AMR to Paramedics Plus in Alameda County

[Fish]

To me professionalism is providing everyone with competent,compassionate, and appropriate treatment. Regardless of sexual orientation, tattoos, or any other aspects of culture.

ALCO did a PHENOMINAL job of that. An EMS system that gave back to the community as well. (e.g. planting trees in East oakland, taking blood pressures and doing basic exams at churches, and having a community asthma team to educate lower income households on how to deal with their ASTHMA.)

I have nothing but respect for the people who work there no matter what patch they on their sleeve or color their shirt is.

Sure there are bad apples. But there are bad apples in every EMS system and every bakery, every bank, and every other line of work in existence.

Some people have a mighty high horse.

A mighty high horse or a high standard?

Professionalism is also a look, you have to look professional and carry yourselves professionally.

Sexual orientation, Gender, Race, things of that sort do not come into play. But when you start talking about extremely colorful sleeves of tattoes and extravegant piercings. Well then....... That is when opinions of Professional standards come into play.

 

[BeachMedic]

A mighty high horse or a high standard?

Professionalism is also a look, you have to look professional and carry yourselves professionally.

Sexual orientation, Gender, Race, things of that sort do not come into play. But when you start talking about extremely colorful sleeves of tattoes and extravegant piercings. Well then....... That is when opinions of Professional standards come into play.

Thankfully, most people I know look past the cover of a book before judging it...Or speak condescendingly about an entire workforce that they have never met.

Not a huge portion; but a significant portion of Bay Area Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Nurses, Doctors, Military servicemen, and Paramedics would be looking for new jobs if you were in charge. At least it seems that way from your posts. Guess nobody should express themselves. We should all wear suits, ties, and model ourselves after congressmen - the Pinnacle of professionalism!

For the record, "extravegant" and "colorful" are open to interpretation..but if you thought I was insinuating that we had full-body tattoo'd lizard men with mohawks working on Rigs then I apologize. I was talking arm sleeves and eyebrows/nose piercings.

I agree with you to an extent. Mostly when it comes to dealing with older generations, but I'd like to think that a good and genuine personality shines through despite someone having a nose piercing. It's 2012 and times are changing. You think when the kids of generation X or Y become geriatrics that they'll even blink at an arm sleeve? Hell no, they'll compare them to their own.

I have zero tattoos and zero piercings btw.

 

[Fish]

Thankfully, most people I know look past the cover of a book before judging it...Or speak condescendingly about an entire workforce that they have never met.

Not a huge portion; but a significant portion of Bay Area Police Officers, Fire Fighters, Nurses, Doctors, Military servicemen, and Paramedics would be looking for new jobs if you were in charge. At least it seems that way from your posts. Guess nobody should express themselves. We should all wear suits, ties, and model ourselves after congressmen - the Pinnacle of professionalism!

For the record, "extravegant" and "colorful" are open to interpretation..but if you thought I was insinuating that we had full-body tattoo'd lizard men with mohawks working on Rigs then I apologize. I was talking arm sleeves and eyebrows/nose piercings.

I agree with you to an extent. Mostly when it comes to dealing with older generations, but I'd like to think that a good and genuine personality shines through despite someone having a nose piercing. It's 2012 and times are changing. You think when the kids of generation X or Y become geriatrics that they'll even blink at an arm sleeve? Hell no, they'll compare them to their own.

I have zero tattoos and zero piercings btw.

Most fast food places require you either take out or cover a nose or eyebrow peircing, why would an Ambulance providers standards be lower?

Suite and Tie? No, No piercings and tattoes covered? Yes, you can say times are changing all you want. But having lived where you are and having lived in 5 different states (OH, FL, TX, MD, CA) I can say with first hand experience that the people outside of CA are not as bohemian or "laid back". Now, obviously not all people in CA are like that. I am referring to those who believe it is ok to show up to work on an Ambulance with sleeves showing, eyebrow piercings and untamed hair and refer to their patients as dude or bro instead of ma'm or sir. I have a feeling me saying this to anyone who lives in the bay area is going to fall on blind ears. The Bay area is nothing like anywhere else in the US and it seems at times that people from the Bay area have a hard time understanding that.

BTW, I had piercings and long undone hair when I lived in CA. I took those piercings out and cut my hair so that I could look professional, once I moved out of CA boooooyyyy was I glad I did. You gotta remember, this Company who took over ALCO is a Texas company, Texas is nothing like CA so that employees whom you are right I have never met should of seen this coming.

Private services come and go, and one must abide by the new services rules. Sink or Swim

And no one in the Military is wearing piercings while in Uniform.

 

[BeachMedic]

My main point is, and still is that there are some amazing people providing EMS in Alameda County. I took offense to your tone.

Obviously you didn't enjoy your time in California, which is ok. I haven't lived in but i've been to and met awesome people in all the states you've mentioned. People just like me, a guy who lives in the Bay Area. I don't generalize. I've met good people from all economic classes and walks of life. I've got along with them all. From the hood to the burbs. Why? Because i'm genuine, know what i'm doing, and not constantly judging them. I've even had 2 different physicians as patients who told me that they are glad to have met me.

I get along with people. I don't need to make myself feel like I am a part of, "High Standard" or a boy scout. People don't relate to that and it's fake. There is more to excellent patient care and bedside manner than making sure you have on all your pieces of flare. You get more out of people having a conversation with them as opposed to making them feel like they are in a dentists' chair.

"I am referring to those who believe it is ok to show up to work on an Ambulance with sleeves showing, eyebrow piercings and untamed hair" That is everywhere. You can't say that is exclusively California.

I'm sticking up for people I genuinely believe are good people. Forget the rude slobs. Guess i'm done. No hard feelings.

 

[RocketMedic]

Nothing against people who express themselves, but we need to remember that EMS is taking people from the youngest possible working generation and putting patients two and three generations back in our care. It's not what we think, it's what that 65 y/o Vietnam veteran and that 85 y/o Korean War vet and the crusty grandma who grew up in the Great Depression think of us that really matters. "Be yourself, but work for the old guy, because he's paying you."

If a patient doesn't trust me because I look like a slacker, my job is harder. And personally, I don't want a person wearing a 747 on their face treating me- it looks unprofessional, and I have a difficult time taking a kid my age or younger with gauged ears, rings, studs, and a spike in their chin seriously. Tattoos- well, most of my fellow soldiers have them. No problem with them, but a lot of my generation gets random "that's cool" tats. It's not a great sign of maturity to get a crappy Star of Life or spouse's name on your forearm from a back-alley tattoo artist.

*steps off soapbox*

 

[Fish]

My main point is, and still is that there are some amazing people providing EMS in Alameda County. I took offense to your tone.

Obviously you didn't enjoy your time in California, which is ok. I haven't lived in but i've been to and met awesome people in all the states you've mentioned. People just like me, a guy who lives in the Bay Area. I don't generalize. I've met good people from all economic classes and walks of life. I've got along with them all. From the hood to the burbs. Why? Because i'm genuine, know what i'm doing, and not constantly judging them. I've even had 2 different physicians as patients who told me that they are glad to have met me.

I get along with people. I don't need to make myself feel like I am a part of, "High Standard" or a boy scout. People don't relate to that and it's fake. There is more to excellent patient care and bedside manner than making sure you have on all your pieces of flare. You get more out of people having a conversation with them as opposed to making them feel like they are in a dentists' chair.

"I am referring to those who believe it is ok to show up to work on an Ambulance with sleeves showing, eyebrow piercings and untamed hair" That is everywhere. You can't say that is exclusively California.

I'm sticking up for people I genuinely believe are good people. Forget the rude slobs. Guess i'm done. No hard feelings.

You seem to miss we are agreeing about personal conduct as being professional, I agree with you there. I just believe it goes farther, professionalism is also a look.

I lived in California for 13 years, nowhere is like California.

No hard feelings either, unless of course....... you are an Oakland Raiders fan! Then I will have to put my Chargers jersey on and Tackle!

 

[Fish]

I am going to go move to ALCO, can you and I get matching Tattoes?

 

[Jon]

In talking with varied friends/acquaintances that worked in ALCO, and understanding a bit of the dynamics.

ALCO was a contract that AMR had a long history with. ALCO has been a key contract for years, and it has attracted some really great providers. Yes, they don't like to lose contracts, but if PP is truly doing the loss-leader bit, that isn't right and isn't fair.


As for PP... This isn't the first contract they've "taken" from AMR. Sunstar was a big one, and I know there have been others.


it's funny. Mike Taigman, who was the final manager of AMR ALCO, was a founder of PP. Now, it seems he's back doing his own consulting thing.

 

[Fish]

In talking with varied friends/acquaintances that worked in ALCO, and understanding a bit of the dynamics.

ALCO was a contract that AMR had a long history with. ALCO has been a key contract for years, and it has attracted some really great providers. Yes, they don't like to lose contracts, but if PP is truly doing the loss-leader bit, that isn't right and isn't fair.


As for PP... This isn't the first contract they've "taken" from AMR. Sunstar was a big one, and I know there have been others.


it's funny. Mike Taigman, who was the final manager of AMR ALCO, was a founder of PP. Now, it seems he's back doing his own consulting thing.

Leader loss as in knocking off the top earners?

 

[RocketMedic]

Leader loss as in knocking off the top earners?

Not quite. I think its the practice of deliberately taking a loss to get the contract and increasing rates once they're in. Big companies can afford to drive into a new market and take the loss because they've got cash reserves.

 

[Fish]

Not quite. I think its the practice of deliberately taking a loss to get the contract and increasing rates once they're in. Big companies can afford to drive into a new market and take the loss because they've got cash reserves.

Crafty

 

[crispymedic]

Paramedics Plus ALCO: Sit Rep

AMR has lost several contracts to P+ over the last few years. It seems the AMR brass just didn't take notes every time they responded to an RFP and kept doing the same stupid stuff. P+ came in and ate their lunch. It was about time.

AMR is a subsidiary of a large company whose only reason for being is to generate profit. Everything AMR touches turns to crap. Ask anyone that worked for Bay Star Ambulance before Laidlaw (BayStar's parent corp.) bought EMT (AMR's ticker at the time). What blew Bay Star medics minds was that we assumed all the nastyness of AMR instead of AMR absorbing the coolness of Bay Star. All the happy Bay Star medics became unhappy AMR medics.
Same in ALCO. Regional was cool, AMR is crap.

Right now at P+ there are basically 3 groups of employees.
1: A very vocal minority of bitter, crispy, pissed-off AMR guys/gals that came over in the mass transfer from AMR.
2: A happy majority of AMR guys/gals that came over in the mass transfer from AMR that are thrilled to finally be out of the unprofessional and abusive environment that was AMR. These people have drunk the P+ Koolaid and love it.
3: The new people. Lots of new/veteran medics/EMTs that have been out of work or came over from other providers and are very happy to have an EMS job. Any EMS job.

Bottom line: P+ is a professional outfit that treats professional EMTs and medics well. If you are a top of the line provider then P+ is a good place for you to do your stuff.

Respectfully,
crispymedic

 

[BeachMedic]

I wouldn't say ALCO AMR was, "abusive" or, "crap". But then again, i'm biased and it's where I cut my teeth and came in to EMS.

I'd say a pretty good amount of my former co-workers wouldn't use those words either though.

Regional? You've obviously got some years under yer belt haha.

 

[crispymedic]

I wouldn't say ALCO AMR was, "abusive" or, "crap"...

Right, well I worked there and it was crap. Perhaps you were in a different dimension.

crispy

 

[BeachMedic]

Well I was never abused. I had more good times than bad. AMR has a ton of problems; but so does every EMS provider.

I was never one of the AMR haters though. I'd say they were, "a very vocal minority" when I was there. I worked shifts with almost every medic/emt in the county while I was there. So I'd say I had a good grasp on the situation.

Take it easy crispy. Let me have my own opinion. I was only in that other, "dimension" for five years. Still have a lot of good friends there.

 

[crispymedic]

Like I said, the haters are a vocal minority. They complain the loudest when their valley rig gets flexed up to zone 2 and they actually have to run some O-Town calls. I get that they have seniority and they bid zone 5 and they would prefer to work there.

Here's the issue: a valley rig takes a pt. to San Leandro and when they clear there are 4 rigs out in the valley that are available and only 2 in OAK. If you were king of P+, and you were actually trying to serve the people, where would you put them?

When I catch a per diem in zone 5 I get to hear complaints all shift. I'd rather catch a zone 2, 3 or 4 BUS, and run some calls and look up and suddenly the shift is over, then hear all the old guy's complaints.

BTW, beachie, you sound cool and I'm sure you are not one of the complainers.

Peace,
crispy

 

[Aprz]

Mind telling us, for those of us who don't work there, what each zone covers? I think somebody told me zone 4 covers Newark/Fremont area, but I don't remember that well.

 

[EmptyMyTrash]

Mind telling us, for those of us who don't work there, what each zone covers? I think somebody told me zone 4 covers Newark/Fremont area, but I don't remember that well.

Zone 2 = Oakland
Zone 3 = San Leandro, Castro Valley, Hayward
Zone 4 = Fremont, Newark, Union City
Zone 5 = Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin

There is a zone 1 which is technically a small northern part of the county but those units are classified as zone 2

 

[EmptyMyTrash]

Like I said, the haters are a vocal minority. They complain the loudest when their valley rig gets flexed up to zone 2 and they actually have to run some O-Town calls. I get that they have seniority and they bid zone 5 and they would prefer to work there.

Here's the issue: a valley rig takes a pt. to San Leandro and when they clear there are 4 rigs out in the valley that are available and only 2 in OAK. If you were king of P+, and you were actually trying to serve the people, where would you put them?

When I catch a per diem in zone 5 I get to hear complaints all shift. I'd rather catch a zone 2, 3 or 4 BUS, and run some calls and look up and suddenly the shift is over, then hear all the old guy's complaints.

BTW, beachie, you sound cool and I'm sure you are not one of the complainers.

Peace,
crispy

This is spot on with my opinion as well

 

[Aprz]

Thanks. I would love to work in zone 4 someday. ^_^