CARE Ambulance

[NPO]

Now I'm sure there are threads about this, but I have some specific questions...
Care has just offered me an interview with some hinting towards hiring (they talked to my previous HR... I was laid off) Obviously I still have to impress.

Questions:

- What is the interview process like? I understand there is a physical test. Is there a skills or written test? I already did the online one.

- What are the coverage areas? I live in Ventura, but will commute for 911
experience before I go to medic school.

- Does everyone start their shifts at a main station? Or do they have substations?

- I dont care about pay rate (well I do, but thats not my question) but how is pay arranged? For example, say rate is $10, is it less on 24s? $10 straight for the 24? OT? Etc etc...

Thanks!

 

[Tito]

The interview process is broken into 3 parts. The first part is a written test. I don't remember how many questions they ask but I know you need to get at least an 80% to pass. It's pretty basic questions that are similar to the stuff you learn in your EMT class. Keep in mind that you need to pass this test to move on to the skills and actual interview so if you need to refresh your knowledge then I highly recommend it.

If you pass the written test you move on to the skills and interview. Skills are pretty simple. Putting an OPA/NPA, bleeding control, a few others but all very simple. They'll give you a paper with how they are going to grade you so there's no tricks. For the interview, I know that they are really looking for you to answer their questions with situations that have happened to you. Example: "Name a time where you had a disagreement with a coworker and how did you solve it" So they are looking for a SPECIFIC situation. Don't say something like "well I think if you have a disagreement you have to discuss it like adults." No man...give a specific situation.

Coverage is Northern OC (Costa Mesa, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Fountain Valley, Anaheim, Fullerton and some others) and Eastern LA County (East LA, Norwalk, Huntington Park, Whittier, Montebello, and pretty much everything East of the 710). There's also areas that we cover that are IFT privates only like LA city, Glendale, San Gabriel valley and Riverside. As a new employee you'll be floating so they'll put you in any shift that needs to be covered. So that includes both 911 and private. If you want a permanent 911 shift you have some seniority (basically about 2 months experience) to bid on a fire shift. But even when you're floating you can pick up fire shifts pretty easily.

There's a bunch of substations but a majority of the day cars are out of the OC main station or the Santa Fe Springs station. The substations are scattered all over OC and LA that are primarily the 24hr shifts but there's a few private day cars that start out of the substations. Depending on what shift you're on determines what station you'll be out of.

If you're brand new it's $10.50 an hour for short shifts (9-12 hours) and $8.45 for 24 hour shifts. I'm not really sure how they add up the OT pay but there's some sort of thing they do if you have OT from short shifts and 24 hr shifts.

I'm new at Care. Been here for only 3 months so by no means am I 100% correct on the stuff I just said. I HIGHLY recommend asking these same questions during your actual interview when the interview person asks "Any questions for me?" because they like when you ask questions about the company. Good luck bro Care is a cool place to work.

 

[NPO]

Well my interview didnt fit that description. It was a typical interview. Work related questions followed by situational questions.

I didn't do as well as I had hoped, I always struggle with the "give us an example of a time when you were faced with..." questions.

They said they will be on contact soon.

I got another offer but really want Care. This other company is good, but care can offer more.