National Ambulance UAE

Flyhi

Forum Crew Member
39
4
8
I suppose it's hard to get specific questions together apart from the obvious which follow;

1) what shifts are run out there.
2) what are the crewing arrangements and working conditions including equipment like
3) how are you as a western ALS medic recieved by both your local co workers and your patients.
4) is the pay good and how is it paid.
5) knowing what you know would you bring a family over there, especially girls
6) is OT compulsory or is it optional
7) how do you feel now after gaining all that experience about coming back to a EMS system that will have far more restrictive protocols
8) is burn out an issue
9) is their a tiered system where as the new guy you will get the crap posts first and work up or are you placed as per contract.
10)What's the biggest draw back about working there
11) can you access CPD or gain additional qualifications whilst over there


I could go on but I won't abuse your offer of helpful info.

Cheers
 

dtrojan07

Forum Crew Member
81
1
8
hope this helps

I suppose it's hard to get specific questions together apart from the obvious which follow;

1) what shifts are run out there. 4 12s, 4 OFF,ON GROUN 2DAYS/24HRS OFF/2NITES/4 DAYS OFF..FLIGHT IS SCHEDULED
2) what are the crewing arrangements and working conditions including equipment like...GROUND..ALS RUNS IN CAMARYs WITH EMT SAUDI PARTERN ASSIGNED TO STATION WITH BLS AMBULANCE..RIYADH IS THE SIZE AND POPULATION OF LA..LIKE ANY OTHER BIG CITY BUSY LOTS OF TRAUMA
3) how are you as a western ALS medic recieved by both your local co workers and your patients. LIKE DOCTORS
4) is the pay good and how is it paid.FIRST YEAR PAY IS LITTLE MORE THAN BACK HOME but its tax free..IF YOUR DOING THIS TO GET RICH.STAY HOME..YOU CANT COMPARE SALARIES ON INTERNATIONAL CONTRACT TO YOUR PUBLIC AMBULANCE BY THE HOUR IN THE STATES..YOUR COMPARING APPLES TO ORANGES..
5) knowing what you know would you bring a family over there, especially girls I HAVE MY WIFE AND SMALL SON HERE AND DID IN SAUDI..
6) is OT compulsory or is it optionalCOMPULSORY AND SOMETIMES YOU WORK FOR FREE..PART OF THE JOB
7) how do you feel now after gaining all that experience about coming back to a EMS system that will have far more restrictive protocols..IM STILL OVERSEAS AND FEEL IT WOULD BE HARD FOR ME TO RETURN TO THE STATES..LOVE IT HERE
8) is burn out an issue..IS BURN OUT A ISSUE IN EMS?
9) is their a tiered system where as the new guy you will get the crap posts first and work up or are you placed as per contract.YOU GET WHATYOU GET..THEY DONT THINK THAT HARD HERE
10)What's the biggest draw back about working there NOT BEING HOME
11) can you access CPD or gain additional qualifications whilst over there..SOME YOU CAN..IN SAUDI ITS HARD IN UAE ALL ARE AVAILABLE AS WELL AS RENW NATIONAL REGISTRY..WHICH IS SOMETHING NEW LIKE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS.

OK NOW..I HAVE SEEN MANY MEDICS COME AND GO..THE ONES THAT DONT LAST LONG ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEAD WHAT SHOULD BE LIKE HERE AND REALIZE THAT IT AINT HAPPENING...YOU NEED TO KEEP IN MIND SAUDI IS A CLOSED RESTRICTIVE COUNTRY.YOU NEED TO LEARN THE CULTURE. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHAT A "MUSLIM STATE" MEANS..YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND READY TO ADJUST YOUR GOALS AS NEEDED...YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO BITE YOUR LIP AND PICK YOUR BATTLES..AND MOST IMPORTANT YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THIS IS THEIR COUNTRY! UNDERSTAND YOU WILL BE AWAY FROM YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY FOR A LONG TIME AND NEED TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT..THOSE OF YOU THAT HAVE NOT SEEN THE VIDEO I MADE, PLEASE SEARCH SCRA ON YOUTUBE I MADE A WHAT WORK IS LIKE VIDEO FOR MY FRIENDS IN THE STATES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCkYl9UuQl8&list=UUqcMJlFblfJejgarBHlnwbw&index=6&feature=plcp

Hope this helps all of you

I could go on but I won't abuse your offer of helpful info.

Cheers
 

Flyhi

Forum Crew Member
39
4
8
Thanks a million for the time and good advice.
 

dtrojan07

Forum Crew Member
81
1
8
thanx i did miss that..thought i was on the other thread...many of the answers apply for both..but when i get a minute i will try to seperate the particulars.
The main one being instead of a response Camary you are in a Ambu with 2 EMT partners and a Police officer driver. But this may change when we go operational as this is a new contract and all is up in the air.
The shifts are the same as in Saudi CANNOT answer how we will be accepted since we have not gone operational yet.
ALSO
SHULTZ if you get a chance check out the video you have a cameo talking part in it!
ONe other thing that may help people..I started a blog a couple of months before i deployed to SAUDI and have compiled them all together along with my UAE time to make a short story..but be advised i am no writer! If you PM me your personal email i will reply with it as a Word document. ON THE CONDITION IT IS NOT REPRITED OR REPOSTED OR DISTRIBUTED TO ANYONE ELSE!
AND one last thing if you find the SRCA Thread that Travis started in the begining he put together a list of what to pack if you find that im sure that would be helpful for you first timers over seas!

Most of your answers are about Saudi...they are asking about the Abu Dhabi ambulance in UAE....
 

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
2,237
269
83
The big thing is right now we have not started operations on the public emergency response system. We are preparing to start very soon. Everyone working for us right now is on a remote outpost. 1 week on duty 1 week off duty, the call volume is very low. UAE is a great place IMO compared to many other middle eastern country's. I would encourage anyone with questions regarding operations, salary's, ect to email "paramedics@nationalambulance.ae"
 

Epi52

Forum Probie
26
0
1
I've been researching overseas medic jobs for quite a while now. This position is one of the few good ones, also check out Hamad EMS in Qatar.
 

SkiMedic

Forum Probie
11
1
3
Abu Dhabi EMS

I'm having difficulty gleaning who exactly runs EMS (911/111/112) in Abu Dhabi. Is it the Police or National Ambulance Company? Or are they one and the same?

I have an interview with National Ambulance in a few days, anybody have any questions they want me to ask?
 

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
2,237
269
83
currently the police run 911 in abu dhabi. our company (NAC) is taking over the contract. We are recruiting for that now but have not started doing the contract. The current contract we are working in AD is remote outpost type positions 7 days on 7 days off. However we will be starting the 911 contract very soon.
 

SkiMedic

Forum Probie
11
1
3
National Ambulance

Schulz;

Thanks for the quick reply and for the clarification. I was on a contract in Kuwait where we frequently worked 6 days on and ONE day off at remote military posts so 7/7 is not on the face of it a problem.

Thanks for the email address, I'll be emailing them next.

Hopefully, all will work out and we can meet face to face soon.
 

dtrojan07

Forum Crew Member
81
1
8
No, quite serious..... Why, is it that much worse? Better? How's the housing?

I take it you have never been to Saudi Arabia or UAE before?
HUGE dif. UAE is a dream job..you want experiance and willing to put up with the BS go to Saudi! You will see more trauma in a week than the Detroit medics see in a 3 months! You will run so many codes that you will be able to run em in your sleep!
Housing is housing just what type of lifestyle you want to live? Saudi is a Muslim state in every sense of the word. You get caught trying to smuggle in a bible you could be sentances to 50 lashes!
You want the experiance and tradition of the Muslim world go to Saudi. You want a more laid back slightly westernized go to UAE.
Really though if your young and you want to experiance the world. You will get to know yourself i Saudi Arabia, find out who you are. You will bring back stories and experiance you will retell your whole life. Then give UAE or Qatar a try and you will see how much life is easier and appreciate things more. You do know Saudi Arabia is a closed state right? Meaning you are owned by the SRCA. PERIOD you have to have a exit VISA to leave the country and if you piss someone off they don't have to give it to you! When i was there one guy changed his mind and wanted to go home. They refused him a ticket at first did not pay him a penny and he was there for like 2 months so he had to live off his savings he had before he went there. AND he finally filed a formal complaint with the state department to get his VISA. They told him he was a embarassmant to the director for going to the US Embassy to complain! if you look into the archives there is a thread about SRCA and that was well talked about.
But i would suggest you do some research on this area of the world. Then decide where you want to go.
 

sammyam

Forum Ride Along
7
0
0
Hey guys,

I have a webex interview lined up for this coming Tuesday, fingers crossed for a planning or PCP position, but if there is anyone out there already attached to the National Ambulance Company I'd appreciate a message! It'd be great to start meeting some potential coworkers :)

Sam
 

SkiMedic

Forum Probie
11
1
3
National Ambulance (UAE)

I don't have enough "wasta" yet to post IM's here so....

Last Wednesday I did a Webex session and tested for NAC, I haven't heard back yet but possibly we will be co-workers soon.

Keep posting, I've had replies from a few NAC employees that were pretty helpful.
 

ExpatMedic0

MS, NRP
2,237
269
83
goodluck guys, maybe i will see you around soon
 

SkiMedic

Forum Probie
11
1
3
Nac

It really wasn't an interview, just a scenario test which was pretty forthright. Chris, the supervisor who gave the test, said he wasn't sure if I'd be called for an interview or if they'd just send me an offer once all my paperwork was in. (Rural/Metro keeps promising to send my employment verification letter but never actually sends it.)

Good luck, maybe we'll be in the same orientation group.

Kevin
 
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