Best EMS Organizations
- Thread starter thegreypilgrim
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Fire-based needs Fairfax City (not county) Fire Department added. Not a big name but they run an extremely well thought out EMS program, I had the distinct pleasure of working for them early in my career and have yet to see a better totally fire-based department.
Another "fire-based" operation (though it's EMS division is separate and runs more like a third service) is City of Alexandria FD in VA.
Another "fire-based" operation (though it's EMS division is separate and runs more like a third service) is City of Alexandria FD in VA.
Unfortunately "good people" and "good organization" don't always mean the same thing.
NomadicMedic
I know a guy who knows a guy.
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As the newest medic at Sussex County EMS, I'll concur with the mention of our system. Good pay, benefits, equipment and protocols. Happy people, great education opportunities, lots of research, 100% peer review on every call... It's really an amazing service. If you're ever out this way, come for a ride along and see how we do it in Delaware.
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Wes
Forum Lieutenant
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Austin/Travis County EMS for the pay, promotional opportunities, and career path. (Not so much for being run into the ground and fairly "vanilla" protocols.)
Harris County Emergency Corps (formerly Harris County ESD-1) for incredible protocols, phenomenal medical direction, and incredible call acuity. (Not so much for promotional opportunities and agency politics.)
I've also heard a lot of people in Texas like Schertz EMS (near San Antonio).
Also have heard very good things about all of the Delaware counties' ALS programs.
Hennepin EMS covering Minneapolis has a justifiably good reputation.
If you want truly rural/frontier EMS, look at Humboldt General Hospital EMS in Winnemuca, NV.
Wake County NC has a good reputation, but I'm not too familiar with them.
Harris County Emergency Corps (formerly Harris County ESD-1) for incredible protocols, phenomenal medical direction, and incredible call acuity. (Not so much for promotional opportunities and agency politics.)
I've also heard a lot of people in Texas like Schertz EMS (near San Antonio).
Also have heard very good things about all of the Delaware counties' ALS programs.
Hennepin EMS covering Minneapolis has a justifiably good reputation.
If you want truly rural/frontier EMS, look at Humboldt General Hospital EMS in Winnemuca, NV.
Wake County NC has a good reputation, but I'm not too familiar with them.
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I'll definitely second Schertz 
San Antonio Fire/EMS for the pay....
San Antonio Fire/EMS for the pay....
This is true, but they have to be doing something right. The only AAMS that is bigger than them is airmethods.
I have a friend from medic school that works for EMSA in Tulsa and he can't say enough about how much he likes it there and how great of a place it is to work.
As for fire department EMS, Chicago Fire Department should be added to the list. They don't score points with regard to progressiveness, but they make up for it elsewhere in that they have great pay, benefits second to none, a lot of action, and a lot of promotional positions and opportunity.
As for fire department EMS, Chicago Fire Department should be added to the list. They don't score points with regard to progressiveness, but they make up for it elsewhere in that they have great pay, benefits second to none, a lot of action, and a lot of promotional positions and opportunity.
DrParasite
The fire extinguisher is not just for show
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I applied for Fairfax City, passed every test.... if my HazMat certification had transferred over, there is a good chance that I would be working for that department instead of my current one. Sadly it didn't, but they definitely impressed me with the way they were running, especially from an EMS point of view.
I want to caution people who look at these agencies as ones to apply to: unless a person has first hand experience from within the organization, going on reputation alone is a good way to get wrong info. Meaning, unless you are getting a positive referral from someone who works (or has worked) in the system, take it with a grain of salt.
just knowing what I know about EMS agencies in the NY/NJ/PA (and beyond), and what people are saying are good organizations based on reputation aren't as good to work for, and there are many good agencies that aren't even listed (often due to their lack of size when compared to other).
Plus a lot of "what is the best agency" seems to be a very subjective statement, based less on actual facts and more on hearsay.
bigdogems
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Well now your just stroking your ego lol. I have to give it that you guys have a huge number of high acuity and trauma patients. And some badass looking trucks.
For sure Wake county and Denver Health
Vanderbuilt Lifeflight and I'll even say Hermann Lifeflight. I've never had a bad call with them and I usually deal with them a couple times a month.
As far as PHI Im not sure how they are on a national level but I havent heard too many good things with their Gulf operations
AirEvac
I'll add AirEvac. While they don't use the sexiest aircraft, I loved working with them throughout Texas. I found the corporate environment comfortable and by fellow flight crew a pleasure to work with. I'm far from the nearest AE base right now, but if I'm ever in the neighborhood again I'll look them up.
I'll add AirEvac. While they don't use the sexiest aircraft, I loved working with them throughout Texas. I found the corporate environment comfortable and by fellow flight crew a pleasure to work with. I'm far from the nearest AE base right now, but if I'm ever in the neighborhood again I'll look them up.
epipusher
Forum Asst. Chief
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Uh oh, here comes the inevitable AirEvac bashing. Worked for them early in my career and I loved it. I have many friends that work for them now, both in Indiana and Iowa, and they have nothing but good things to say as well.
I worked for them. I worked with a bunch of good people.
I fear for them because of the aircraft. No other oppreator seems to have an issue with aircraft coming apart inflight.
I second this. Sorry, the Bell 206L series is not an effective platform in any fashion other than operational cost. They are old, ragged out with high hours on the airframes, and have a multitude of issues, especially in Texas and wherever the density altitude gets up there in the summer.
Usalfyre, if you only knew the total history of your former ride (CJ) back in the day, you probably would have never stepped foot in it. lol
Good people, yes, but minimalistic definitely defines them in my mind.
Your probably right. That said it couldn't have been any worse than the Crit Air configuration L1 backup(PH) that you could see through light some of the seams
. That one came from the gulf, so I can imagine what it went through.
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Why do you say "not county?" Not looking to start an argument, rather I may agree with you on some points, and other things may have changed since you've left the area.
For example, I liked the fact that NYC EMS was either double medic or double EMT, that medics saw a much greater ratio of high acuity patients when compared to one and one systems, but the protocols were mother-may-I ,there were many different 911 providers in the system, we had to post on street corners, the pay is decent compared to the national average, but low for the area, there's no career ladder, turnover is high.
Fairfax went to a combo double medic/one and one system, the rank structure isn't a good fit for field EMS when clinical decisions are made, there's a mix of those that want to do EMS and those that do not, medics can run any type of call, so the high acuity patients are few and far between, the protocols are more progressive than NYC, the working conditions and equipment are much better, as is the pay, benefits, and career ladder and the attrition level is much lower. Having 3-4 extra people to lift your patients and carry equipment is cool, to. We have everything we need to do our jobs well. IMO, if we fail at pt care, it's operator error, not because we don't have access to the tools, equipment, and education that we need here.
46Young, the remark wasn't meant as a "the County sucks" rather more of a distinguisher because a lot of people don't know FFX City is a separate entity.
You are correct that a lot of my thoughts are colored by the fact that when I left "operator error" was pretty rampant in the county. EMS Lt's and Captains who took a CT class circa '89 and didn't feel the need to learn anything else were common, and probably half or better of the Techs running the ambulances were there because they couldn't do anything else (434 and 408 come to mind). That said I do know there's been big changes so I can't speak intelligently about the County today.
You are correct that a lot of my thoughts are colored by the fact that when I left "operator error" was pretty rampant in the county. EMS Lt's and Captains who took a CT class circa '89 and didn't feel the need to learn anything else were common, and probably half or better of the Techs running the ambulances were there because they couldn't do anything else (434 and 408 come to mind). That said I do know there's been big changes so I can't speak intelligently about the County today.