Getting hired AMR Colorado

CTMD said:
I want to go to a truly advanced place with field RSI, vents on ground rigs, large formularies etc and don't want to have to be on a CCT rig to do the cool stuff lol
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I understand completely, godspeed.
 
CTMD said:
How did you like AMR Colorado Springs? Was it a pretty good operation with a decent scope of practice and good working environment or was it the typical AMR setup where you're just a number to them?
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When I worked at AMR in the Springs I was a new EMT and it was my first job in the field. I loved it as an EMT, here are some of the reasons why; always had a paramedic partner, we would switch off after every call (unless it was clearly an ALS call), I got to attend on BLS calls in the back on my own, got to start IVs and assist with giving various medications, start IOs and place combitubes, we frequently had paramedic students (there is nothing better for a new EMT then having a paramedic student rider to observe and work with IMO), and we ran a lot of calls! Big city type calls downtown and lots of rural area calls with extended transport times (up to about 45 minutes).

As far as protocols go its tough for me to remember because I was so new and not sure what I was seeing. When I was there we carried coolers with chilled saline for therapeutic hypothermia following arrests, the cooler was where we also carried a few medications that needed to be chilled. I think they were succinylcholine, diltiazem, and maybe another medication that I cant remember. There was a protocol for RSI but not all of the medics went through the extra training to get the certification for RSI. AMR offered the training a couple of times a year and would set you up with OR clinicals before giving the RSI cert. I dont seem to recall the medics calling for medication orders very often and it was a pretty autonomous system to work in.

AMR Colorado Springs definitely prides itself on being one of the best, if not the best, AMR operations in the country and they are a proud bunch. When I left in early 2014 they had just signed a new contract for providing medical services to El Paso County and the city of Colorado Springs. I have heard through the grape vine there have been some staffing level changes and crews are getting overworked on a regular basis now. Colorado Springs Fire Department is an ALS service and has paramedics on all of their apparatus (sometimes 2 -3 medics on one crew). From what I remember it was an overall good working relationship between AMR and CSFD but there were certainly times where they had their run ins with one another, or there were too many chiefs not enough indians kind of scenarios.

EMT pay was crappy but that was expected, Im not sure what paramedics make there or how/if they pay for previous experience.

Its a good to place to work and good group of people. I have no regrets about my time there and feel its one of the best places you can gain experience as an EMT in the state.
 
CTMD said:
I want to go to a truly advanced place with field RSI, vents on ground rigs, large formularies etc and don't want to have to be on a CCT rig to do the cool stuff lol
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To add to this---and FWIW---most ground services that carry "vents" don't carry full capacity critical care ventilators.

Certainly they're better than a BVM, but are somewhere between hand-bagging and a critical care vent seen with most critical care ops. These are a bit more in-depth, and with continual advances in technology are beginning to offer up settings, modes, and parameters similar to some of the vents seen in the ED's, and ICU's.

As far as the "cool stuff", it's knowing when and when not to employ them that will truly showcase your abilities as a clinician. Just having RSI in ones formulary, and tons of meds hardly makes them "advanced":).
 
captaindepth said:
When I worked at AMR in the Springs I was a new EMT and it was my first job in the field. I loved it as an EMT, here are some of the reasons why; always had a paramedic partner, we would switch off after every call (unless it was clearly an ALS call), I got to attend on BLS calls in the back on my own, got to start IVs and assist with giving various medications, start IOs and place combitubes, we frequently had paramedic students (there is nothing better for a new EMT then having a paramedic student rider to observe and work with IMO), and we ran a lot of calls! Big city type calls downtown and lots of rural area calls with extended transport times (up to about 45 minutes).

As far as protocols go its tough for me to remember because I was so new and not sure what I was seeing. When I was there we carried coolers with chilled saline for therapeutic hypothermia following arrests, the cooler was where we also carried a few medications that needed to be chilled. I think they were succinylcholine, diltiazem, and maybe another medication that I cant remember. There was a protocol for RSI but not all of the medics went through the extra training to get the certification for RSI. AMR offered the training a couple of times a year and would set you up with OR clinicals before giving the RSI cert. I dont seem to recall the medics calling for medication orders very often and it was a pretty autonomous system to work in.

AMR Colorado Springs definitely prides itself on being one of the best, if not the best, AMR operations in the country and they are a proud bunch. When I left in early 2014 they had just signed a new contract for providing medical services to El Paso County and the city of Colorado Springs. I have heard through the grape vine there have been some staffing level changes and crews are getting overworked on a regular basis now. Colorado Springs Fire Department is an ALS service and has paramedics on all of their apparatus (sometimes 2 -3 medics on one crew). From what I remember it was an overall good working relationship between AMR and CSFD but there were certainly times where they had their run ins with one another, or there were too many chiefs not enough indians kind of scenarios.

EMT pay was crappy but that was expected, Im not sure what paramedics make there or how/if they pay for previous experience.

Its a good to place to work and good group of people. I have no regrets about my time there and feel its one of the best places you can gain experience as an EMT in the state.
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Thanks for such a detailed response! I'm constantly looking for new places and Colorado Springs popped up on my radar and have been curious about it.
 
VentMonkey said:
To add to this---and FWIW---most ground services that carry "vents" don't carry full capacity critical care ventilators.

Certainly they're better than a BVM, but are somewhere between hand-bagging and a critical care vent seen with most critical care ops. These are a bit more in-depth, and with continual advances in technology are beginning to offer up settings, modes, and parameters similar to some of the vents seen in the ED's, and ICU's.

As far as the "cool stuff", it's knowing when and when not to employ them that will truly showcase your abilities as a clinician. Just having RSI in ones formulary, and tons of meds hardly makes them "advanced":).
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This is true but knowing when and where to use the skills/tools and not having access to them is no more helpful to me either! Lol
 
Does AMR do more than patient transport in these areas? Wondering why it is so desirable to receive employment by AMR... I've never worked for them, just curious.
 
DHager said:
Wondering why it is so desirable to receive employment by AMR... I've never worked for them, just curious.
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They're a large, reputable, well-established company/ service in over 30? states.

You can transfer throughout the country as so desired.
 
VentMonkey said:
They're a large, reputable, well-established company/ service in over 30? states.

You can transfer throughout the country as so desired.
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But they actively do Emergency Medical Services in these parts of the United States? In my part of KY they only conduct PT Transportation Operations...
 
DHager said:
But they actively do Emergency Medical Services in these parts of the United States? In my part of KY they only conduct PT Transportation Operations...
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Yes, TMK, much of their CO ops does 911. At what level, I can't say as I am not from CO.

With that, their corporate HQ is in CO, but like I stated earlier being in 30 plus states, there are many areas where they provide the local EMS services/ transports.

Admittedly, some ops are better than others.
 
In Colorado AMR provides 911 services to:
Colorado Springs (and a lot of El Paso County)
Pueblo (and most of Pueblo County)
Boulder (plus Longmont and most of Boulder County)
Canon City (and much of Freemont County).

They also do transfers and backup 911 in Denver. Cheyenne Wyoming (911 service) is also part of the regional operation.

Pay, equipment, and protocols are all better than average.
 
DHager said:
But they actively do Emergency Medical Services in these parts of the United States? In my part of KY they only conduct PT Transportation Operations...
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They're the largest ambulance provider in the nation and semi recently acquired the second largest Rural/Metro. They are a gigantic corporation owned by Envision healthcare. They cover the most densely populated areas in San Bernardino County which is the largest county in the nation. They also cover all of Riverside county and cover all the way out to the Arizona border as well as just about all of San Diego county. But as others have said they have operations in many states spanning from West to East coast.
 
CTMD said:
They're the largest ambulance provider in the nation and semi recently acquired the second largest Rural/Metro...They also cover...just about all of San Diego county. But as others have said they have operations in many states spanning from West to East coast.
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While I'm not *currently* seriously considering leaving LA for SD County, I have entertained that idea in the past since my Army Reserve unit is based in San Diego. I've heard that as an EMT R/M will start you out on a BLS unit doing IFTs and backup 911 till you can get enough seniority to get on a primary 911 unit that is 1&1 with a medic.....would you know if AMR San Diego does the same, start off IFT until you can get 911, or is it only dual medic units running 911 in SD Co?

Anyways, to the OP, AMR responds first in to 911 calls in LA Co in the Santa Clarita Valley and the deserts in the northern chunk of the county (where Lancaster and Palmdale are) from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Kern Co line. And besides the previously mentioned San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, AMR runs the show in Ventura Co and a bunch more places as you go north.
 
AMR SD is transitioning out of dual medic via attrition. You would start ift and move on to a 911 car after you take a bridge class and a spot opens up.
 
Jim37F said:
While I'm not *currently* seriously considering leaving LA for SD County, I have entertained that idea in the past since my Army Reserve unit is based in San Diego. I've heard that as an EMT R/M will start you out on a BLS unit doing IFTs and backup 911 till you can get enough seniority to get on a primary 911 unit that is 1&1 with a medic.....would you know if AMR San Diego does the same, start off IFT until you can get 911, or is it only dual medic units running 911 in SD Co?

Anyways, to the OP, AMR responds first in to 911 calls in LA Co in the Santa Clarita Valley and the deserts in the northern chunk of the county (where Lancaster and Palmdale are) from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Kern Co line. And besides the previously mentioned San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties, AMR runs the show in Ventura Co and a bunch more places as you go north.
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Yes, I do believe you would start on ift but I've had friends who started ift and were told 6 months until they could get on a 911 car, but were then moved to ALS with a few weeks.
I can't speak with great authority exactly how San Diego runs but I have heard that the R/M side can be a little cliquey and they tend to prefer those who were trained and from San Diego. Idk if it's like that for everyone but we had a medic who transferred down there and was back within a month. Idk if it's the same for emts but I haven't heard of any issues on the AMR side of operations
 
I used to work in boulder FT but just work that job very PT now. Good system. We have a pretty close relationship with both fire and police, which helps. Extremely laid back which has its pros and cons.
 
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