questions about ambulance personel

[lakersmedic]

I am wondering if the private ambulance companies around the country all go with a medic and a basic on an ALS unit? I have been a medic for a while and have always run medic/medic. I am trying to figure out why it is not done this way everywhere?

Also I am wondering if anyone on this forum knows of any private ambulances anywhere in the country who still run with medic/medic on an ALS unit. Thanks.

 

[Ridryder911]

Well if you have been a medic for a while, you should had figured out it is about money than what is delivered. It is cheaper to have one EMT and a Paramedic than two medics. It is better for patient and the medics to be both Paramedics for many reasons yet again, making sense does not always count... remember this is EMS.

R/r 911

 

[VentMedic]

I am wondering if the private ambulance companies around the country all go with a medic and a basic on an ALS unit? I have been a medic for a while and have always run medic/medic. I am trying to figure out why it is not done this way everywhere?

Also I am wondering if anyone on this forum knows of any private ambulances anywhere in the country who still run with medic/medic on an ALS unit. Thanks.

911 or IFT?

In much of Florida, the FDs have >90% of the FFs certified as Paramedics so for 911 EMS, about 4 - 10 Paramedics show up. For IFT transport by private ambulance, it may be a mix or both Paramedics. I have no idea what the private companies do for 911 since my area is Fire Based EMS.

 

[lakersmedic]

I knew it was about money but I guess I just wanted to believe in going medic/medic for patient care reasons. I am just curious if any private's still do this?

 

[firecoins]

NYC requires 2 medics on 911 calls. Private companies must have 2 medics to do 911.

IFTs get 1 emt and 1 medic.

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Many of the public departments even cannot afford to run medic/medic when they're not worried about making a profit.

Most ALS will run Medic/Basic in privates since it is cheaper. Yes there are advantages to running medic/medic, but to most private companies don't think its worth it. I never had a problem on an ALS truck running Medic/Basic. Granted we can do a lot in Ohio and I would be less comfortable running Medic/Basic in Missouri, but usually it's for a cost issue.

When I worked for a private company the only time we ran medic/medic was if a truck was temporarily OOS and we'd go medic/medic/basic on one truck and m-b-b on the other. Also, medics doing CQI rides had another medic with them to check him off. Definately not the norm.

For the city department in Columbus, they run Medic/Medic. Suburbs and Townships will often run medic/medic/basic since all of the FF's are required to have at least an EMT-B and must have a Paramedic license by the end of 5 years.

Yes, there are privates that still run Medic/Medic. they are usually privates doing third service or contracted primary response areas with a municipality that requests that they run medic/medic. In that case, they'll do it since the municipality will pay for it.

Don't wuote me on these, but I'm pretty sure Rural/Metro and Abbott still run Medic/Medic in some areas. Sunstar in Pinallas Co. florida might...

 

[lakersmedic]

Thanks a lot for the quick response. This is very helpful. I am really wanting to get back to medic/medic. I am applying everywhere for municipality jobs, but for now private is my life. I was just trying to get on a private where they run medic/medic. Thanks again.

 

[VentMedic]

Sunstar in Pinellas County, FL boasts itself as an all Paramedic service and runs with the FDs which are also ALS. Thus, 4 - 10 Paramedics on scene. It is based on a Public Utility Model EMS system.

 

[Sasha]

Basics would have no jobs if everyone ran medic/medic.

If there were no more basics, who would save the paramedics!?

 

[WuLabsWuTecH]

Vent Medic - an aside:

You are in fact correct spelling "PinEllas" with an 'E' and not with an 'A' as I did above in "pinallas"

But isn't it pronounced pin-ALL-as county?

Just wondering

/hijack

 

[akflightmedic]

Indian River County in Florida used to be double medic teams until the IAFF and FD decided to intervene and merge...sigh. (The good old days)

 

[VentMedic]

Vent Medic - an aside:

You are in fact correct spelling "PinEllas" with an 'E' and not with an 'A' as I did above in "pinallas"

But isn't it pronounced pin-ALL-as county?

Just wondering

/hijack

It is spelled Pinellas and pronouced NELL.

http://www.pinellascounty.org/EMS/default.htm

 

[Shishkabob]

911 or IFT?

In much of Florida, the FDs have >90% of the FFs certified as Paramedics so for 911 EMS, about 4 - 10 Paramedics show up. For IFT transport by private ambulance, it may be a mix or both Paramedics. I have no idea what the private companies do for 911 since my area is Fire Based EMS.

Fort Worth's MedStar, private company, does a MICU based system with an EMT and Medic on each truck.

 

[EMTinNEPA]

Well, my service is a little complicated. Allow me to explain...

The majority of our 911s are handled by the MICU. The MICU is based at the local volunteer service (across the street from OUR station). We staff a paid paramedic 24/7 on one of the volunteer service's trucks with a volunteer driver. As an employee of our service, you automatically become a member of the volunteer service. So our primary 911 truck is always a Medic/Basic, even though sometimes that Basic is a Medic running at a Basic capacity.

As for our service's trucks, we usually have a Medic/Basic and a Basic/Basic during the day and two Medic/Basics one or two days a week. At night, we drop down to one Medic/Basic, or on rare occasions a Basic/Basic. Very rarely, we might get a Medic/Medic during the day.

 

[Medic744]

Both of the private companies that I worked for considered a basic/intermediate truck and ALS unit and basic/medic or intermediate/medic or medic/medic as a MICU. One of the companys held back the medic and let them have a responder unit to meet up with either the BLS or ALS if they were needed.