AMR's Emergency Response Team

[Gordoemt]

Hi all,

I'm applying soon internally with amr for the ERT program. I have a few questions for current and former amr employees who have been on ERT (formally DRT).

- what is the pay rate for EMTs?

- I'm going to buy a bag and stock my own stuff. I know they have a list on the site and on the portal but what do you have? What are must haves ?

- what does AMR provide you with in these bags?

- I know we will either 1 fly or 2 drive to ambulance land, but is their restrictions on the bag size? I hear airlines don't care about bag size and if they did the company foots the bill but if I am going to buy my own I want a decent one like black hawks USAR or something similar.

Any other info is helpful!

Thanks in advance!

 

[CALEMT]

@DesertMedic66 I know has been on a couple deployments.

 

[DesertMedic66]

1.) there is no standard pay rate. It will depend on how long you have been with the company. You get paid normal time for 40 hours and then time and a half for every hour after that 40 hours. While on deployment you are paid 24/7 from the time you get "activated" until the time you arrive back at your home division. As 2 year EMT I was making 17/hr for the first 40 hours and then ~25/hr for the rest.

2.) I pretty much have only the stuff listed on AMRs 72 hour go bag list. Additional things I have are: more cloths and a crap load of baby wipes. I also have my personal stethoscope inside the bag.

3.) AMR does not supply you with anything for the bag. All items must be bought. AMR will supply you with an ambulance and medical gear (possibly somewhat limited). If during the incident the management team deems it vital that people have a certain thing then AMR will normally buy that item and give it to you.

4.) AMR will only pay for the first bag. If you take more bags that cost will be footed by you. I personally use a ~600L hiking backpack.

 

[DesertMedic66]

This is the bag I currently use. An older style external frame hiking backpack. On my last deployment I used a huge duffle bag. It worked well enough but was a complete pain in the butt to deal with let along walk any distance with. I'm currently debating on buying a new internal frame bag but just haven't been able to justify it.

 

[CALEMT]

Mystery ranch makes a good backpack if you can afford it and you actually go backpacking.

 

[DesertMedic66]

1.) there is no standard pay rate. It will depend on how long you have been with the company. You get paid normal time for 40 hours and then time and a half for every hour after that 40 hours. While on deployment you are paid 24/7 from the time you get "activated" until the time you arrive back at your home division. As 2 year EMT I was making 17/hr for the first 40 hours and then ~25/hr for the rest.

2.) I pretty much have only the stuff listed on AMRs 72 hour go bag list. Additional things I have are: more cloths and a crap load of baby wipes. I also have my personal stethoscope inside the bag.

3.) AMR does not supply you with anything for the bag. All items must be bought. AMR will supply you with an ambulance and medical gear (possibly somewhat limited). If during the incident the management team deems it vital that people have a certain thing then AMR will normally buy that item and give it to you.

4.) AMR will only pay for the first bag. If you take more bags that cost will be footed by you. I personally use a ~600L hiking backpack.

Meant to say ~100L pack not 600L haha

 

[dutemplar]

I used my old Voodoo Tactical "Thor" ruck with a pair of sustainment pouches added to carry extra munchies. Basically an enhanced "3 day" backpack that organizes well.

I have no vested interested in any way in this company, but have enjoyed products from: www.militaryluggagecompany.com for travel and working a few odd places.

Pay varies, depends on what you're activated for. Federal disaster isn't a bad rate. In-state can be interesting. What I was mostly asked to activate for was to be a scab though... Nope. Plus the payrate for that suuuuuuuuuuucked.

 

[Bullets]

So im not on AMRs ERT, but am on a state level organization like it.

I also use an old external frame Kelty bag. I found after a number of maxpedition, voodoo, condor, LA Police gear ect, bags for backpackers are best designed to bring crap into austere environments. IT has a removable pack on top that can double as a fanny pack and the whole bag comes off the frame so i can use the frame as a packboard if needed. And as you see in the above picture, its easy to strap ground pads and such to the outside.

As DE said, baby wipes, socks and underwear are a must, 2 per day minimum. Also a small personal first aid kid. Not like a BOK/IFAK ect, but something with extra contacts, advil, sudafed, bandaids, q tips, a nail clipper, ect to just do the small things you dont think are a probelm.

Also get an inflatable pillow, and hit to local military surplus place and buy a woobie WITH THE SHELL. it works as a blanket/sleepingbag and a raincover. You never know what you might get into, ive been the only guy with shelter because of my woobie

 

[Gordoemt]

nice. any more suggestions? any specific bag dimensions i need to adhere to?

 

[DesertMedic66]

nice. any more suggestions? any specific bag dimensions i need to adhere to?

Just what can fit on an airplane, in an ambulance, and something that you can carry a decent distance with.

 

[Gordoemt]

gotcha. how is security on deployments? in a disaster area how can someone protect them self on deployment?

 

[DesertMedic66]

gotcha. how is security on deployments? in a disaster area how can someone protect them self on deployment?

Usually the bases that are set up will be on military bases or in areas next to LEO areas.

For hurricane sandy we had pretty much the only fuel for the area so we were having FBI, Secret Service, DEA, ATF, Homeland security, and state/county/city law enforcement frequent our area. DEA were also using our base as a meet up before raids.

There was 1-2 AMR OEP (Office of Emergency Preparedness) who was armed with a handgun and a semi auto rifle.

We also had a national guard unit attached to us.

 

[DesertMedic66]

 

[RocketMedic]

AMR has armed guards?

 

[Bullets]

AMR has armed guards?

Like not AMR specifically but usually camps are shared. In NJ our camp was EMS, National Guard, and Mississippi State Police. They were no shortage of guns

 

[EpiEMS]

Like not AMR specifically but usually camps are shared. In NJ our camp was EMS, National Guard, and Mississippi State Police. They were no shortage of guns

So if you're with AMR's ERT, who provides your medical direction? AMR physicians? Local OLMC?

 

[DesertMedic66]

So if you're with AMR's ERT, who provides your medical direction? AMR physicians? Local OLMC?

Mutual aid agreements and federal agreements are in place. You still operate under your own protocols.

 

[DesertMedic66]

AMR has armed guards?

The guys I saw were rolling around in a marked AMR OEP truck with lights wearing BDUs and plate carriers. I'm not sure exactly what their position was but it looked mostly like security for us.

 

[Bullets]

So if you're with AMR's ERT, who provides your medical direction? AMR physicians? Local OLMC?

So when we had strike teams come in for Sandy they operated as if they were home. We had teams from Delaware, Indiana, western PA, and the state DOH just issued a waiver for everyone to operate under their local standing orders and were given a bookey if hospital phone numbers

 

[dutemplar]

...which for Sandy, what very amusing for a few PA friends of mine who went and had hospitals giving them all sorts of flack for following PA protocols, some of which were MUCH more aggressive than what they were used to. Heh.