San Luis Ambulance

[LACoGurneyjockey]

Any current or past employees have some info on San Luis Ambulance, SLO county protocols, etc. There's a few threads about them already but nothing in the last few years. Any info is appreciated, including but not limited to:
Starting medic pay
Company morale
Benefits/Retirement
Schedule
Field training process
Call volume
What stations do new hires tend to end up at
Relationship with fire, mostly ALS or BLS FD? Who has patient care authority if both are ALS?
Relationship with hospital staff
How's the equipment, what vehicles, monitors, power gurneys?
For current or former employees, were you generally happy with the company, protocols, equipment, etc.
Any major complaints with the company or the system in SLO.

 

[gotbeerz001]

My engine partner works PT for one of the privates down there. I will see her tomorrow and pick her brain a bit.


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[wtferick]

Someone please reply! I'm sure there are others who would like to know this information aswell!

 

[Rano Pano]

I'm definitely interested as well.
I've read all the old threads, but would love to hear updated responses.

If I remember right, SLA only hires once a year, and can be 12 medics competing for one spot.

 

[aquabear]

I have some friends that work for San Luis Ambulance and I used to run into them when I lived in SLO and was working in northern Santa Barbara county when I was with AMR.

They have 9 24 hour 911 ambulances with an additional 2 or 3 12 hour trucks to handle transfers, CCT calls and LDs. The 24 hour units are either in stand alone stations or are in house with the local fire departments. They don't do street corner posting which is nice. Equipment is pretty good, all of their 911 units are Leader type III's with power pro gurneys, King Vision VL, and Zoll X series monitors. They run two 4x4 type II ambulances for calls at the dunes and are starting to use sprinters for their transfer trucks.

Protocols are pretty good by California standards... which isn't saying much once you leave California. You can check with the county's website for protocols or check them out on the Parameic Protocol Provider app.

Fire can range from fire/medics all the way to CalFire guys with just first aid training. The first medic on scene is the primary medic, but fire will typically transfer care when the ambulance arrives, it all depends on the medic and department. CalFire only has a few medic engines and will ride in occasionally on critical calls. SLO City rides in on everything, even when they aren't the primary medic, it's pretty ridiculous (and they aren't very good at medic-ing).

I don't know much about pay/benefits/FTO time, but they have a lot of guys who have been there for a long time.

They do hire once a year, sometimes twice if they have a need for staffing. Generally speaking the hiring process tends to coincide with the end of Cuesta College's paramedic program.

 

[LACoGurneyjockey]

So @gotshirtz001 promises info then just bails on me...

 

[gotbeerz001]

Haha. My bad.
What I got from her is that San Luis is a good outfit to work for. Lots of long-term employees and a variety of shifts to choose from.

Basically, I read @aquabear's post and didn't have much to add.


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[MedicJon88]

I'm talking SLA right now they are hiring again in January but is willing to consider hiring experience medic out of cycle- I just don't know if I'm willing to consider moving back to California's EMS climate. I've spent the last 2 years out in ND with awesome pay and even more awesome scope of practice- not sure if it make sense to throw it away for being closer to home... thoughts?

 

[FoleyArtist]

@Mufasa556