so for Cataldo do you apply and then get asked to come in for testing, or do you just call and register for the test date and submit an application then?
You call and register, get sent an application and cori form via email, and are requested to bring that, a copy of your driving record, and all of your certifications (EMT/EMT-P, BCLS, ACLS, Drivers License) in with you on the day of testing.
You'll take the test, which is VERY hard, contains multiple choice questions, narrative writing section, map reading section, if you're a paramedic there are also sections on 12 lead interpretation and a section where you have to list treatments for a couple scenarios, and they expect you to go soup to nuts, everything listed, even the Med Control options.
Then you do a practical, for BLS it's just like a simplified state test, for ALS it's 4 or 5 scenarios in a mega-code like setting.
After all that you have an interview, usually with the HR person, sometime with their Clinical Director if the HR person is falling behind because there's a bunch of applicants.
IF you pass all that, you'll get a call in a week or two with an orientation date (they run one per month, usually in the second half of the month) and instructions to set up your physical ability test / drug screening.
Orientation is a 3 day process for BLS (Tues-Thurs), 4 days for ALS (Tues-Fri) with Friday being inter-facility transfers, pump operation, auto-pulse, vent operation, etc... Orientation finishes with a Protocol Exam for ALS, not sure about BLS.
After that you get scheduled for your FTO time, BLS it's 40 hours, ALS it's 96 hours.
Once you're cleared from that you get a schedule that you're committed to for 6 months.
BLS, you will get 911 experience working here, when ALS is busy, BLS gets the calls, in some cities, the calls will be triaged by dispatch.
If you get to the Atlantic division, some cities have city-dedicated BLS 911 trucks.