Drax
Forum Captain
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Hmmm, applied but never heard back from them. Felt weird e-mailing a resume, let alone without an application.
Emerald City Ambulance - Seattle
- Thread starter PNW EMT
- Start date
Hmmm, applied but never heard back from them. Felt weird e-mailing a resume, let alone without an application.
yowzer
Forum Lieutenant
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A couple of months ago, their one ambulance went from 24/7 to limited weekday business hours and most of the staff got laid off because they weren't getting enough business. So, not really surprised to hear this.
It's a hard market to break into, with 3 big companies that have been around for ages having a corner on contracts and brand recognition. When ProTransport-1 tried, they didn't last more than a few years before closing up. I think the only reason Falck, the other attempt to expand here in recent times, is still around is because it's backed by such a huge company.
NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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PT-1 had bigger issues in Seattle. They couldn't survive on the AMR scraps and Swedish Ballard discharges. I was also not surprised to see Emerald City folded.
I know right? I heard on one call the charge nurse was like "we only use AMR, we have a contract with them" and the owner called and claimed to be a subsidiary of AMR and got the call. Sketchy much?
Anyway my friend got laid off from there a month ago at which point they had 2 ppl left. They may actually still be around with 1 crew but I didn't see there rigs in their parking lot the other day.
But yeah I think any new ambulance company around here has lots of potential ifthings are done right. the owner of emerald obviously didn't do any market research and wouldn't allow any marketing at all. Apparently he had a "strategy" which clearly failed. I even heard nurses etc excited about a new company since AMR and everyone else gives 2 hour + ETAs.
Yeah Falck it sounds like isn't doing as hot as they expected. Although they do have the Evergreen contract and started running BLS with a variation with West Pierce Fire.
But from talking to some crews it sounds like they mostly just sit around and play video games all day haha.
Emerald City AMB?
Yes I saw them at the Seattle VA Medical center old rig looked like it was about to break down. I'm Retired Shepard Amb/ AMR Amb. Too many AMB in the area. 3 companies fine but to be overloaded is just a waste. It sounds like the tactics of Old EMT ambulance of Auburn they did not last long. I started at a smaller company called Rescue Ambulance of Auburn in 1978. So I know just how bad EMT Amb was. they would arrive at a location the fire dept. and Rescue was already at and say they had a Private call and demand they transport the pt. When the caller was the Police Dept. and requested fire and Rescue Amb.
Yes I saw them at the Seattle VA Medical center old rig looked like it was about to break down. I'm Retired Shepard Amb/ AMR Amb. Too many AMB in the area. 3 companies fine but to be overloaded is just a waste. It sounds like the tactics of Old EMT ambulance of Auburn they did not last long. I started at a smaller company called Rescue Ambulance of Auburn in 1978. So I know just how bad EMT Amb was. they would arrive at a location the fire dept. and Rescue was already at and say they had a Private call and demand they transport the pt. When the caller was the Police Dept. and requested fire and Rescue Amb.
2 Hour ETA's
I don't know where you are getting your information but that is not True at all. Many are time calls. I spent 29 years in and AMR in Seattle and when a call comes in it is sent out right away. I still chat with my old partner who is still working the rig and he is sent and within 10 minutes to a hospital. Fire calls are within 7 minutes Code 3 and 12 minutes Code 1
RED Yellow
You might get 2 hours from Rural Metro or Tri MED and others that are smaller.
I don't know where you are getting your information but that is not True at all. Many are time calls. I spent 29 years in and AMR in Seattle and when a call comes in it is sent out right away. I still chat with my old partner who is still working the rig and he is sent and within 10 minutes to a hospital. Fire calls are within 7 minutes Code 3 and 12 minutes Code 1
RED Yellow
You might get 2 hours from Rural Metro or Tri MED and others that are smaller.
Emerald City AMB.
I think you right about it being the other service with the same wing logo. They said owned by a Professional Fire Fighter? Has no Idea how to run this type of service but says they want to improve the Ambulance services in Seattle, I worked for the longest and most used service in Seattle and Retired with the respect of my peers both in the Ambulance industry and the Fire Service. I'm sick reading about this company EMS is a 24/7 not * am To 5 pm Monday -Friday. Please any new EMT do not waste your time with this company go work for AMR, Rural Metro, or any other service. I went to the web site and clicked on their application They are using a form from the Work Source Very Unprofessional, any Professional Service has their own Applications.
I think you right about it being the other service with the same wing logo. They said owned by a Professional Fire Fighter? Has no Idea how to run this type of service but says they want to improve the Ambulance services in Seattle, I worked for the longest and most used service in Seattle and Retired with the respect of my peers both in the Ambulance industry and the Fire Service. I'm sick reading about this company EMS is a 24/7 not * am To 5 pm Monday -Friday. Please any new EMT do not waste your time with this company go work for AMR, Rural Metro, or any other service. I went to the web site and clicked on their application They are using a form from the Work Source Very Unprofessional, any Professional Service has their own Applications.
Honeybadger
Forum Crew Member
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I was the last employee (one of two at the end) to be laid off from the company, and I had to come in here and clear up some misinformation floating around.
1.) First day, ambulance scraped a parks and rec. truck. $100 in new fenders and decision to switch to van ambulance. Last few weeks had a transmission cooler line blow on the box. Apart from that, both ambulances were old, but perfectly serviceable and were stocked completely and appropriately. Paintjobs were absolute crap though. AMR still has some vans of similar vintage in service.
2.) Company did not expect all the loopholes that WA forces a company to jump through. They tried to get trauma verified, but had trouble for reasons unknown to me (though I know that an attempt was made) and for that reason, several potential contracts with HMC and swedish fell through. We had hangups with licenses and our rescuenet stuff. The only thing that pissed me (and others) off was our lack of a draw sheet on the gurney. That's just california logic, where the hospitals don't care if you use their blankets, but it was obnoxious for us to have to hunt for a blanket.
3.) The president of the company is also in with his siblings and owns Chariot and California Ambulance. Cali ambulance was actually a success story, and while some underhanded billing processes were made to hospitals in the beginning, they wound up stealing a contract right out from under AMR with Kaiser due to superior customer service and extremely prompt response times. They have a fancy fleet of new ambulances and had ECA not died, it was reasonable to assume we'd have gotten the new hardware as well.
4.) The initial crew was very inexperienced, with only two having their state licenses at hire, but we had a strong professional ethic, got along well, and were very focused on improving ourselves and our care. Sheraryar may have come across as "sexist and brash" but he was one of the smarter interviewers I've ever dealt with. His questions were straightforward, thoughtful, and he thought about the whole team, not just individuals. As a result, he cared more about how good of a person he was hiring was, and not just their qualifications as an EMT. That's something I respected, even if some people didn't like him. He was no-nonsense, honest, and straight to the point.
5.) We did get a contract with the DSSC for emergency transport to HMC/swedish, and were hoping that it would spread the company name, wound up doing dozens of pro bono transport calls for the homeless.
All in all, I am very sad to see the company go. They wanted to do right by their employees and their customers, no compromise. Marketing may have failed, and our equipment may have been old and ugly (and for a startup, it really doesn't make sense to throw three times as much money at a risk for no real benefit,) but there was serious potential for the company.
I'll be moving on, but I don't feel like the posts here reflected how much the company really tried to do. When they knew they were going down the pipes, Sheraryar and Jack really did their best to help us transition to other companies.
1.) First day, ambulance scraped a parks and rec. truck. $100 in new fenders and decision to switch to van ambulance. Last few weeks had a transmission cooler line blow on the box. Apart from that, both ambulances were old, but perfectly serviceable and were stocked completely and appropriately. Paintjobs were absolute crap though. AMR still has some vans of similar vintage in service.
2.) Company did not expect all the loopholes that WA forces a company to jump through. They tried to get trauma verified, but had trouble for reasons unknown to me (though I know that an attempt was made) and for that reason, several potential contracts with HMC and swedish fell through. We had hangups with licenses and our rescuenet stuff. The only thing that pissed me (and others) off was our lack of a draw sheet on the gurney. That's just california logic, where the hospitals don't care if you use their blankets, but it was obnoxious for us to have to hunt for a blanket.
3.) The president of the company is also in with his siblings and owns Chariot and California Ambulance. Cali ambulance was actually a success story, and while some underhanded billing processes were made to hospitals in the beginning, they wound up stealing a contract right out from under AMR with Kaiser due to superior customer service and extremely prompt response times. They have a fancy fleet of new ambulances and had ECA not died, it was reasonable to assume we'd have gotten the new hardware as well.
4.) The initial crew was very inexperienced, with only two having their state licenses at hire, but we had a strong professional ethic, got along well, and were very focused on improving ourselves and our care. Sheraryar may have come across as "sexist and brash" but he was one of the smarter interviewers I've ever dealt with. His questions were straightforward, thoughtful, and he thought about the whole team, not just individuals. As a result, he cared more about how good of a person he was hiring was, and not just their qualifications as an EMT. That's something I respected, even if some people didn't like him. He was no-nonsense, honest, and straight to the point.
5.) We did get a contract with the DSSC for emergency transport to HMC/swedish, and were hoping that it would spread the company name, wound up doing dozens of pro bono transport calls for the homeless.
All in all, I am very sad to see the company go. They wanted to do right by their employees and their customers, no compromise. Marketing may have failed, and our equipment may have been old and ugly (and for a startup, it really doesn't make sense to throw three times as much money at a risk for no real benefit,) but there was serious potential for the company.
I'll be moving on, but I don't feel like the posts here reflected how much the company really tried to do. When they knew they were going down the pipes, Sheraryar and Jack really did their best to help us transition to other companies.
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PotatoMedic
Has no idea what I'm doing.
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Thanks for the follow up. It is hard to judge a company when all you get are rumors. Now that you have your state card it will be easier for you to get a job. Apply again to TriMed Rural Falck and AMR.
Honeybadger
Forum Crew Member
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Already done. Trimed interviewed me, but wound up passing on me. I will continue to apply, but I wouldn't think it'd be so hard with work experience, current state license, and a letter of recommendation from my previous employer and references within trimed. I hope they'll give me a second chance to present myself in a manner more satisfactory to them.
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PotatoMedic
Has no idea what I'm doing.
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Did they say why they passed you up? Might not hurt to call back and ask "what can I do to make myself a better candidate?" question.
Honeybadger
Forum Crew Member
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I heard through the grapevine that I should reapply, and I did, but have not heard back. I don't wish to share more thoughts in case this forum is watched, as I don't want anything I say misconstrued as being negative towards trimed (which it isn't, I have no problem not being the right person for the job, I have heard what their concern about hiring me was from my friends in the company, and though it seemed rather minor to me, I will do my best to alleviate it if given another chance to interview)
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Honeybadger
Forum Crew Member
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Another post mortem update:
Chariot lost its contract with the VA, so they have officially shut down and sold off the fleet. Shame, but not entirely unexpected. I might be buying the old type 1 mod from them and making a beastly camper out of it.
From what I hear, the cali branch is starting up a CCT program, but Jack (our supervisor out here) has finally parted ways with the company.
After the somewhat unprofessional trimed situation, I briefly worked as an EMT at the score jail with an old ECA coworker, and have since moved on to AMR. I believe almost all of the ECA people are with rural metro, falck, trimed, and amr. Only two were essentially unhireable due to laziness or intolerable attitudes.
I'm glad I got the experience, though. It was fun doing seriously long distance transports, now it's the routine of lights and sirens to every drunk on a bench or elderly fall, I relish the airlifts and ift's for the chance to see things like Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis or locked-in syndrome.
Chariot lost its contract with the VA, so they have officially shut down and sold off the fleet. Shame, but not entirely unexpected. I might be buying the old type 1 mod from them and making a beastly camper out of it.
From what I hear, the cali branch is starting up a CCT program, but Jack (our supervisor out here) has finally parted ways with the company.
After the somewhat unprofessional trimed situation, I briefly worked as an EMT at the score jail with an old ECA coworker, and have since moved on to AMR. I believe almost all of the ECA people are with rural metro, falck, trimed, and amr. Only two were essentially unhireable due to laziness or intolerable attitudes.
I'm glad I got the experience, though. It was fun doing seriously long distance transports, now it's the routine of lights and sirens to every drunk on a bench or elderly fall, I relish the airlifts and ift's for the chance to see things like Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis or locked-in syndrome.