CARE Ambulance OCo/LCo comment? Offered position, trying to decide.

SoCal911

SoCal911

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Hows it going again emtlifers? So heres the deal, I currently work for AmeriCare ambulance and have for about 4 months. I love it here, ya theres the same complaints as every company. But its not enough for me to want to leave. I make 8/hr on 24's and get paid the FULL 24 and make overtime. I get 72-96 hours a week. Im also stationed on our primary fire cars and an IFT shift that typically gets a couple 911 - code 3 responses during a 24 hour shift, keeps it interesting.

SO. I've tested and interviewed and ultimately was offered a posistion with CARE ambulance *no not the one in san diego or elsewhere, I know you'll flame me for that ;), but the carebears in OCo/LaCo that basically run 80% of all the 911. So heres my perdicament, I'm trying to decide between these two companies. I make good $$$ where I'm at and enjoy my job/co-workers/managers/dispatch-(for the most part) ;).

So I have some question for those who work or have worked at CARE recently.

1. How many hours do you get? How hard to pick up extra hours?

2. You're required to do IFT only for 6 months, do those cars ever cover and pick up 911 traffic when the primary rigs are busy?

3. What's their training program like? I've been through three training programs now and doing another exstensive program is going to get old, but never the less, its alwasy good to further shine your skills.

4. Hows the moral leval? Im a care free guy, I like to have light hearted convo's and joke about calls to keep the stress levals down. Having an abundance of overly serious/jerk partners isn't something I want

5. How hard are you run? 24s? day cars? How hard is it to get on 24's? I hate day cars..

6. Station quality? I've had stations that literally have bullet holes in the front door *not joking* and look like they came out of a scene from the exorcist.

7. Managers attitude?

8. Will you get fired/written up over stupid little junk?

9. Are the white uniforms really as annoying to keep clean as I'm imagining?

10. Just overall impression? I'd be leaving a great company with a good repuation I've laid for myself to start all over again elsewhere. I'm also in need of a car, which I can now afford the payments on.. losing the finacial stability would suck. Are they super overbearing?

11. Care-bear-ettes.. You know what I'm talking about, they do have some really cute girls... ;) okay, a little unprofesssional I know... But is having a female partner an issue with lifting, stress, jokes, driving, ect? *I've had female partners... but they weren't young girls who are new to ems...

Thanks for your help guys.. I'm pulling my hair out trying to decide, Ive heard great things about care but don't want to make the wrong decision.:mellow:
 
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exodus

Forum Deputy Chief
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Fish said:
Americare San Diego or LA operations
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He's in the LA op's. SD really doesn't do 911 for the most part except for one small area way up north. IIRC.
 
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themooingdawg

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Fish said:
You don't need to bump
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sounds like you already have a good gig going on at your current employment. Only reason why I would think it might benefit you to go to care would be for the possibly more 911 calls with LA County fire, otherwise, i dont really see any need to leave if you dont really care much for that.
 
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themooingdawg

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asking these questions will probably generate a million different answers from a million different people, if you feel like it'll benefit you down the line to work at care, then do it, if not, stay at your current employment. Some will tell you its horrible, some will tell you its great, you wont really know for sure until you switch over, that is, if you want to go. but some of the questions, like ift picking up 911, yeah, you do get put into 911 coverage even if you're on a ift car, lets say if the 24s for that first in is being ran, you'll essentially be a cover until they get back. being ran on a 24 always depends on where your station is located, so it'll be different every station.
 
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SoCal911

SoCal911

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Well I'd be in OC most of the time. But 911 exp is kind of the reason we all became emts, right?
 
Angel

Angel

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SoCal911 said:
Well I'd be in OC most of the time. But 911 exp is kind of the reason we all became emts, right?
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THIS.
personally, id probably switch. since youre offered the job and probably dont have much time to decide, otherwise id try to ask people who actually work there or do some ridealongs and ask around.

if you hated it would it be possible to get your old job back? its scary but it could be the best thing to happen to you.

hopefully someone whos worked there comes in with some insight.
 
Chimpie

Chimpie

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Chan said:
I did before the New Year, they said they were on a hiring freeze till 2012 which seems like they're starting to hire again according to this thread.
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Then I would think NOW would be the perfect time for another call. Calling periodically shows that you're interested. Just don't call them everyday. :D
 
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Chan

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Yeah I think I'm gonna give them a call tomorrow seeing how its the case of the Mondays with it being MLK day and all. I wouldn't want to be at work. :p
 
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SoCal911

SoCal911

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Yea they're hiring again, but 1. You have to have 100% open availability to get a call back and I applied in June of 2011.
 
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Chan

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Went back in to change my availability to 100% had some church thing I had to deal with last year. Now I'm free, I'll give them a call tomorrow and let them know.
 
firetender

firetender

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Something the OP might want to consider is "Do you have any upward mobility where you're at?"

It sounds like you're in a relatively secure and mutually beneficial relationship where you're at. If there's a way up there, as opposed to a very bottom-heavy organization, you'd be better off passing on the thrills and thinking in terms of going for a longer-term career.

If you think short-term, that's what you'll get. In the long run you may get to be a much better providor staying where you're at.
 
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SoCal911

SoCal911

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0% chance at upward mobility. Everyone who's been employed here hates it. I don't mind it, but possibly because I'm not burnt out...yet. Our COO and VicePresident and most of our HR team all abandoned ship in the last month, which makes me wonder if the company is about to go under.. As well as us closing a few stations.

Care seems to have it all and all the benefits, but I'd be driving from riverside to OC with a 12mpg truck. The gas working day cars and the lessened hours 36-48 from 72-96 and twice the amount of driving resulting from the 24 to day car swap is the only thing holding me back.

Essentially that's what I'm looking for, is for a current or former care employee to fill me in about getting on 24's and getting more hours. We're only promised 36-48, but does everyone get usually get more than that? That's what happens at a.c, we're promised 40 but we get 72-96 and all the over time that comes with.
 
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Chan

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One of my instructors was a Care employee that ran with Anaheim fire. I think he said he was making about $2000 a month after taxes running 24hr with fire.

I did a ride along with Care and the guys said the first month or two you don't have a real schedule, just fit you in whenever they can until they work all the new employees into the schedule. OT he said was scarce as they had so many employees fighting for extra hours. But they said that their payroll department is top notch, they never have to double check their hours because they're always paid the correct amount.
 
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SoCal911

SoCal911

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2000 a month isn't bad, I could work with that. I'm making 2600/month at my current service though, quite a bit of a pay drop.
 
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