Here's more of what I know and feel comfortable sharing about the services I listed. I'll fill in things as I learn more or get corrected:
Action:
Based out of central MA, with a new outfit in Pittsfield (taking CBAS' place, competing with County Amb), unknown success. Well known/respected for CAAAS affiliation.
Alert: Their only Boston-area base I know of is in Hyde Park. They have the contract for the VA. More opportunities and extra pay for MA-RI dual-certified EMTs. Perhaps not quite up to the standards of the other major privates, but not bad.
VA, all day
American Ambulance: I've been told several times that the reason this company keeps changing names, and hands, is to avoid being shut down by the state (sidenote:
WTF?). Caveat petitor.
Formerly General Ambulance, then Mercy Ambulance, then Samaritan Ambulance, now American, under floridian ownership. Historical ties to Russian community (and mob?), questionable financial stability.
AMR: What do I need to tell you about AMR? They're huge, they have 911 contracts all over the eastern part of the state, and, you know, resistance is futile, you will be assimilated, etc. One big advantage is that they'll crush the will to live out of you with calculated corporate indifference and not incompetence and shortsighted greed, like the other privates.
Many rumors 911 contracts are soon to be lost. Very difficult to get onto 911 contracts, new hires do transfer all day, every day.
Armstrong: Not sure how they're faring. I'll look into it.
Growing, in a good place. Refocusing away from 911 contracts (although they hold several), towards, among other things, College Campus contracts. Well-incorporated with technology, solid management, strong street crews. A good place to apply, although I don't think they're hiring those without experience currently.
Boston EMS: No, they're not going to hire you.
Boston MedFlight: See “Boston EMS”, only more so.
Brewster: Apparently, they existed a long time ago, sold out to AMR, and have now been resurrected. They're trying pretty hard to get contracts; I'm pretty sure they sent flowers to a receptionist at DaVita Boston. They also have shiny new ambulances and nice-looking plaid blankets with service patches sewn onto them. Get a job there before the ambulances are all banged up and the blankets have ineradicable stains and several different strains of drug-resistant bacteria.
They actually now do have a 911 contract. Doors have been open 10 months. Strong "old-school" staff, but with some new management, and new motivation. A true testament to the "good ole boys club".
Cataldo: They have 911 contracts for a large chunk of towns north of Boston, along with Newton. They also have, or had (just went up for bid this year, not entirely sure what happened), the BI contract, including a dedicated ambulance or two, along with the Fenway event contract
formerly held by Armstrong . They emphasize their training, which is somewhat amusing, given that they were hit hardest among the privates by the fake CE scandal.
EasCare: They have the contract for Tufts Medical Center and the BMC, including a bunkroom at the BMC East Newton campus. Also, they back up Boston; have their employees mentioned that to you yet? They recently poached Ray Levy from BU to become their full-time “Director of Clinical Services”; that's a promising development, as the BU EMS program is quite good. They're the only private that I'm certain runs P/B trucks
and does CCT-level skills PB (under waiver) ; an active member here might be able to fill you in more on that. On top of that, they have other divisions in other parts of the state, although I don't know how much crossover between divisions there is. They recently acquired Exodus, which I always thought was an odd name, though wandering for 40 years with only spotty directions and scolding from on high could describe some of my transports pretty well.
Eastern: ????
Fallon: Not as big as AMR's local division, but big, probably a bit bigger than EasCare. They have the Partners (MGH, Brigham, Faulkner, Newton-Wellesley, Spaulding, etc.) contract with Cataldo, they have the Gillette Stadium contract, and they have 911 contracts in Brookline, Quincy, and nearby towns. They've had problems with “pulse-and-a-ticket” hiring in the past, and they also seem to have a very large number of supervisors. I've mentioned in a previous thread that they're issuing new employees with a binder full of company policies. That should tell you something about their approach to employee relations.
Don't forget about hospitals; Boston has a lot of them, and ED tech positions do open up with some frequency. Experience, the ability to start IVs, phlebotomy certs, and the ability to perform ECGs are all preferred. There's always patient transport, though; it's very much the same work you'd be doing out-of-hospital in that you do nothing for the patient but lift and move them, you make little money, and everyone from foodservice on up looks down on you.
Some facilities might hire you as a CNA/PCA, but I've never looked into it.
