Castle Rock, CO opportunities

[MunchkinMedic]

I am a newly licensed NREMT paramedic and am looking at moving to Castle Rock or somewhere near there in the next few months from Los Angeles because its time for a change in my life. I looked at some of the older threads, but I didn't see much of newer information and was wondering what jobs are like for medics in CO, and what are some of the companies located near Castle Rock. Ideally I'd like to run 911, but am willing to run IFT's until I am able to get a 911 spot. I have experience working 911 as an EMT in a fairly busy area for a few years, did my internship with LAFD in a busy area, and have about 6 years of IFT experience. What is EMS life like in CO? Is one area better than another? I am not stuck on moving to Castle Rock, but I'd like to stick to somewhere close because I have family there. I'd love any other information anybody has to offer me about living out there.

Thank you!!

 

[Thricenotrice]

Interested as well. What school did you go to in LA?

 

[MunchkinMedic]

I went to Freeman. What about you?

 

[Ensihoitaja]

Castle Rock is covered by Castle Rock Fire. I have no idea what their hiring is like. I believe Rural/Metro has an ambulance in Castle Rock, but that would be transfers only.

You're within driving distance of anything in the Denver Area, really. Denver Health is the best place to work, IMO.

 

[Tigger]

Castle Rock Fire is a fairly small department, I think they run four ALS ambulances and a few ALS engines. They hire occasionally but I would not count on that.

You are close to Denver metro as well as Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs has an excellent AMR operation providing service to the majority of El Paso County.

Rural Metro runs 911 for Aurora but I have heard that Fire does not play nice with them (ALS engines). They also have offices in Castle Rock, Denver, and Colorado Springs and do 911 for some smaller Denver metro communities.

Rural Metro also purchased Pridemark Paramedic Services, whose runs backup 911 in Littleton, Highlands Ranch, and some other areas covered by South Metro Fire District. Both Littleton and South Metro run ALS ambulances and engines. Pridemark does the city of Boulder as well, but that wouldn't be a great commute.

Denver Health does double medic ambulances for the city of Denver and DIA.

ActionCare does mostly IFT, with a small 911 contract in El Paso County.

Rocky Mountain Mobile Medical does IFT in El Paso County.

This is not an inclusive list, just my own knowledge.

 

[MunchkinMedic]

Thank you so much Tigger! That is perfect gave me a basic of what i needed to know. I really appreciate it!

 

[Ensihoitaja]

Tigger- Pridemark doesn't cover anything in Boulder anymore. AMR does the whole county, except what's covered by fire departments (City of Boulder, City of Longmont, Boulder County- all separate contracts now).

As of March 1 (I think), Pridemark's 911 coverage will basically be Wheat Ridge.

From what I'm told, you can't apply to Pridemark separately from Rural/Metro anymore.

 

[Tigger]

Tigger- Pridemark doesn't cover anything in Boulder anymore. AMR does the whole county, except what's covered by fire departments (City of Boulder, City of Longmont, Boulder County- all separate contracts now).

As of March 1 (I think), Pridemark's 911 coverage will basically be Wheat Ridge.

From what I'm told, you can't apply to Pridemark separately from Rural/Metro anymore.

Thanks for clearing that up. Pridemark/Rural/Metro's website says they are 911 for Arvada, Edgewater, and Fairmount as well, for what it's worth

 

[Ensihoitaja]

Arvada Fire takes over transport March 1st of this year. Edgewater is part of the Wheat Ridge Fire District now. I forgot about Fairmount, but it's not actually a separate operation. Nor is it very busy.

 

[MunchkinMedic]

Well Rural/Metro emailed me today with an opportunity to interview with them for the metro Denver area. Can anybody fill me in with more specifics with them...shift wise, pay, employee morale, benefits...etc? I also applied with Denver Health & AMR Colorado Springs.

 

[chaz90]

To be bluntly honest, Rural Metro in Aurora is one of the most painful EMS systems in which to work I've heard of in the United States. I wouldn't work under their system for 80,000 a year. Rural Metro/Pridemark has a better reputation, but as mentioned earlier, you can't apply directly for them and they're losing most of their contracts. Poudre Valley Hospital EMS is hiring 13 paramedics in Fort Collins (1 hr north of Denver), and I'd definitely check hem out. Great system there with quality equipment, good pay, mainly station based, progressive protocols, and you work directly for the hospital.

PM me if you need more details of the horrors of Rural Metro

 

[So confused]

You can message me and I can tell you more about Rural Metro. I am assigned to the rig in Castle Rock and we do both transfers and 911.

 

[chaz90]

You can message me and I can tell you more about Rural Metro. I am assigned to the rig in Castle Rock and we do both transfers and 911.

My post only applied to the Aurora operations. My issues are not with the company as much as with the way the system is set up in Aurora. I hadn't realized RM had a new operation in Castle Rock. Are you guys doing IFTs out of the free standing ED/soon to be hospital?

 

[Engineered]

Northglenn Ambulance covers 911 for Commerce City and extreme North Denver, bit of a drive from Castle Rock, but might be worth a look.

 

[chaz90]

That's funny Engineered. I actually mentioned Northglenn to MunchkinMedic in PMs. Is that where you work?

 

[So confused]

Yes we are doing IFT's out of the ER, but we get called into the Littleton and Aurora systems alot. I understand what you mean about the Aurora system it is a different animal over there.

 

[jerrylo913]

oh wow im interested!

 

[MunchkinMedic]

Does anybody know what protocols rural metro works under? is it the denver ones or the aurora FD ones?

Thanks

 

[Ensihoitaja]

Depends on which system. As far as I know, Pridemark still has their own protocols. RM Aurora runs under Aurora FD protocols. I have no idea what they do in Littleton.