IFT Companies So Cal

[Amberlamps916]

Those would be good things to know beforehand!

 

[Woodtownemt]

Did not know where to post still new here

I can't seem to make sense of my current status as far as utilizing my emt
Cert. I currently am a ekg tech working mon thru fri gig working sat's at a
La ift company. I wanted an outside opinion. My thing is I become a emt for the ems
But due to the way things are in the ca ems system opportunities are far from ideal.
I want to really build a solid foundation in ems but don't know if clinical setting is a way of doing it. Any advice will help. Thinking of trying to land a 911 gig in my area.

 

[Handsome Robb]

The owner wrote it in as a policy as far as I'm told.

That's ridiculous. I always take dispatch information with a grain of salt but still.

 

[Marinelayer]

Woodtownemt:

If you want to work for a good company here in LA, and sharpen your skills as an EMT responding on emergency calls, your best opportunities are going to be with CARE or McCormick. They are both owned by the same company, have the lions share of 911 contracts within Los Angeles, and are well regarded in there respective communities.

 

[Chris07]

Woodtownemt:

If you want to work for a good company here in LA, and sharpen your skills as an EMT responding on emergency calls, your best opportunities are going to be with CARE or McCormick. They are both owned by the same company, have the lions share of 911 contracts within Los Angeles, and are well regarded in there respective communities.

I don't believe Care and McCormick are owned by the same company. Care is owned by Falck A/S (A Europe based ambulance company), and McCormick is owned by Westmed (I think :unsure or it may be the other way around.

If you want 911 action Care and McCormick are definitely places to apply to, but the hiring process is very stringent and long. Having some baseline experience is always helpful when applying to these companies.

 

[Marinelayer]

Falck now owns both companies. And although their hiring process may be stringent and long, that is no reason not to apply.

 

[Chris07]

Falck now owns both companies. And although their hiring process may be stringent and long, that is no reason not to apply.

Falck owns them too! Definitely news to me. You're right it never hurts to apply, just make sure you meet their 5 day availability requirements though, or your app will never make it out of the pile. (I know from experience)

 

[Woodtownemt]

H marinelayer and chis07 for the replys. Those 2 companies are both very well known and being able to be hired by them is no fast ticket would it be easier to try to get a gig with a company such as americare toll I get a call back.the ekg tech job is great but there is no real diversity as far as patients go and the job gets pretty bland. Have only been doing it a month and an already feeling like I made :wacko:a mistake lol

 

[Woodtownemt]

Please excuse my spell check

 

[Chris07]

IFTs can get pretty bland as well, but unlike being an EKG tech, there is always the potential for a little excitement. I would say if AmeriCare is hiring I'd definitely give them an app. From what I've heard around here it seems to be a decent intermediate gig before getting on with one of the large 911 companies. Primarily IFTs with some 911 thrown in there for flavor sounds like a pretty good deal (assuming that is true).

 

[SoCal911]

Yea, or motorcycle down or drowning or unresponsive.

 

[Marinelayer]

I agree with Chris07, and I've heard good things about AmeriCare. I know they received the Santa Monica contract about six months ago after Gerber lost it.
If you want to get in with a good company, then be aggressive about it. Don't just settle for filling out an online application and calling it a day. Take the initiative and introduce yourself in-person.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Woodtownemt]

Thanks for the input.

 

[SoCal911]

From what I've heard about McCormick: they only hire in house. Not sure how true it is. But I know care is starting to hire again after a long time.

 

[Woodtownemt]

Heard the same thing from a coworker who still works there pt. Gotta know some one to be considered which is always good to hear lol

 

[Danno]

Ok, so....If you were thinking about applying/working for Firstmed.....DON'T.

Here is a recap of what my hiring process was like (long read):

Showed up for interview/testing, during which we spent several minutes discussing my availability (My mornings are limited during the week due to school). Nevertheless, he offered me the job, and sent me on my way to do my drug test, uniform fitting, and get my DOT card. (All within the next day he asked)

No problem, next day I get all of that done. I call him to inform its all been completed, he says come in tomorrow for some final paperwork bright and early @ 8:30 am (he says he will be in @ 7). I get there the next morning, low and behold, hes not in the office yet. This is how the conversation went between myself and the front desk:

FD: I'll call him and see what he wants you to do........Ok so we're gonna send you out to Glendale to get your drug test.
Me: I already did that.
FD: Oh......well let me call him back then.
FD: Ok well it looks like theres nothing else to do, you're off the hook til he calls you back.
Me: ......

So I call him back later in the day, he says hes setting up orientation, and to expect a call from him later that night. Of course, no call. Monday rolls around, still nothing. I decide to call him Tuesday, and he says hes still working on it. Ok, thats cool.

Today I finally get a call from him, telling me orientation is next wed and thurs, 8-5. I tell him I can't make it due to school, and since its also the first week of school, any class I miss will result in me being dropped from the course. Thats just replied by him with a cold "Yeah i can't move the dates."

So now i'm out 200 bucks for the DOT card, a job, and all the time i spent sitting in rush hour traffic to and from LA and glendale--which could have been avoided by a simple "your schedule doesn't work with ours" on day one. Thanks FirstMed.

 

[Chan]

You could email your professor and tell them your situation. They're usually cool about it seeing how :censored::censored::censored::censored:ty the economy is and landing a job is like winning the lottery in California.

 

[Amberlamps916]

Welcome to Los Angeles IFT.....

 

[MusicMedic]

How much does Americare pay its EMT's?

 

[Amberlamps916]

I've heard $8 an hour for 24s, as an EMT, that's all I know.