Harris county emergency corps
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TransportJockey
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Ten posts I believe. I can speak of overall opinions from outside agencies. They're a good, aggressive service, one that is very well established and not going anywhere anytime soon. They have also drunk their own Kool-Aid
Cool thank you! Is the area that they cover pretty rural or not so much? How is it living there? Cost of living, Safety, recreation activities? Also does anyone know how they would compare to MCHD or Cypress Creek EMS?
TransportJockey
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Similar to MCHD. Dont know much about Cy Creek. From what i remember, their territory is pretty suburban. And i believeore populated than my entire county (Galveston). COL in the Houston metro isn't bad, and the no state income tax thing helps there. There's plenty to do out here within an hour or so of that area of Harris County.
Awesome thanks!
TransportJockey
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Just so you know we are looking for emts and medics in Galveston as well lol
I'm in San Bernardino Ca for medic school, might be a little premature too move lol I haven't heard much about Galeveston, can you tell me more about your service? I'm looking for an aggressive service/system with multiple treatment options and a large pharmacological toolbox. I can't stand being in a system that just carries the bare minimum to function as ALS 911. That's why I'm looking into Texas, it seems like the general Harris County area has a lot of advanced aggressive systems.
TransportJockey
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I'll type up the full thing when i get to computer lol. You would have several good options out this way.
Our protocols are found online. Google galveston ems, and they can be viewed from the front page anout half way down
Ok cool, I'll take a look at them. What are the average transport times for those areas? HCEC MCHD and Galveston?
TransportJockey
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HCEC I'm not sure. MCHD can having short or relatively long just due to the area they cover. GAAA (galveston EMS) we have anywhere from 5 minutes to 45 minutes on the island, and the two county trucks we run are a minimum of 15-20 minutes to the nearest hospital.
TransportJockey
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So in Harris County and the surrounding area you have a handful of good services, and then you have some ok ones, and then you have Acadian.
In Houston itself you have HFD, which is the transporting 911 agency for the city of Houston. They run a tiered system, but you must go through the fire academy to work there.
To the east you have Pasadena which is run by ETMC EMS, you have North Channel EMS, City of South Houston EMS, La Porte EMS. La Porte is a pretty well regarded system around here as well.
To the south you have League City EMS (city run third service in Galveston county), Webster Fire, Acadian, Friendswood EMS (third service hybrid system), Pearland (FD transporting system), Alvin (city EMS) and if you keep going you run into Galveston EMS and Lake Jackson EMS (both good choices), Clear Lake Emergency Medical Corps (No. Just no.), ****inson EMS (Fire based, but separate dept EMS agency)
To the west you have Ft Bend County EMS (county third service, which is well regarded and growing).
The the north you have MCHD EMS (Good hospital based service, covers all of Montgomery county), CyFair (well regarded red shirted service), HCEC (which you are looking at), and a couple others I can't remember.
This is not counting the small one and two truck 911 services scattered around.
do NOT work at a small private company in Houston. It is the medicare fraud capital of the US.
Ok cool thank you for the detailed description of the services! In your opinion what services are the most aggressive/progressive with the best pay/working conditions?
RocKetamine
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Station quality: Very high compared to most services around.
Call volume: around 25k a year. Typically 8-12 calls a shift.
Pay: I believe medics start around $16 with no experience
Overall: It's a great company with an involved medical director. You can typically advance to in-charge within your first year of working there if you have a few years experience as a Paramedic. Can also work a lot of interesting events around Houston (anything at NRG, Toyota Center, BBVA Compass, Shell Houston Open, etc...)
The majority of the service is lower middle class/very poor with a few exceptions. Average transport time is less than 15 minutes in most cases.
You can find HCEC, MCHD, and a few other Houston area services protocols if you download the PPP phone app.
Call volume: around 25k a year. Typically 8-12 calls a shift.
Pay: I believe medics start around $16 with no experience
Overall: It's a great company with an involved medical director. You can typically advance to in-charge within your first year of working there if you have a few years experience as a Paramedic. Can also work a lot of interesting events around Houston (anything at NRG, Toyota Center, BBVA Compass, Shell Houston Open, etc...)
The majority of the service is lower middle class/very poor with a few exceptions. Average transport time is less than 15 minutes in most cases.
You can find HCEC, MCHD, and a few other Houston area services protocols if you download the PPP phone app.
aquabear
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If you aren't married to the Houston area, check out Williamson County EMS.
Cool thanks for the info! Is there a minimum amount of time required to progress to IC or is it just that it takes awhile to gain the experience needed to be able to function competently at that level? I've read both of their protocols on the PPP app and that is what got me interested and considered moving to Houston. I like how MCHD has ultrasound and some other things but it seems like HCEC has a little more aggressive protocols with more of an offline medical direction mentality.
So based on the service area is it safe to say that HCEC actually gets to dig into their protocols due to the patient population more often being sicker than most and relying on emergency medicine as their primary care provider?
I haven't heard much about Williamson county.. Can you explain what makes it a good service?
RocKetamine
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There isn't a set time but you'll just have to wait until your in-charge partner, supervisor and the clinical department are confident in your abilities. Don't expect it in less than 6 months of hire. HCEC is pretty off line driven other than Ketamine usage and RSI which you can do if a supervisor is on scene and approves it. Ultrasound and pericardiocentesis are apparently in the works.
Just like with any service it all depends on where you are located. Some stations get more trauma, others medical. The trauma calls aren't as frequent as they were in the past. The county has cracked down on the area gangs making the shootings and stabbings far less common than 5+ years ago.
Also the schedule is probably the best around. You'll work two 24 hr shifts a week with 5 days off in a row.
aquabear
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County run EMS system just north of Austin with good pay and a good TCDRS pension program. All of the trucks are based out of a station with no street corner posting. All stations are either in house with fire or in stand alone EMS stations. The county purchases the latest equipment including Wheeled Coach mods build on F-450's, King Vision VLs on every truck, Stryker power-pro gurneys, Philips Monitors, and Lucas 2's and vents on all commander vehicles.
Protocols are evidence based and updated yearly to reflect the most recent medical literature available. The medical director worked in the county as a paramedic before going to medical school, he is very pro-paramedic and works in a local ER. The scope of care is cutting edge and includes DSI for adults, RSI for peds with iGEL airways, ketamine for pain management refractory to fentanyl, dual sequential defibrillation, pericardiocentesis, and field STEMI and stroke activations.
Williamson County EMS also has a community health paramedic program, tactical medics, and a swift water rescue team.