Rural Metro Colorado

[ipkes]

I just received my Colorado State EMT Certification in the mail and am now looking at companies to apply for. I have searched the forums and read previous threads on Rural/Metro in Colorado and have seemed to found mixed reviews. From those currently living in Colorado or who have worked for them before what do you think...

- Good first job as an EMT?
- I'm looking to run 911, how is their current contract?
- Do they still have an iffy relationship with Aurora FD on the basic level? I can somewhat understand why there is tension on the ALS level.

Thank you for any feedback and stay safe!

 

[chaz90]

I'd do AMR over Rural Metro in CO. As a basic, you'll be put on a transfer car for some set period of time before you get moved to 911. I don't know how long that is, but I believe anywhere from 6 months to a year based on openings. Your relationship with Aurora Fire isn't based on BLS vs. ALS. A lot of it is built around how AFD views RM, and what they let either ambulance crew member do on scene. You might actually get the opportunity to attend more patients alone as an EMT than your medic partner since if the run is that obviously BLS fire won't ride along. I maintain though that the Rural Metro system in Aurora is one in which I could never work. Even more so than in other places, you really do just serve as the ambulance driver of a horizontal taxi service. You don't bring your own gear in on calls since Fire always beats you there, and your main activities are just operating a stretcher and driving to the hospital. Furthermore, I don't think AFD does a good job with patient care and I don't like standing idly by while bad medicine is inflicted upon unsuspecting patients. First job or not, I think there are better options. Sometimes you have to do it to get your foot in the door though, and at some point a job is a job. I wouldn't expect to really be happy there though and would continue looking to keep an exit strategy.

 

[Tigger]

I recently applied to R/M and was offered a position. I ended up declining it primarily because I am not willing to commute 2 hours each way for a 12 hour shift.

But here is what I learned. If selected, you will start as an "ATS" driver, i.e. driving a wheelchair van. You get a couple days of training on that, and then you're on your own. I think I could survive driving alone in a city that I have spent no time in, but that might not be for everyone. A friend of mine really struggled with learning the city and independently and got stuck on the van for a while as a result.

If all goes well, after a few months you will train a new employee to operate the wheelchair van and then be assigned to a BLS transfer car. From there you will be placed in some sort of ALS system, whether it be transfer, Aurora, or their other metro Denver areas. Most people do not get to go straight to Aurora. All "promotions" are at the "business needs of the company" so there is no set time frame on moves.

Pay is around $10/hr if I recall. Despite being a massive corporation, it is still locally operated and everyone I talked said that the management was pretty good. I probably would have taken the position if I lived closer, but right now I have a really good ~30 hours a week gig in a rural area 30 minutes from Colorado Springs, so I want to stay here.

 

[sir.shocksalot]

If you really can't get a job with AMR Boulder (Denver is a different animal), Northglenn ambulance, Poudre, Platte, Thompson Valley, Denver Health, or any hospital then Rural/Metro is pretty much the only place left to get your feet wet. I'd pick Rural/Metro over any of the smaller ambulance companies that operate in Denver.

I'll elaborate a little on the points Chaz and Tigger hit.

Yes you will start on a wheelchair van, this is pretty typical of most agencies that have a wheelchair van. You will get a few days orientation on the van, the down side is that you will be with another wheelchair driver, who is likely also extremely new and may be as lost as you are. Tigger points out that you are supposed to progress from there to BLS and then to ALS and then potentially 911, however this isn't always (or usually) the case. Some employees only spend a few days "clearing" for BLS which largely involves sitting in the back of a Pridemark ambulance in Wheat Ridge and taking vitals if you get a call. If you are lucky you will end up in Aurora doing the same thing (you are only lucky because the FTO's are nicer in Aurora). From there you may work a BLS shift, or they will throw you with a medic at their convenience. If you get put with a nice medic they might be able to catch you up to speed with what you really need to know on an ALS ambulance, or you get stuck with an a**hole who may just yell at you and roll their eyes if you don't know how to do something. I've heard that the second is more of the norm than the first. Getting on a 911 ambulance is quite a stretch, many people that are currently there really don't leave very often just because the 911 ambulances don't get worked over like the GT (transfer) ones do. You might end up in Aurora if you are lucky after a year or so there, Wheat Ridge is seemingly random when they decide they need to clear an EMT.

As far as Aurora goes, Chaz pretty much nails it. I will say that as an EMT it's actually a pretty sweet system. You get to run emergent, start IV's, thump on chests, and generally see some sick people. You may even get to attend on some pretty sick people since AFD and R/M might miss it completely. Working as a paramedic there is generally pretty frustrating, if you disagree with AFD you can actually get fired for speaking up. This results in a lot of people just keeping quiet. Some crews will let you run calls or make decisions if they really know you, but this is heavily dependent on the crews and is pretty rare. One of the other things to keep in mind is that while you will get to see a lot you may also be watching the very wrong way to do things happening.

Overall, as a first job it's not the worst place to work. Just know that if you want to move up and move on you will need to go elsewhere.

 

[ipkes]

Thank you very much for the detailed information! This really helps me out in my decision making. It definitely is not a place I would like to stay long term but it sounds like it would be a great start to get my feet wet. After a year or so of experience im hoping to get into medic school and move to a busier system (Weld, TVEMS, Poudre).

Thanks again!

 

[Tigger]

Do you live in Colorado Springs? If so, be wary of that commute. Took me more than 2 hours to get to an 830 interview...

 

[ipkes]

I'm currently living in Lakewood, so im pretty close!

 

[LEB343]

I work for R/M in Aurora and its not bad. As an EMT its great, I have learned a ton working on an ALS-911 car. I personally have a great relationship with AFD (for the most part ). I have a great partner and you will get tons of experience. I did start on wheel chair van but I think it was a good learning experience because I just moved to CO at the time and did not know where anything was at lol. I only had to work on a GT rig for one month and then I bid on an Aurora car and got it. It's honestly luck and the guts to do it. IMO, new EMTs are afraid to go onto 911 cars because it is fast paced and demanding. Go for it!!

 

[ipkes]

Awesome that is great to hear! R/M does require you to have your IV before you apply though right? Im taking my IV class June 7th but would like to put my application in before that if possible

 

[LEB343]

They require it but put in your application anyways. I was in the same boat and when I got an interview, I just explained that I was in the process of taking the class and would graduate at X amount of time. Good luck!