Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) DMAT Paramedic

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
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Hey guys, I recently accepted an on-call paramedic position with HHS for the DMAT team and started the very slow on boarding process. I applied one year ago, got a tentative job offer letter a couple weeks ago. I signed my oath of office a week ago and today I got my security check form. It states on this form that it will take 1-3 months to complete my background check. Anyone else on boarding for this position? Allegedly they recruited 40,000 people. Anyone currently with DMAT that can comment on the time it takes to complete the employment process and what to expect next? HHS HR is almost impossible to reach by phone or email. Thanks
 

DrParasite

The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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Well, it is the federal government (who are not known for their speed or efficiency in anything), and it's only an on-call position, so there are likely a whole lot of people who won't be "activated" for a white.....

When I was looking at a fema position, it was a painfully slow process. thankfully, it's only on the side, but it would go weeks between the onboarding, and the background check was absurd.
 

PotatoMedic

Has no idea what I'm doing.
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I applied last September and didn't get the position. Keeping my eyes open for the position again. Have fun!
 

Phillyrube

Leading Chief
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Congratulations! I started into DMAT in 2004, right about the time it left FEMA and went into HHS. The slowdown started. Used to be you were hired onto the local team then started the fed process. Took me to 2 years to get deployable. While waiting I did local drills and stuff. Made a few non critical deployments, mostly Washington inauguration standby. Got some nice inside tours of the Capitol. Did a lot of training at the HHS warehouse outside DC, where we all were WMD trained for those. A couple years later I converted to team Security Officer, but still a medic. One thing we found out was, on a deployment, everyone does everything. Then HHS really cracked down. Used to be, as a medic, I could backfill other teams as a medic, even though I was a security specialist. That stopped, then my position was eliminated. I could go back to a medic spot (GS-12 back to GS-7) but I had to go through the entire hiring process again. Found out I was no longer qualified since I was not working as a medic. Still certified, but not working. So that was end of DMAT.

It's fun, and the training is great. Grab it all. I had a great 20 years on the team.
 
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ExpatMedic0

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
2,237
269
83
Hey Guy's just an update on this, 1 year and 3 months since applying.... My 3 month long background investigation has been completed and I'm awaiting the next step. I'll keep this thread updated briefly so it may serve as a resource for others in the future regarding the process and the job.
 

OceanBossMan263

Forum Crew Member
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Tagging along on this: what area of the country are you in? I'm hoping to see recruitment sometime in the not-so-distant future for one of the NY teams in the lower regions. I know years ago they had tried to start a Long Island-based team but never got it off the ground
 
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ExpatMedic0

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
2,237
269
83
I'm in Oregon and Washington. The process of onboarding is incredibly slow. I checked in with them this month since my last update (above) and was told they are continuing the onboarding process someone will be in touch soon
 

Phillyrube

Leading Chief
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103
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I'm in Oregon and Washington. The process of onboarding is incredibly slow. I checked in with them this month since my last update (above) and was told they are continuing the onboarding process someone will be in touch soon
That's about normal. I had my security position RIFed and was asked to revert back to medical technician. Sure, but to go through that entire vetting again? Forget it, so I just retired. Had a lot of fun and we did good work on the teams.
 

Summit

Critical Crazy
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Dad is a DMAT doc

HR moves at the speed of FedGov

RIF is a bad day

-Former Fed
 

CCCSD

Forum Deputy Chief
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That answers some questions for me...thanks philly. Pass. Going with CA State Guard.
 

SandpitMedic

Crowd pleaser
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I’m just getting in on the ground floor. Been to a couple of monthly team meetings. Takes years from what over been told, but there is a new director of HHS who is pro DMAT. They also fired the last company that was doing the onboarding checks and process. There’s a new company that has promised to make the process “faster.”

They are supposed to be hiring for many positions for the next FY soon.

On the team I’m volunteering with (light trainings & meetings) there are several people who have been waiting literally 2-3 years since putting there app in and it hasn’t been official. Some have signed their oath and done the phone thing and still are awaiting other things.

The really crappy part is that of those temporary 2 year intermittent positions- if you were “hired” in that role the time started when you accepted the offer.... so for folks who have been waiting to be “green” to deploy on backgrounds, cert verifications, HIPPA like courses, etc- guess what? They get to start the process all over again if they hit 2 years. Supposedly, that is supposed to stop, but we will see. We’ll see if they put up some non-temp positions as well.
 
OP
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ExpatMedic0

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
2,237
269
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Oh Man... that sucks. I took my Oath back in March or so.
 

SandpitMedic

Crowd pleaser
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Oh Man... that sucks. I took my Oath back in March or so.
Well then by my calculations... in federal government time you are 170 light years ahead of me in the process. 😂

Perhaps we will meet again one day out on a deployment or training. Did you go to the DMAT 101 last month?
 
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ExpatMedic0

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
2,237
269
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Update: September 25th, received my "official employment letter" today. It shows a pay increase since the tentative letter (nice!).
My orientation is scheduled for end of November. I had to re-acknowledge my SF-60 for taking an oath of office. It appears I will swear in officially in person with a notary and witnesses November/December. It also appears there is a hefty 1 year probation period (strange for a 2 year tentative position). Will update again end of November/December.
 

PotatoMedic

Has no idea what I'm doing.
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Update: I got an email today with a tentative offer off my application from last year I thing. Originally I was not selected but now that has changed. Just did the onboarding paperwork and now back to hurry up and wait. A nice surprise. How long from completion of onboarding paperwork till I hear what is next? Any idea?
 

PotatoMedic

Has no idea what I'm doing.
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Well filled out the background check paperwork. Time to see how long that takes. I'll probably have my bachelor's degree before I hear from them again.
 

PotatoMedic

Has no idea what I'm doing.
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Next update. Got an emails saying my background was found to be favorable and that I will have an official onboarding offer within 30 days.
 
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ExpatMedic0

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
2,237
269
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Was that your first background check? I found out there was a second one after you get assigned to your unit. So my first 4 month long FBI one came back as I reported earlier in the thread. I got assigned a unit and got paid a few hundred bucks to take some training and orientation but I'm undeployable because there is a second check once you get to your unit! "RHS check". So ridiculous I think its been like 2.5 years since I started this process now haha.
 
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