Saudi Red Crescent Authority

[WTEngel]

Look up SRCA EMS and see what the requirements are. This is not on a military base, so no there is no DoD clearance required. You are basically performing the same duties you do in the states, just in a foreign country where no one speaks your language.

 

[Sweety]

Hi y'all

I am in Riyadh, KSA. I am a Critical Care Nurse and have EMS experience EMT-P, currently working at one of the hospitals. I knew some of the expats working in the Red crescent in Riyadh last year. There are more than 3 expats working for them from South African, American, Australian and German. Do you know or have contact with any of the guys already there? Best to get in contact as they will have the best advice on what it is really like.

 

[WTEngel]

I knew there was more than 3 total expats working for SRCA, I had heard that there were only 3 from the United States however.

I do not have contact with any expats who have worked or are working there, but if you could forward me their info in PM or forward my info to them, that would be awesome. What hospital are you at in KSA? Have you heard anything about the flight program?

Thanks for the reply, it is nice to actually talk to someone on the ground over there!

 

[rhousewa]

Srca

I too have just been offered a contract from Dr. Nakity. He seems to be an open man but I find myself having to explain my questions a lot. Get in touch and lets compare notes. Jeff

 

[ExpatMedic0]

rhouse, I am also now in contact with this guy. Not to get off subject but I am down in Portland and went to medic school in Vancouver WA, Did you happen to go to the same program. I had some people from spokane in my class.

In other news I am getting all my paper work in order for RC saudi, still feeling it out.

 

[alelkins]

My paperwork pack is coming FedEx so my paperwork journey is just beginning. FedeEx doesnt deliver to Afghanistan so it's going home, them the wife will send to me...

 

[Judy]

What gave you the impression that it was mostly ground pounding. Based on what I have seen, they are purchasing 28 helicopters and 6 PC 12 fixed wing ambulances over the next 5 years. I don't know why they would be doing all of that if they intended to put most of the flight medics on the ground.

I received my offer letter and other documents last week and am currently waiting for my visa. Based on what I have heard, they may hire you and extend a conditional job offer as a flight medic, but you still have to go through a skills test and interview with the flight supervisor once you are in country. If they don't like you for flight, they will put you on a regular ground unit. Also, from what I know, there are currently only 3 other western expats on the ground over there.

It is nice to hear from someone else going over. What nationality are you? I see you are in Afghanistan now, are you an American contractor?

Hello All
My husband has been talking with Dr Nakity too. He is a intensive care flight paramedic in Australia. Can you tell me about the general package offered in your contracts and the length of the contract. Have your visa's and travel arrangements been sorted. Is your accom sorted and if so where is it? Do you know anything about living costs and utilities. If you have wife is she going with you? Any other info any of you are happy to share would be appreciated.
Judy

 

[rhousewa]

One of the things I have found is that they do not want to give a lot of information until an offer is made. Dr Nakity did give me a wage scale based on my experience in a phone call though and he has been helpful as long as he understands what I am asking for. Contract is one year starting when you arrive in Saudi sign the contract. It is then renewable if both parties agree and is progressive with experience and or time served. They will give a housing allowance if you do not stay in their compound which they advise you to choose. Dr. Nakity stated that his utility costs are less than 100/month but did not say if that was 100.00 US or SAR. He went on to say that the compound has private space for each family and the cost of living would be less than what I pay here in the states. Overtime is available at time and a half if you want it. I have gotten very sketchy numbers of any average call volumes for a unit or for the system. They said that I will be working with an EMT-I on the unit and we will have a translator/cultural advisor with us also. I do not intend to take my wife with me but she may fly over and visit using the allotment of the 3 dependant plane tickets they allow. Make sure that you confirm this before you agree and send a letter of consent to their offer. Hope this helps. Jeff

 

[McLenin]

Hi.

I am so happy I was able to find you guys. I am a paramedic/ff from Cincinnati. I received the job offer and document package. People that are going, we need to stay in touch!!! I am very skeptical about the whole trip, its so far away.

 

[NJmedic3250]

Thanks for the reply Falcon, I am definitely excited to be coming to KSA and partnering with the nationals to get the helicopter EMS system up and running. I received my contract today, and they are offering me a position as a flight medic. Once I get my medical and visa clearance, I should be on a plane. I am thinking around the 1st of the year...

Now, as far as females working in EMS...

I have heard different rumors about different hospital based ambulance services considering female staff for Ob-Gyn calls and other types of calls where a female patient being treated by a male practitioner would not be possible with respect to Islamic religious and moral beliefs.

Now as far as going over there as a "queer", like you so eloquently put it, that would not be possible given their moral stance on homosexuality.

The Saudi Red Crescent seems to be trying to put together a really top notch helicopter EMS system, with up to 28 helicopters nation wide and 6 fixed wing ambulances. The pay is competitive and from what my contract says, they seem to be treating their expats well. I am definitely enthusiastic to get over there and learn as much as I can about the culture while helping those in need. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience...

Anybody else in the application process?

Hey WTEngel. Just got my visa packet and official offer in the mail. Ill be heading over to Riyadh in early 2010 I'm guessing. Depending on how long it takes to get everything processed. I'm pretty excited to see what sort of experience I will be presented with. Do you know anyone working there already?

 

[NJmedic3250]

Hey, I'm new to this forum. I didn't even realize there was 2 other pages of discussion.

 

[NJmedic3250]

I too am a little skeptical about the position. There is a lot I am still unsure about (no matter how many questions I ask Dr. Nakity). Main thing is the living conditions. I have trying to figure out what the accommodations are going to be like. Is it going to be a western compound or is it going to be an apartment building in the middle of the city? Also, I would like to hear everyone's opinion on their offer. Happy with it? Confident in the position? Personally I am on the fence about the whole thing. The "conditional flight position" was extended to myself as well. However, I have no prior aeromedical experience. I am wondering if this is a recruitment tactic to obtain the manpower they are looking for in a potentially undesirable job.

 

[Sweety]

Hi y'all

Just to make it clear I do not work fot the red crescent. I have met some of the guys that work for them on the chase cars. I work in one of the hospitals as a RN however am EMT-P certified. The guys I know have said the work is most trauma (road), they work with a Saudi EMT who has minimal or "some" training. I don't know about translator or cultural advisor...bit far fetched. Wow if they fly your family out to Riyadh for a visit that would be great. Most employers only do it if the family is staying. Check that point. I know they have all complained about protocols or lack of and equipment available. They are a pretty good bunch of guys, social and friendly (some cute too gals)!!! I am hoping to meet the US guys soon, as yet I haven't had the opportunity.

Living here is different to the US and remember it is not the US, things are done different. Be opened minded or you wont survive. It is cheaper to live depending on lifestyle. I do not drive because I don't have the Saudi requirement... A Penis!!! The roads are good the road users...not!! I am single so do not know costs for schools although friends say it is expensive. A common practice here is that Saudis like to glamourize things and won't give you all the facts, tell half truths etc. Do your reading on the www and try and contact people that have been here before or are here presently. I don't know if any of the guys use this forum though. When us females are allowed to work on the cars I will consider applying until then I like my ICU.

 

[Judy]

One of the things I have found is that they do not want to give a lot of information until an offer is made. Dr Nakity did give me a wage scale based on my experience in a phone call though and he has been helpful as long as he understands what I am asking for. Contract is one year starting when you arrive in Saudi sign the contract. It is then renewable if both parties agree and is progressive with experience and or time served. They will give a housing allowance if you do not stay in their compound which they advise you to choose. Dr. Nakity stated that his utility costs are less than 100/month but did not say if that was 100.00 US or SAR. He went on to say that the compound has private space for each family and the cost of living would be less than what I pay here in the states. Overtime is available at time and a half if you want it. I have gotten very sketchy numbers of any average call volumes for a unit or for the system. They said that I will be working with an EMT-I on the unit and we will have a translator/cultural advisor with us also. I do not intend to take my wife with me but she may fly over and visit using the allotment of the 3 dependant plane tickets they allow. Make sure that you confirm this before you agree and send a letter of consent to their offer. Hope this helps. Jeff

Thanks Jeff. My husband is at the stage of gathering his documentation in (hopeful) preparation of an offer. If you or anyone else has info to share I would be grateful to learn of it. Wouldn't it be exciting if we all got to meet one day in SA.
Regards
Judy

 

[Judy]

I too have just been offered a contract from Dr. Nakity. He seems to be an open man but I find myself having to explain my questions a lot. Get in touch and lets compare notes. Jeff

Me again Jeff. Could I (on behalf of husband) be privy to the notes you shared. Do I send a private email?? Or is this too forward.
Judy

 

[WTEngel]

I too am a little skeptical about the position. There is a lot I am still unsure about (no matter how many questions I ask Dr. Nakity). Main thing is the living conditions. I have trying to figure out what the accommodations are going to be like. Is it going to be a western compound or is it going to be an apartment building in the middle of the city? Also, I would like to hear everyone's opinion on their offer. Happy with it? Confident in the position? Personally I am on the fence about the whole thing. The "conditional flight position" was extended to myself as well. However, I have no prior aeromedical experience. I am wondering if this is a recruitment tactic to obtain the manpower they are looking for in a potentially undesirable job.

As far as the conditional flight position is concerned, I know for a fact that they have purchased new helicopters and entered into a long term contract for the purchase of 28 helicopters over the next 5 years. You can do some research on google and actually find the news articles from Saudi Arabia discussing this subject. Also, I have spoken with a pilot who has been working with the recruitment company that is securing the pilots for this position (Action Aviation.)

Now, the purpose for making the flight position conditional is two fold. First, I currently work for a flight service, and getting the opportunity to evaluate people's skills and abilities before putting them on a helicopter is imperative. I would not want to work on a bird with someone before I got to know them clinically. There is a lot of trust and team work that goes in to aeromedical calls, because the risk is greater and the patient's are more critical than ground transports. The second reason probably has to do with the fact that we all know someone can look great on paper, and then when you see them in person, you realize there resume may have a lot of credentials, but no real substance. Anyone who has worked in EMS long enough to qualify for a flight position has worked with the "book smart" paramedic who doesn't have common sense to save his/her own life. The conditional flight position is the safest way to do it, and frankly, I wouldn't go any other way.

Dr. Nakity is a recruiter, and the situation on the ground is fluid. Combine that with a slight language barrier, and I can understand why it is hard for him to confidently answer questions. Also, he doesn't live in the compound, he wouldn't know what it is like. The compound is brand new. We will be the first to live there.

I encourage everyone to visit www.emssaudiarabia.com and check the FAQ page. It has been updated in the last two weeks with some great information.

 

[WTEngel]

Me again Jeff. Could I (on behalf of husband) be privy to the notes you shared. Do I send a private email?? Or is this too forward.
Judy

Jeff, I am happy to answer everyone's questions, but I get tired of repeating myself. Feel free to share my e mails to you if you like. If anyone has any questions I haven't answered I am happy to answer those also.

I am not the know all end all about the SRCA, but I do seem to be the furthest along in the process amongst all of us here. I also have the unique perspective of talking to a few guys on the other half of the aeromedical side, Action Aviation. Action Aviation is the company who is supplying the helicopters and also headhunting for the pilots to fly them. One of the pilots I currently fly with put me in touch with his personal friend, who is in talks with Action Aviation for a pilot contract. He gave me some good information about how the safety and all was going to be implemented for the flight crews. It doesn't have much to do with our (medical personnel) contracts, but it really put me at ease knowing that they are really putting together a tight safe operation.

FYI, they are expanding the ground service significantly (from 60 stations to 200 in the next 5 years I believe) so it should be nice for you guys who qualified for the flight service but don't have any flight experience to know that you have a safety to fall back on. It would suck to leave your job here and get over there, find out you can't cut it on the helicopter, and then be sent back to nothing. At least you can work the ground over there.

Check out www.flickr.com and search "saudi red crescent". There is a German expat who has posted quite a few pictures from his trip over there, I don't know him personally, and the captions are in German, but it looks like he had fun, and it looks like they have mostly new equipment.

Cheers!

 

[WTEngel]

I am so happy I was able to find you guys. I am a paramedic/ff from Cincinnati. I received the job offer and document package. People that are going, we need to stay in touch!!! I am very skeptical about the whole trip, its so far away.

It is a huge adventure and definitely taking a risk leaving your home and all here in America. I am super excited and I can't wait to get over there.

As with anything, I really have a feeling this job is what you make of it. I am the type who can make friends anywhere and I can have fun as long as I am in good company.

 

[WTEngel]

Sorry for the multiple posts, but as soon as I answer one post, I see another.

I saw somebody mentioned that you will be paired with a Saudi EMT (or EMT-I) and also a driver and cultural advisor.

I am under the impression that the EMT partner and the driver/cultural advisor/translator are one in the same. The chase cars are staffed with a paramedic (expat) and a Saudi national who is certified as an EMT or EMT-I who can translate, drive, and keep his EMT partner out of trouble when it comes to culturally sensitive situations.

Falcon-18 is on this forum, and he is a Saudi national, who works for the SRCA. I am not sure if he staffs an ambulance, or drives with a paramedic, but his name is Omar, and he is extremely nice and easy to talk to. I encourage you to PM him if you like, he is very pleasant, and I am looking forward to meeting him.

 

[ExpatMedic0]

yes the FAQ was updated a couple weeks ago and has a lot of good info. Including the information that only 3 U.S. paramedics where there as of 2 weeks ago. could whoever has the email that was sent pm me and ill give you my email addy. If you don't mind forwarding it that is.

Regards!