Just got hired 911 EMT

[911EMT]

Hi all,

New to this form and new to 911. Been a EMT for year now and just got hired 911 in Northern California. Will be attending academy this week at AMR. Can anyone please advise me on what to expect when it comes to
*Academy
*Field Training (Best way to impress and get along with FTO's)
*Work Environment
*Best way to be carry myself at AMR (Heard very mixed things as far as 911 work environment ex. Employee attitudes)
*Pay {what did you as an AMR EMT start and max out at (Northern CA only please) }
*Schedule (are they flexible, I got hired part-time. Heard new timers only get nights?)

I am happy about this new position but as you can see I overthink and want to be prepared for what is to come. I have been doing reading on possible 911 situations and practicing my skills. I also work as an EMT at another agency during Thur-Sat Nights (On site at medical facility through a temp agency). Pay at this other agency is very well. If push comes to shove I will make the switch to 911 completely because what is also very important to me is the experience. I will most likely see things in 911 that I won't ever see working night shift at my other job. But also got to pay bills etc.

 

[NPO]

The culture is very dependant on which AMR operation you will be working at. They are all run completely different.

If you tell us where you're at we would be happy to help.

Congrats

 

[911EMT]

Hi,

I will be working Northern CA division. I also updated and edited the question.

Thank You for the warm welcome.

 

[NPO]

I can offer only generic advice, but as far as FTO, be humble, willing to learn, ask questions, and take initiative. Nothing will impress a good FTO more than a student that has an interest in his own success.

 

[VentMonkey]

Nothing will impress a good FTO more than a student that has an interest in his own success.

This. And to expand, not much more could make said trainees training “experience” with their FTO as seamless as possible.

 

[Aprz]

Aren't you aware that all divisions/companies have different pay, benefits, culture, etc? Several years ago, an AMR San Mateo EMT could be making $17.60/hour (12/48), Paramedics Plus EMT Tier 2 Step 1 made $15.88/hour (12/42), Rural/Metro Santa Clara (now AMR) made $20.39/hour (12/42), AMR San Francisco was $19.10/hour, and Rural/Metro IFT (now AMR Sutter) was $11.50/hour (12/42). These are all divisions/companies in Northern California. Nights vs Day? When I worked at AMR San Mateo, EMTs had around $6/hour night differential, so most of the senior EMTs worked nights and new EMTs worked days. Sometimes "good" shift hours are open, but because the medic on the unit is mean. I learned that the hard way. I feel like many divisions have high turnover, under staffed, and you can pretty much get any shift you want (this is the case where I work where they are mandating us to come in on our days off).

Tell us it is a division in Northern California tells us next to nothing since AMR has so many contracts, well, everywheres. We can't tell you the pay, the schedule, the culture, or anything. It greatly varies by county.. not by which half of the state you work in. The good news is that most AMR divisions in Northern California are a part of the same union contact/CBA that they call the "core". Most of them are a part of AFSCME United EMS Workers Local 4911. You can use Google to find an old version of that contract/CBA. Hopefully this link works.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjABegQICBAB&usg=AOvVaw266SZJMnEg9skTaij2R62p

They are in the middle of negotiations I believe and just voted no on a tentative agreement last I check. I don't have their current contract or tentative agreement since I don't work there anymore. Who knows is the division you are hired at is a part of this though.

In regard to FTO time, be ultra humble. Your FTO can do no wrong. I personally find FTO anywhere to be very frustrating and annoying. Generally things like learning how to read a mal quickly, learning your freeways, main roads, posts, hospitals. Many of them tend to want you to drive ultra conservative. I've heard things like drive 5 mph under the speed limit while driving code 3 kind of thing... Do whatever your medic ask you. Know the name of equipment, where they are at, how to put or use some, where the 12 lead stickers go, how to use the monitor, etc. Frequently EMTs give ringdown to the hospital in many locations, practice giving ringdowns. Again, do whatever makes your FTO happy. Every FTO and medic can be very different.

 

[DrParasite]

In regard to FTO time, be ultra humble. Your FTO can do no wrong. I personally find FTO anywhere to be very frustrating and annoying. Generally things like learning how to read a mal quickly, learning your freeways, main roads, posts, hospitals. Many of them tend to want you to drive ultra conservative. I've heard things like drive 5 mph under the speed limit while driving code 3 kind of thing... Do whatever your medic ask you. Know the name of equipment, where they are at, how to put or use some, where the 12 lead stickers go, how to use the monitor, etc. Frequently EMTs give ringdown to the hospital in many locations, practice giving ringdowns. Again, do whatever makes your FTO happy. Every FTO and medic can be very different.

quoted for truth. Your FTO is perfect, do whatever he wants, if he says to do something, even if there is a better way, do whatever he or she said.

Random aside: did you not ask what your payrate was before you accepted the job? I mean, if you didn't know, a quick call to HR could clear that right up

 

[911EMT]

Aren't you aware that all divisions/companies have different pay, benefits, culture, etc? Several years ago, an AMR San Mateo EMT could be making $17.60/hour (12/48), Paramedics Plus EMT Tier 2 Step 1 made $15.88/hour (12/42), Rural/Metro Santa Clara (now AMR) made $20.39/hour (12/42), AMR San Francisco was $19.10/hour, and Rural/Metro IFT (now AMR Sutter) was $11.50/hour (12/42). These are all divisions/companies in Northern California. Nights vs Day? When I worked at AMR San Mateo, EMTs had around $6/hour night differential, so most of the senior EMTs worked nights and new EMTs worked days. Sometimes "good" shift hours are open, but because the medic on the unit is mean. I learned that the hard way. I feel like many divisions have high turnover, under staffed, and you can pretty much get any shift you want (this is the case where I work where they are mandating us to come in on our days off).

Hi, thank you very much for taking the time to write this out. Helped out tremendously. I will keep this in mind going in this week. I will also view the link you sent me. Thanks Again.

 

[911EMT]

quoted for truth. Your FTO is perfect, do whatever he wants, if he says to do something, even if there is a better way, do whatever he or she said.

Random aside: did you not ask what your payrate was before you accepted the job? I mean, if you didn't know, a quick call to HR could clear that right up

Hi, I accepted the job but did not ask payrate. I should be getting docs regarding the payrate tom. Money didn't didn't even come in my head. The fact that it was 911 I was like I don't care in my head even though it is very important.

 

[DrParasite]

Hi, I accepted the job but did not ask payrate. I should be getting docs regarding the payrate tom. Money didn't didn't even come in my head. The fact that it was 911 I was like I don't care in my head even though it is very important.

As someone who did the exact same stupid thing when he got his first 911 job (actually that's not true, that was for the second 911 job; on the first, I accepted the job even though it was $3 an hour lower than what I had made previously, because I needed a job. on the second, I didn't know my payrate until I got my first check), take my advice: call HR today, and ask them what the base payrate is for the position. This is one of those critical questions that you should know before you walk into the interview (assuming money is important to you, if it's not when it comes to the job, no biggie), so you know if the interview is even worth your time.

I'm not a big fan of discussing pay details in the interview, because some people can draw incorrect conclusions; however, once they like you, and the offer is made, then getting the base salary information is needed before I even consider the job.

 

[chriscemt]

I'm not a big fan of discussing pay details in the interview.

This is kinda awfully true in all industries. There are select upper management positions where compensation could be part of the initial process (not that I would personally know). For street level employees, before the offer for employment is made, there's no need to be concerned about wages, benefits, etc. Those are details to be handled at a later point in the discussion.

The culture is very dependant on which AMR operation you will be working at. They are all run completely different.

This also is very true. As much as the corporate behemoth breaths it's fire, the operation is run under an manager who is either given or has taken some discretion.

 

[Tigger]

Hi all,

New to this form and new to 911. Been a EMT for year now and just got hired 911 in Northern California. Will be attending academy this week at AMR. Can anyone please advise me on what to expect when it comes to
*Academy
*Field Training (Best way to impress and get along with FTO's)
*Work Environment
*Best way to be carry myself at AMR (Heard very mixed things as far as 911 work environment ex. Employee attitudes)
*Pay {what did you as an AMR EMT start and max out at (Northern CA only please) }
*Schedule (are they flexible, I got hired part-time. Heard new timers only get nights?)

I am happy about this new position but as you can see I overthink and want to be prepared for what is to come. I have been doing reading on possible 911 situations and practicing my skills. I also work as an EMT at another agency during Thur-Sat Nights (On site at medical facility through a temp agency). Pay at this other agency is very well. If push comes to shove I will make the switch to 911 completely because what is also very important to me is the experience. I will most likely see things in 911 that I won't ever see working night shift at my other job. But also got to pay bills etc.

The new folks that impress FTOs are the ones that are not actively trying to impress anyone. Own your mistakes immediately and vow to learn from them. Odds are you're more likely to be harder on yourself than your FTO, use that to motivate yourself to improve.

 

[TheEleventhHour]

quoted for truth. Your FTO is perfect, do whatever he wants, if he says to do something, even if there is a better way, do whatever he or she said.

This. I had 2 FTO's & they both did things very differently & both did things that Orientation told us to do differently. Both did things different than the NREMT Skills taught as well. Both felt they were the Prototype EMT. Some FTO's are laid back & forgiving & some have Egos & make you feel incompetent.