Morongo Basin Ambulance

[toyskater86]

Has anyone here ever worked at Morongo Basin Ambulance in California? They have a relatively small operation out in the desert but I heard their medics get a lot of good experience. What was your experience there like?

 

[FoleyArtist]

http://www.emtlife.com/threads/desert-ambulance.40899/#post-567762

i asked about both desert amb and morongo basin in this thread. theres decent info on both in here. hope it helps

 

[LACoGurneyjockey]

@avdrummerboy works out there (or used to). He might be able to better answer some of your questions.

 

[DesertMedic66]

I have a couple of friends who like it. You do get some decent calls (decent amount of trauma due to the area). You also have the military base. The closest trauma/STEMI/Stroke center is in Palm Springs.

They do either 48 or 72 hour shifts. From what it sounds like the 72 hour shifts are going away and no one is to happy about that. The pay for a 48 hour shift is horrible.

They like to start people off as a reserve (non paid) and eventually place you on a paid position.

You have San Bernardino county protocols so you still have a decent amount of skills (for medic Nasal intubation, lido drips, dope drips, needle cric, TXA, pedi intubation).

Station based shifts and the majority of fire is BLS out there.

 

[CALEMT]

Wow how did I miss this thread?

A buddy of mine works there and yeah they get some damn good calls out there. As far as I know they're doing 72's (as of summer) and I haven't heard anything of shifts changing. Not saying it is or isn't going to happen, but the last shift info I was told is 72hr shifts.

Mimicking Desert's post yes you will start off as a reserve. I may be wrong, but I think you get paid if you work x amount of hours. Kind of like a PCF (paid call firefighter) is how it was explained to me. They hire all their full time employees from their reserves.

All the fire depts they run with are BLS. Except for that one rare moment when they run with SBCoFD then both FD and MBA are ALS. But for the most part 29 Palms Fire and Morongo Fire are BLS.

They have 5 stations, I believe one in each high desert community. You could probably find that info out on their webpage: https://www.mbambulance.org

Everyone I've talked to enjoys working there. From what it sounds like its a good company to work at that runs decent calls. The only "thing" I've heard employees talk about is the code 2 transports. Apparently they get some very long distance transports.

 

[onrope]

Wow how did I miss this thread?

A buddy of mine works there and yeah they get some damn good calls out there. As far as I know they're doing 72's (as of summer) and I haven't heard anything of shifts changing. Not saying it is or isn't going to happen, but the last shift info I was told is 72hr shifts.

Mimicking Desert's post yes you will start off as a reserve. I may be wrong, but I think you get paid if you work x amount of hours. Kind of like a PCF (paid call firefighter) is how it was explained to me. They hire all their full time employees from their reserves.

All the fire depts they run with are BLS. Except for that one rare moment when they run with SBCoFD then both FD and MBA are ALS. But for the most part 29 Palms Fire and Morongo Fire are BLS.

They have 5 stations, I believe one in each high desert community. You could probably find that info out on their webpage: https://www.mbambulance.org

Everyone I've talked to enjoys working there. From what it sounds like its a good company to work at that runs decent calls. The only "thing" I've heard employees talk about is the code 2 transports. Apparently they get some very long distance transports.

A little clarification is in order here, I work with them occasionally when I work in that area and the guys are cool for the most part BUT from what I gather the pay sucks. Like they pay their EMTs 9$/hr and Medics 9.15/hr. They really only work the calfire schedule 72/96 which really starts to get old after a while especially if you're busy. It is more than a rare moment that they run with SBCoFD, they have the 201 rights to Joshua Tree which is county fire 36s (Medic Engine) also 29 palms fire is in the final process with LAFCO to annex into SBCoFD so no more 29 palms fire or BLS, will be an ALS engine. Morongo is Medic, one station.

Working is yucca valley is an interesting experience, anything that requires specialty is a trip down the grade to Desert Regional or fly out material. It seems like a good place to get experience but why not apply to be a county AO and get better pay, much better benefits, better schedule, and way more places to be stationed.

 

[toyskater86]

Thanks! I am going to apply once i renew my p-card....sounds like fun...its a far drive but i just want the experience.

 

[LACoGurneyjockey]

Where do you drive from? Unless you want to be a reserve and volunteer your time until a FT paid spot opens up, I'd look elsewhere.

 

[toyskater86]

I'm in sherman oaks.... I don't want a full time gig just want somewhere where I can work per diem as a medic

 

[avdrummerboy]

I guess I can chime in and put an end to some of the myth.

First off, MBA is a good company to work for, no better and no worse than Desert, AMR, Liberty, CARE, etc. The pay is on par with the aforementioned companies. Simple fact is, you're not gonna get rich doing EMS, but that's another topic for another time. The only reason you might hear one of the county AO's state they make more money than the other local privates is because those folks are being WAY overworked, seen more than a few on 9 day in a row runs! Starting pay at MBA is, as of November 2015, $9.00 for EMT's base rate, and $9.25 for medics base rate. Anything after 40 hours is time and a half.

As to scheduling, full time medics are 72 hours and part time is at least one 24 hour shift a week. EMT's are split into two groups, the 'old timers' doing 72s and the new guys doing 48's. There are no more part time EMT's. Yes, they start you off as EMT in the reserve program and hire out of there. Reserves are compensated for gas and meals. Medics do not start as reserves.

As to the fire department thing, San Bernardino County fire is all ALS all the time! Morongo valley fire district is ALS and 29 Palms fire is BLS as of now, though they are in the beginning stages of what is probably going to be a long legal battle with county fire to be taken over and will be ALS if and when that happens.

Any further questions feel free to ask on here or PM me.

 

[toyskater86]

Got a test date coming up with them, excited to start...

 

[onrope]

I guess I can chime in and put an end to some of the myth.

First off, MBA is a good company to work for, no better and no worse than Desert, AMR, Liberty, CARE, etc. The pay is on par with the aforementioned companies. Simple fact is, you're not gonna get rich doing EMS, but that's another topic for another time. The only reason you might hear one of the county AO's state they make more money than the other local privates is because those folks are being WAY overworked, seen more than a few on 9 day in a row runs! Starting pay at MBA is, as of November 2015, $9.00 for EMT's base rate, and $9.25 for medics base rate. Anything after 40 hours is time and a half.

I work for the county and I'm not an AO. You fail to mention benefits, last time I checked the benefits and retirement offered by the county are superior to MBA. Anyone who claims to be working "9 days in a row" in being dramatic. You cannot work over 96hrs without BC approval and the only way anyone is working 9 days in a row is if we had a local disaster. Obviously I am partial to the county but the misinformation that floats around here is ridiculous. If you want to make 3$/hr less to be a medic and get worse benefits then be my guest. Most of the people who don't like the AO program are from AMR victorville, not sure why that is.

 

[Tigger]

A 25 cent raise for medics? Ew.

 

[avdrummerboy]

True, the benefits might be a little better at county, but they are still way understaffed so the OT is pretty killer out there, end of the month can be interesting as units are browned out cause they can't pay the OT. By all means, apply where you'd like, I like the stability at MBA, I'm guaranteed my 72 hours and will rarely be forced, can't quite say the same for the county folks. From the folks I've talked to at county, they are not making enough more than me to interest me in moving to county.

 

[escapedcaliFF]

Drive a little further and check out River Medical. AMR owned company and best thing its not california but Arizona.