Relocating, HELP!!!

[armydawg]

My wife and I have decided to relocate from Mississippi, to Colorado Springs, CO. Here is a bit of history before the questions.
I am and EMT in the state of Ms. I work for a company that was purchased this past Jan. by AMR. So technically I work for AMR. Also, our first duty station in the Army was Fort Carson, CO. We spent 2 years in the springs (2010-2012) and LOVED it. We can't wait to get back. Here are my questions, any help or guidance would be great.
I work 48 on and 96 off, is this a typical rotation with agencies in Colorado Springs? If not what are the typical ones used?
Probably the most important. Who has the best medic course in the area? I am currently looking at Pikes Peak Community Collage.
Whats better in the area, Private Service or government service?
Lastly, not really a question, but if anyone would be ok with inboxing me as to be a liaison, or a Colorado Spings EMS mentor please do, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advanced.

 

[CALEMT]

@Tigger and @COmedic17 I know could give some insight. Some others on here as well that have worked in Colorado, but for the life of me I can't think of them right now.

 

[armydawg]

@Tigger and @COmedic17 I know could give some insight. Some other on here as well that have worked in Colorado, but for the life of me I can't think of them right now.

Thanks, anyone that can help is appreciated.

 

[Tigger]

Thanks, anyone that can help is appreciated.

Feel free to PM me if more info is needed. I am a Colorado Springs EMS person and a PPCC student.

EMS in Colorado Springs and El Paso County is provided primarily by AMR. Most of the ambulances are street corner posted (SSM) and on 12 hour shifts. There are three ambulances housed at county fire districts on a 48/96. Two of them require a lot of seniority, one gets all the new hires because it's so busy and it basically runs as a city ambulance with different paint.

Colorado Springs Fire provides ALS first response using an engine and sometimes truck company. They maintain scene control and could if they wanted be terrible people and not work collaboratively with AMR at all, they could. This sometimes happens, but is getting better. They also have three ambulances that respond to medical calls out of the busiest stations, they rarely transport. CSFD is on 24s and is your typical large municipal department. Great pay and benefits, tough to get on with.

A few of the county fire districts provide their own ambulances as well, these departments are all on 48/96 schedules and are slightly less harder to get on with but require you to have FF training already. Tri-Lakes/Monument, Black Forest, Security, and Fountain all have ambulances.

Fort Carson has their own DOD civilian ambulances, that's pretty tough to get on. Fort Carson DOD Fire has paramedics as well, also tough. The Air Force Academy and Schriever Air Force Base contract with a little private company in Colorado Springs called Rocky Mountain. They do all interfacility work aside from those two contracts.

To the west, Teller County is covered by two third service type agencies that are very tough to get on with fulltime, they're on 24s.

PPCC is the only medic program in town, and so far I am quite impressed.

Swedish/Health one, Denver Health, and St. Anthony's offer programs in Denver, and Pueblo Community College does as well. The Denver programs are well regarded as is PPCC. I don't know anything about Pueblo or the Summit County program.

 

[armydawg]

@Tigger , thank you so much for that info. You're very thorough. I will most likely end up in your inbox from time to time. You have have given me plenty to research and look at, and I cannot thank you enough.

 

[armydawg]

Feel free to PM me if more info is needed.

Hey bud, not Colorado related but how the heck to actually MSG members on here? Maybe I just got find it on my phone.

 

[Tigger]

Hey bud, not Colorado related but how the heck to actually MSG members on here? Maybe I just got find it on my phone.

Click on the username and then "start a conversation."