Where is the best EMS system?

NysEms2117 said:
no sir, 40 hours is what they are basing that on as said above. so generally 48 hrs a week is not "unreasonable". 8 hours at time and a half, lowers that down exponentially. if my mental math is right 40 hours a week is about 2100 hours. So i'd venture around 2150? It really is nothing super unrealistic, there are people that do full time EMT work there and are reserve sheriffs in the off time, and make 40k+ and still maintain a personal life.
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I definitely am OK with 48 hours/week, myself (heck, 60 is fine too), I just didn't think about time and a half...oops! Thanks for clarifying! :)

dutemplar said:
They are research and pretty aggressive in terms of equipment and science based upgrades.
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Much appreciated! So is Hamad a private company, or is it some sort of state enterprise?
 
EpiEMS said:
I definitely am OK with 48 hours/week, myself (heck, 60 is fine too), I just didn't think about time and a half...oops! Thanks for clarifying! :)
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All good :D glad I can help :)
 
So to everyone's dismay I am going to jump on in here and drop my bias opinion of KCM1, having been here for just a little over 5 months (and the year of school) I love it. Great Pay, Benefits and Scope. It has been one of the better decisions I have made thus far... With that said I really do agree with everyone else in that everyone is different, and you are going to have to go out and see what sounds best for you! I can't say I have first hand knowledge but hear great things of Wake, Sussex, Shands Cair, MCHD, Austin-Travis just to name a few. When thinking about making a big move, where you want to live geographically should be a big part of it. At the end of the day work is just that work, and when you clock out at the end of your shift if your not happy with where you are then it is going to start to wear on you. Good Luck with the search!
 
VentMonkey said:
I am beginning to realize, I think I know exactly where the best EMS system is...

In my head.
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This was my concern too. I know that I'm in Cali, which is bad already, but I'm having a really hard time finding any systems that I would consider great.

You might get OK protocols and OK equipment, but the pay will be bad, with no room for promotion. Or you can get paid well to do glorified BLS... or you can have ok pay and protocols but have a low call volume...
 
Over time my definition of a great system has changed from looking for great protocols, good call volume, great pay, and benefits. I think that liking the area you are working in, enjoying your coworkers, and not having to worry about losing your job if the organization loses a contract is more important. Of course I started in IFT, moved to contract work, and then found a great government job as a paramedic which has hit practically everything I've ever wanted. So if you spend the time and try a few places you will eventually find what you are looking for. 13 years in I never would have even dreamed of ending up where I am now.
 
FLMedic311 said:
So to everyone's dismay I am going to jump on in here and drop my bias opinion of KCM1, having been here for just a little over 5 months (and the year of school) I love it. Great Pay, Benefits and Scope. It has been one of the better decisions I have made thus far... With that said I really do agree with everyone else in that everyone is different, and you are going to have to go out and see what sounds best for you! I can't say I have first hand knowledge but hear great things of Wake, Sussex, Shands Cair, MCHD, Austin-Travis just to name a few. When thinking about making a big move, where you want to live geographically should be a big part of it. At the end of the day work is just that work, and when you clock out at the end of your shift if your not happy with where you are then it is going to start to wear on you. Good Luck with the search!
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You know, if I was younger, single, renting an apartment, with nothing holding me down, I would be applying to KCM1. Now that I'm married, and looking to start a family, moving across the country for a job that has a relatively high failure rate just doesn't appeal to me anymore. Moving my family away from everything they know,and starting over for a great job is one thing..... but knowing that 25 to 50% of those who get accepted don't make it past a year after day 1 of the new job (for many reasons, many valid), well, it's one thing if it's just me living out of an apartment, it's another when you have a family, nice furniture, roots and if it fails, you are all kinda of screwed. Moving is expensive, and if the new job doesn't work out (for whatever reason), then what are you going to do?
 
I think anyone who wants to work for KCM1 should have to do 6 months on a TriMed BLS rig first. Then let's talk about the vast dichotomy of EMS in King County.
 
VentMonkey said:
@cruiseforever any thoughts? I know you're not there specifically.

I could have sworn there was a poster from Hennepin EMS at some point. It definitely sounds doable.
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Hennepin EMS Community Paramedic here indeed (at least for the next 3 weeks). Hennepin is a great place to work. Minneapolis is a great place to practice, as well as live. We have a very aggressive wage scale ($21 to ~$34 after 15 years, plenty of overtime if that is your thing (not mandated to work more than 40 hours a week), Police and Fire pension (20 year vesting), generous uniform allowance, great medical benefits, and decent PTO plan. We are a union shop, but we are not affiliated with a large national union.

UHU's are a bit high right now (IIRC ~0.45), but we have an amazing fleet that gets replaced every three years. PowerLOAD in all vehicles (except bariatric truck), LUCAS2, King Vision, Zoll X-Series, Android based ePCR system, closest unit dispatch via our own PSAP, Radios that always work. NO INTERFACILITY TRANSFERS. We have a Community Paramedic program, and we are the EMS provider for MN Timberwolves, MN Twins, MN Vikings, MN Lynx, U of MN Gophers, and about 105 other special events a year (all overtime opportunities).

Medical Protocols exist, but our medical directors firmly believe that if you can reasonably justify what you did, they will support you. We have a great dynamic with all of our first response agencies in the 14 municipalities that we serve. We are affiliated with a Level 1 Adult and Pediatric Trauma Center with great and collegial relationship between EMS and ED staff. Alwyas have some sort of research project going on (doing TXA now, but i've been involved in resuscitation research, thoracic ultrasound, Seizure studies, and more).

It is far from a perfect place, but i have always felt that the people that complain don't appreciate how much better we have it than nearly every other agency in the nation.

I am leaving at the end of this month to pursue an opportunity in the Community Paramedic world, but I am very sad to be leaving. I am very proud to have worn brown for the past nine years.

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/the-miracle-of-minneapolis/384975/
 
DEmedic said:
I think anyone who wants to work for KCM1 should have to do 6 months on a TriMed BLS rig first. Then let's talk about the vast dichotomy of EMS in King County.
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Indeed there are two side to every coin. I can only compare this to my time as an AMR "gopher" to the majority of the LACoFD's paramedic squads.
 
DEmedic said:
I think anyone who wants to work for KCM1 should have to do 6 months on a TriMed BLS rig first. Then let's talk about the vast dichotomy of EMS in King County.
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Do tell!
 
RocketMedic said:
Do tell!
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Oh the memories.

Well there was the time I brought in a NSTEMI. Signs and symptoms were "same as my last heart attack". Oh how the nurse was pissed because the medics wanted to go back to bed. Yeah the 12 lead was clean but when the pt says it is the same... You listen. Just stuff like that all the time.
 
The best system ever!!!!!!
 
WestMetroMedic said:
Hennepin is a great place to work. Minneapolis is a great place to practice, as well as live.
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Looks like a solid system! Are all units based out of the hospital?
 
EpiEMS said:
Looks like a solid system! Are all units based out of the hospital?
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I kinda wanna go there. Lol I bet I could deal with the snow and cold for that.

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EpiEMS said:
Looks like a solid system! Are all units based out of the hospital?
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It's full system status management style deployment. All posts are physical locations you can go into. Cable, recliners, microwave, and usually an actual garage at most. Most are at fire or police stations.

Central reporting point at the hospital downtown.


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