT is there in abundance for those inclined to work it. You don’t have to kill yourself on OT. You can work many of the Save Mart Center events, High School football game standbys, LDTs, etcetera. For those with seniority, you can work in Kings County doing a 48 plus a 12 (never worked Kings, but I know those 60 hours can be brutal).

Pay is okay for the area. EMTs start at around $10.00-$10.50 and get 2% increase every 6 months. Paramedics start at around $15-16ish, but there is something to factor in here: after 8 hours of work, you get paid time and a half for the next 4+ hours. So assuming you only work 48 hours a week (paychecks are every 2 weeks), 96 hour pay period, your check will read: 64 hours of Regular time ($10x64) and 32 hours of OT ($15x32). Well do the math: $1120.00 biweekly for a starting EMT. For medics use the same formula. I feel this is important because otherwise one assumes they are working $10 straight time all week, or only 8 hours are OT kind of thing.

When you work a 24 shift, your OT gets calculated a little different. The same formula will apply to the two 12s you will work (8 RT and 4 OT), but the 24 hour shift will be all straight time. So at the end of the pay period you’re looking at 80 hours of Regular time plus 16 hours of OT.

The whole fleet is Mercedes Sprinters. They only run them for three years before they switch out the whole fleet. In three years those units have about 250k miles. The exceptions are box International units for the Rescue Team. These guys also run metro calls until dispatched to a rescue which isn’t often. There’s about three on shift at all times.

Learning the area is easy. Fresno County’s major streets run N-S and E-W. Downtown area can be confusing but the MDTs are very helpful and rarely go down. All gurneys are power operated. The ambulances are very well taken care of by Maintenance staff. There’s always a dedicated crew cleaning and restocking the ambulances.

All codes are run with a supervisor (if available and nearby) so the pumping CPR device can be used which made codes a breeze enroute to the hospital. The main hospitals one goes to are St. Agnes (cath lab), CRMC (level 1 trauma), but Kaiser, VA, Clovis Community, Selma or Reedley are there too. Of course that’s just Fresno County. If it’s not a hot call, you’re at the mercy of the patient to transport to any ER from Madera to Tulare.

As levels rise you get to post starting with downtown Fresno, then in order: Clovis, west Fresno, mid Fresno, north Fresno, south east Fresno, east Fresno, south west Fresno, super north Fresno (post 30 love it there), north east Fresno and then they double them up. It doesn’t happen often, but every now and then you are blessed. This is just ALS. There are many dedicated BLS units on during the day to help offset Priority 5s (IFTs). However, dual EMTs can respond to Priority 3s (Code 2 911s) and also transport Code 2 to the ER. BLS can also respond to Priority 1s (Code 3 911s) If Fire is not available. Which brings me to: all Fire Depts with few exceptions are all BLS. The exceptions are Sanger Fire which have their own ambulances.

Shift signups are based on seniority obviously. They bid three times a year to reflect the college semesters. They don’t bid a whole block, but instead you can pick and choose which days and start times you want. You want a night shift one day and a day shift the following day, so long as they are available and they are 6 hours apart you’re good. The partners of course vary during shift sign ups but once they’re set they’re set.

Want to be a medic? Be an EMT for like 6months to a year, put in and they’ll sponsor you in a college they choose. You will have to stay on part time (36 hours) while going to school and that includes during the internship so interns are busy, but you knew that.

I am tired. If there are any questions I’ll answer them. Good luck

 

[VentMonkey]

@Goofy excellent, detailed description on American Ambulance of Fresno. Our (Hall’s) system is nearly identical to American’s.