community EMS in MI

btaylor8

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Anybody know how hard it is to get hired into community ems?
 

zachogden

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Not super hard. Detroit EMS in General has a high turnover. CEMS usually has big hiring spurts every so often
 

wanderingmedic

RN, Paramedic
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Every so often I will see a flyer go out for a community ems hiring fair. On the spot interviews + a signing bonus. Check their website, sometimes they post the flyers there. Otherwise I am not super familiar with them, and would love to hear from anyone else on what they know.
 

Anjel

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It's a huge company, they probably have more incentives then other places. And are very busy from what I heard. However, they don't have the best reputation in the world.

They do have a high turnover rate. Also they have their own school/training thing. LSTI so if you are planning on furthering your education that's an option.

It's really not that hard to get a job in The Detroit area as an EMT.
 

drjekyl75

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The pay is inline with other companies in the same area. They get points for having a lot of perks. They pay 100% of your health benefits package, there is a lot of OT available if you need to work extra hours. They have a bonus structure where if you do well at your job you get bonuses almost every year.
 

Anjel

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I think it is easier to get a job as a medic. I don't know anyone that has their medic and cannot find a job. EMTs are a dime a dozen.
 

wanderingmedic

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I think it is easier to get a job as a medic. I don't know anyone that has their medic and cannot find a job. EMTs are a dime a dozen.

Do you know what the going pay is for the Detroit area, or does it vary significantly from place to place?
 

Anjel

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For medics without experience. I would say $12-16 an hour working for a private company.

I started at $14.
 

wanderingmedic

RN, Paramedic
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For medics without experience. I would say $12-16 an hour working for a private company.

I started at $14.

Thanks so much for the info! I'm starting to look for jobs in the area as a medic. Do you know if it is difficult to get on a 911 truck at Community EMS, or how their advancement works - do their employees start on inter-facility transport and then work up to 911? Any suggestions on where to apply?

I've been looking hard at HVA and Livingston County, but I hear that they are both really difficult to get hired with as a new medic. Do you think it is still true HVA has the best protocols?
 

Anjel

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I do not know much about Community... I'm sorry.

I work for Star EMS in pontiac. Where I am on a 911 truck. It is a good company. Benefits are expensive. But I like it.

HVA and Livingston are by far the superior companies to work for in Michigan. They pay the best, and have the best Protocols.

Superior pays well, but you will do a lot of IFT same with health link, DMC.

Alliance is hiring medics. They start at around 13.50 with awesome benefits and tuition reimbursement. I used to work there. Lots of 911. Great company.

MedStar is a great company looking for medics.

Stay far away from Universal Macomb and any flint company.
 

wanderingmedic

RN, Paramedic
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Ok, thanks! I am really looking at Health Link since that is the closes to me. I'm also going to try at HVA and Livingston, I just wont hold my breath
 

Intubater

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Just to clarify on the protocols question and reply.

Most of SE Michigan operates under the same protocols, in fact the state is working to make them the same statewide.

Years ago, when the SE Michigan protocols were dissimilar, HVA and LCA operated under what was the Washtenaw/Livingston CO MAZ and had protocols different then, say CEMS operated under. For example, with South Lyon Amb. where I used to volunteer/work, we could cric pre-radio, while CEMS under Oakland CO protocols had to get orders first.

Now the protocols are the same for this part of the state, (Wash, Wayne, Livingston, Oakland, Macomb, Lapeer, may be other counties but I taped over that page on my protocol book lol)

HVA has been involved in some interesting studies, including RSI, while Alliance, when I worked there (10 years, went from great to mediocre) was involved in the ResQ Pod/Pump study. Those depend on what your PMD can get your company involved in.
 

MedicJonny

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Does anyone know anything about Concord ems in lincoln park?

Sorry for resurrecting an old thread, this info is more for anyone else reading here. I'm sure you've found something in the 2 years since your post.

Concord is a for-profit agency with no city rescue contracts currently (and hasn't had one since 2006). Their only rescue is out of a handful of nursing homes downriver and fox run in Novi. They have two "Rescue" Units, which will get pulled away from their service area to do BLS transfers every day. Every other truck does almost exclusively BLS transfers. The workload isn't terribly high and the work is easy. At this time they have no retirement plan and very poor healthcare options, especially for families. They have zero education incentives/reimbursement. Their starting pay for Basic's is fairly low, but their Medic starting wage is on par or above every other agency in the area. When I worked there, Concord would also offer bonuses to pull extra runs past your off time or to come in on a day off, sometimes up to $200 usually $50-$100. The bonuses were becoming more and more rare when I quit, so they might not give out bonuses anymore. They have been fairly desperate for employees for several years now. If you have a Medic/Basic License and no criminal charges you'll get hired. If your driving record is crap they'll still hire you but you won't be allowed to drive. They're very flexible with hours if you're in school or work another job. They don't normally reprimand anyone for anything unless it's going to cause a lawsuit, which is a double edged sword.

TL;DR: Concord is great if you're still on mom/dad's health insurance and don't care about rescue. Don't plan on making a career out of working for Concord.
 
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