Saudi Red Crescent Authority

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Ready to fly mission tomorrow?

alelkins said:
Update:

Have been on the ground here one week. All in all, things are good. Wasn't met at the airport as promised, but got in touch with a friend and got picked-up, delivered to compound, then taken out for dinner.

First of the week (Saturday here), checked in with the office and was greeted with warm smiles and genuine hospitality; very friendly folk. Next we went for physicals (a whole other story). By yesterday, I had received a cash loan for expenses and been moved downtown to a decent hotel (ah, room service, maid service, and walking to lots of places).

The flight service appears to be up again. We have one 902 staffed and should be ready for missions tomorrow after engineering clearance and test flight. Yippie!

The downside:

Word today is that upper management/leadership of the SRCA has decided NOT to pay the relocation bonuses as listed on their website and written in my job offer. This is discouraging for all ex-pats here, and I believe at least one has decided to return stateside. It's not so much the money as it is the trust factor. Again, this unofficial. I have not been told this personally by SRCA management.

Everything else seems to be as represented, so far. Notes to those coming:
1. Don't count on the relocation bonus
2. Bring phone numbers for local contacts and a cell phone.
3. Go through the customs line on the right side with the returning Saudi's, not the "First Time" line on the left.
4. Be ready to see the most awesome trauma of your careers.
5. Be ready for amazing hospitality, fantastic food, and the time of your life!

Cheers!
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Welcome to Saudi,
I'm curious to where you heard they'll start flying mission tomorrow. I hope the AA isn't considering letting the one engineer the SRCA hired, whom isn't qualified on the 902, clear the aircraft for flight. The aircraft has been sitting in the elements for 3 weeks and needs a lot of TLC. That would be stupid!!!!
 
Paramedic to the Prince

Tincanfireman said:
From the April 2010 issue of EMS Magazine: Paramedic Patrick Tom Notestine, who spent 10 years working as a contract paramedic in Saudi Arabia before writing "Paramedic to the Prince", recently learned his book has been banned in Saudi Arabia. Read a review here.
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The SRCS is famous for starting things, getting lots of press then later it all falls apart. After all the positive press for the air medical program, has there been anything in the press about it all being shut down. My guess is no.

That is the saudi way. I started a Paramedic program for SRCS in Jeddah about 7 years ago, we gots lots of press, I recieved promises of funding and staff, after struggling for 12 months getting paid late every month. No staff at all. One man cannot teach a paramedic program. The students could not grasp the knowledge it takes to be a medic, Major cheating went on and I was not allowed to fail anyone. I advised on the air medical program. every recommendation I made was ignored. We all know what happened to the crew.

Oh yes thanks for plugging my book. I dont mention it on this site since this is not the place to plug my book. I know the SRCS is full of frustrations. I know you can still have a good experience. and yes tons and tons of trauma. Oh yes attached is a picture of a recent saudi paramedic doing his final practical. Yes he passed and he is on the street now.
 

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Very good post Calimedic. What you say is so true. We have walked the same footsteps and the result has been the same. As I have said they want the prestige and photo op but do not want to listen to the answers we give when asked a question.

As for the photo Yes these guys pay and get through. To those that have not worked in KSA, the picture depicts a student from a private emergency medical institute that do practical training with the SRCA. Many of the current workforce are graduates. Some 3% are switched on and would make it anywhere. The rest well young rich kids with a family name that opens doors.

About a month ago those students were employed by the SRCA to work and drive the ALS Paramedics. They have not graduated, they have no experience driving or treating, however are partnering an expat and believe it or not have the attitude to tell the Paramedic what to do( when they can)! Great idea of the new Chief Executive and Riyadh Operations Manager :wacko:.

With this calibre of Managers in control the SRCA will move forward ....inshalla

Maybe they will do the same with the HEMS program and hire some student or new graduate to fly the aircraft:unsure:
 
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Saudi HEMS Program

I was there.
If they don't follow AA's recommendations for safety and medical crew the next thing you will here about the program will be the helo has crashed and killed every one,and possibly a few innocent bystanders. I kid you not!. HEMS is dangerous by it's nature. When you put some one in charge that behaves like a two year old your asking for a disaster. Just like the last time they tried it. Any western medics thinking about doing this. DON'T. Let them learn the hard lessons with Saudi lives being snuffed out not yours. It will be your last job with the living. You have been WARNED.
 
sad but true

calimedic said:
Oh yes attached is a picture of a recent saudi paramedic doing his final practical. Yes he passed and he is on the street now.
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Great picture! I remember doing 'final' testing for Saudi 'paramedic' students and having at least one of them use a NPA as a ETT and some used a wooden tongue blade as a laryngoscope. That was a shock. They also gave 15 LPM NC and 2 LPM NRB constantly. I also remember the Saudis balking at having students go to class at all. They wanted them to just follow around Western paramedics at work and that would be their 'education' to become paramedics. Even the Saudis that trained in the US do not have any practical experience as they were not allowed to do practical and vehicular in the US. They are the ones running the show now. It is not about helping their brethren, it's about how much money they can make by hook or crook, with the least amount of actual work. In the whole country with their thousands of so-called 'paramedics', I can only name at the most 5 Saudis who could even be considered paramedics by any civilised standard. There is no recertification or CE standards and some 'practice' with no sort of certifications at all.

For those who 'just arrived' and are having a 'great time', just wait. You will see the ugly truth sooner or later.
 
Comments

Yes, we have been warned. Yes, there is an ugly truth. No, SRCA isn't perfect. Some of us MAKE it a great time. We are too busy to be negative. We are not all lambs to the slaughter, as some would seem to believe. Some of us came here with middle eastern experience and knew what to expect. Others maybe not...
 
Concerned

Nothing derogatory was intended to the guys currently in KSA. My concern is if SRCA tries to run the HEMS program like they have the ground service, bad things are going to happen. You can't pull to the side of the road and fix a fuel line in a helicopter. Monitoring the quality of fuel when remote fuel sites are established so the air craft don't cough on landing or take off and kill every one. And having that kind of attitude, to fix stuff when it breaks kills crew members. When I first began flying years ago, I didn't know what was dangerous. I didn't know what to look for in a competent pilot. I didn't know that maintenance saves your life every time you take off. I didn't know that experienced med crew is critical in ground opps,especially scenes. I didn't know how important it was for dispatch to flight follow and know exactly where you are when you go down. So that you have some kind of chance to survive a hard landing or crash. The SRCA has 0,none,nada, infrastructure to support a HEMS program. AA provided all of what I listed. Based on my personal experience with the current leadership of the SRCA gives me no confidence in their ability to safely run a HEMS program. And the reason for the warning? Hiring inexperienced crew and using a Saudi pilot that has 5 hours of stick time and was placed in the position because of his name is not going to end well. I just don't want to read about some ones tragic death in a HEMS crash in Saudi Arabia that most definitely could have been avoided.
 
2easy4u said:
Nothing derogatory was intended to the guys currently in KSA. My concern is if SRCA tries to run the HEMS program like they have the ground service, bad things are going to happen. You can't pull to the side of the road and fix a fuel line in a helicopter. Monitoring the quality of fuel when remote fuel sites are established so the air craft don't cough on landing or take off and kill every one. And having that kind of attitude, to fix stuff when it breaks kills crew members. When I first began flying years ago, I didn't know what was dangerous. I didn't know what to look for in a competent pilot. I didn't know that maintenance saves your life every time you take off. I didn't know that experienced med crew is critical in ground opps,especially scenes. I didn't know how important it was for dispatch to flight follow and know exactly where you are when you go down. So that you have some kind of chance to survive a hard landing or crash. The SRCA has 0,none,nada, infrastructure to support a HEMS program. AA provided all of what I listed. Based on my personal experience with the current leadership of the SRCA gives me no confidence in their ability to safely run a HEMS program. And the reason for the warning? Hiring inexperienced crew and using a Saudi pilot that has 5 hours of stick time and was placed in the position because of his name is not going to end well. I just don't want to read about some ones tragic death in a HEMS crash in Saudi Arabia that most definitely could have been avoided.
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Agreed (whole heartedly). Based on what I've seen and heard from the ground, a similarly operated flight service would likely be VERY short lived. There will have to be a vendor. The SRCA will have to learn and comply. As of right now, AA is the vendor, but we'll see if AA and SRCA can put the past aside and move forward, because the victims here really need us (16 trauma deaths daily in Riyadh alone).
 
Additional info for SRCA candidates

The visa requirements I received from SRCA (attached) listed some things that I found after the fact were different, as listed:

1. Families do not come with the contractor initially, so don't waste time and money on getting the family physicals at this time. Also, no need to send their passports to Gaby. They can't come until you get situated (and get paid).

2. Gaby is a middle person. Your visa will be handled by Visa Obtainers in Washington DC. Find the them on the internet and hound them by phone.

3. Have your notarized Certificates of Employment authenticated by that notary's State Department. Most states will do this directly, but in Tennessee one must have each notary verified by the County Clerk of the county in which they were appointed, then sent to Nashville for authentication. This will save you money here and likely time in the process.

4. Get a notarized copy of your High School diploma.

5. Some folks' physicals were rather pricey, and when questioned, the SRCA said there would be a relocation bonus paid on arrival, to offset those expenses. Don't count on it.

Hope this helps!
 

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alelkins said:
Agreed (whole heartedly). Based on what I've seen and heard from the ground, a similarly operated flight service would likely be VERY short lived. There will have to be a vendor. The SRCA will have to learn and comply. As of right now, AA is the vendor, but we'll see if AA and SRCA can put the past aside and move forward, because the victims here really need us (16 trauma deaths daily in Riyadh alone).
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Alekins, what you have said is exactly what most of us who were on the ground there have been trying to say for over the last two years.

The HEMS program kicked off and was in the air within three months of the first flight guys arriving in Riyadh. The ground team was another story. Two years after we started we were still trying to source equipment and have the Saudi's agree to procedures and policies that had been written. For example sharps disposal containers ( the ones circulating were 'donated') in the ALST kits.

The reason the HEMS program lifted off so quickly and so well is one. There were very few Saudis involved or in a position to make operational decisions. Not to say they didn't try.

The management and Paramedics with AA were professionals and experienced in running an aviation program. As for the ground we had continual interference and speed humps from certain Saudis with the help of some expats, who through natural attrition and 'wasta' are in positions of authority and calling the shots.

The whole game changed overnight when the former CEO who had the vision for change was removed.

Good luck with it. The community does need the service and they are the ones being neglected. I just hope these narrow minded people in power in the SRCA see the light and do the right thing in allowing a positive change that will have an impact on the community.

Life in Riyadh is OK otherwise. Stay busy odnt let them screw you around too much and stay safe
 
It's an unfortunate circumstance. The money is here to make the changes, but still there is a lack of progress.
 
alelkins said:
The visa requirements I received from SRCA (attached) listed some things that I found after the fact were different, as listed:

1. Families do not come with the contractor initially, so don't waste time and money on getting the family physicals at this time. Also, no need to send their passports to Gaby. They can't come until you get situated (and get paid).

2. Gaby is a middle person. Your visa will be handled by Visa Obtainers in Washington DC. Find the them on the internet and hound them by phone.

3. Have your notarized Certificates of Employment authenticated by that notary's State Department. Most states will do this directly, but in Tennessee one must have each notary verified by the County Clerk of the county in which they were appointed, then sent to Nashville for authentication. This will save you money here and likely time in the process.

4. Get a notarized copy of your High School diploma.

5. Some folks' physicals were rather pricey, and when questioned, the SRCA said there would be a relocation bonus paid on arrival, to offset those expenses. Don't count on it.

Hope this helps!
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Alelkins,
I've looked over the required and I've a couple questions:
1. what point in the process is your receive an authorization letter from the SRCA?
2. How many years of employment history do you have to go back, 10/15?
3. Why does the SRCA require a signed and notarized copy of your college degree and then sealed transcripts? Seem redundant.
4 If I've read everyone's comments correctly, you are required to take a physical while in the states then take another physical once you arrived in Saudi. Is that correct?

How long did it take you from the time you submitted an application until you arrived in Saudi?
 
goatlab said:
Alelkins,
I've looked over the required and I've a couple questions:
1. what point in the process is your receive an authorization letter from the SRCA?
2. How many years of employment history do you have to go back, 10/15?
3. Why does the SRCA require a signed and notarized copy of your college degree and then sealed transcripts? Seem redundant.
4 If I've read everyone's comments correctly, you are required to take a physical while in the states then take another physical once you arrived in Saudi. Is that correct?

How long did it take you from the time you submitted an application until you arrived in Saudi?
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1. Letter received after requested documents submitted to SRCA for review (after application submission).
2. Up to 15 as thats the top of the experience modification.
3. Doesn't matter, they want it. We don't have to understand it, it's their way. Many things will be this way, get used to it now and save yourself stress later...
4. Yes

It is different for everyone, to many variables to predict. My case was 4 months, but I was in Afghanistan and took time off at home.
 
Hey in case any of you "Flight medics" need a helmet I have one cheap on sale in for "for sale" section of this site. Send me a pm for further details
 
goatlab said:
Alelkins,
I've looked over the required and I've a couple questions:
1. what point in the process is your receive an authorization letter from the SRCA?
2. How many years of employment history do you have to go back, 10/15?
3. Why does the SRCA require a signed and notarized copy of your college degree and then sealed transcripts? Seem redundant.
4 If I've read everyone's comments correctly, you are required to take a physical while in the states then take another physical once you arrived in Saudi. Is that correct?

How long did it take you from the time you submitted an application until you arrived in Saudi?
Click to expand...


There seems to be some confusion on here..First a sealed copy means notarized. BUT the catch is they won't accept a state notary they want a US Embassy seal saying its a true copy.
The other misconception i keep seeing on here is that you are dealing with the SRCA..UNTRUE...In the states you are dealing with the Saudi Embassy for your VISA. Your physical there you take will be used for the Health Ministry here to allow you to work and get your Certificate to work.
If you do not produce a National Registry Cert. You will have to take a general knowledge test. You will also have to PAY out of pocket about $250 for this and they only accept credit cards.
NEXT the physical you take here is for immigration to get your igama for the Ministry of Interior AKA Greencard. Since you have a 90 VISA you have 90 days to secure your Igama, which then replaces your VISA. THEN if you want to drive getting a drivers license is a cake walk compared to everything else...except will cost you around 450 sar but is good for 10 years!
I hope that helps clear things up..clear as mud!!! :P
 
Doug

Have they put you on a roster...yet????? What station?

Any updates with the helos? Are they flying?
 
I just got into contact with a handler and am in process filing all the paperwork. I hope to get this done in the next 30 to 60 days. Hope to get there soon.
 
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