akflightmedic

My suggestions revolve around answers. 1. What is your coverage area? 2. How many competitors do you have in that area? 3. How many LTC facilities are there? 4. How many Rehab centers? 5. How many dialysis centers? 6. Hospitals...have you approached them? 7. What is your monthly overhead? 8. How can you tighten up expenses now in order to free cash for marketing? 9. Who is going to do your marketing while you are actively working on the truck? On and on...these are basic things which you NEED to know in order to know the market you are attempting to serve. In addition to marketing, you need aggressive billing practices and a full time person and quality program to track these things. It will quickly get out of hand and then you will be behind yet again. As far as what is acceptable, you need to be in these people's faces every day. You need to learn their names, you need to visit them. Gifts, food...all of that is nice but you can not keep that up. It comes down to how personable, how approachable you are when you enter their facility and talk about your service. I am sure they have seen and heard it all as it is my understanding that ambulance services are quite easy to start in Texas and many fail for fraud, mismanagement, no money, etc. So these facilities do not want talk, they do not want BS, they want someone to do a good job...that comes down to how believable you are, how you can sell it, and how you can live up to it. You need more $$$.

Typically before employees are hired, there is a policy review. If the employer states wearing a uniform is part of the job and the prospect has issue with it, it is simple....they do not get hired. Also, surely the employer would have already interviewed the employee right? this would have occurred in public right? Therefore the prospect would have shown up in full dress as you stated they must do so when in public. The issue would have been revealed much sooner than Day 1 on the job. And yes in most states you could terminate them quite easily as most are right to work states and the sooner you fire them, the easier it is.

Prior to putting everything you have into this venture, what kind of market research did you do? How many competitors do you have? How many long term facilities did you contact and advertise with? How many did you ask for input into what they want from a service provider? How much capital did you set aside for this venture? Unfortunately, many people who have done what you have just assume it is as easy as purchasing a truck, getting some licenses and off they go! The reality is no one cares what kind of care you give, they care about what service you provide. Doing inter facility transport as a BLS truck means "taxi driver" and that is fine as they are very much needed. Your quality care which you want to be known for is almost nonexistent as it is usually not needed. What is needed is on time, courteous individuals who will deliver on the promises they make to the people and the facilities. As an owner/co owner, you will always be the lowest paid if at all until the company has profit. Gross revenue minus operating expenses leaves very little net profit at the end of the day-especially in the ambulance industry...which you would be aware of had you done very much research. Why did you use your own money? Why did you not seek an investor of some sorts, to absorb that cost? If you have a solid business plan, there are tons who would jump on board. Your research should have shown you that you would not have enough money to sustain the project and an investor would be the only way to go. Unfortunately once you get cash flow negative (like you are now), the venture is more risky and only angel investors will come in at this point who will help but only for 50-51% or more. I do not mean to beat you up here but I am trying to give you food for thought...albeit a bit late. You need aggressive marketing at this point...which should have been done months prior to actual start date. You need to hit the streets, you need to promote, you need to schmooze. This is expensive and is usually as much or higher than total employee salary in most start ups. You are behind the eight ball, this is not a "nice to do" this is a "must do" if you wish to stay in business. It is going to cost money and you can't cut corners.

I agree! The same partner for 4 years!! The odds are astronomical indeed!

Wait until he sees the increase on his medical malpractice coverage and then wait until his first complaint (which is a matter of time) to see how "free" he remains. The second part is standard...to what regulating body will you answer to? Who is going to ensure you are accountable for everything you say you will do? Who is going to do your taxes? Who is going to do your billing? Who is going to schedule all you IFTs? Who is going to ensure all employment regulations are followed? None of this will be free and this is just a tad bit of the overhead which you have failed to consider. You need the community or a large investor to make this happen.

Not even sure where to begin on this one... Who will regulate or authorize you to do this? Is a certificate of need necessary? If so, will local services allow you? Will the county council allow you? Will the state allow you? Who will be your medical director? How will you afford him? Insurance on vehicles, malpractice and general stupidity? How will you be paid for this service? How will you be notified to respond? Who will you answer to outside of your medical director regarding business practices? How are you going to pay/afford all the overhead? Man there is so much bad about this idea and absolutely no good which is why this is typically left up to fire departments or government subsidized services. Even legitimate ambulance calls have issues with reimbursement and you think you are gonna get paid for a First Responder business??? Good Luck...but from one business man to an up and coming entrepreneur...let it go and decide on something else.

Anyone from the City in Toronto? I had a sudden business trip and am here until late Tuesday...

I think they are middle class suburban type family on vacation...my reasoning is this...they are clean cut, the belly is not near big enough and there are not enough tattoos for this to be a redneck or extremist family. The vehicle is NOT a truck but a family SUV which violates the code of both above mentioned groups. Just not your typical militant or redneck pose...

You think 6 Million is a small number? This is also the 6 Million that readily identify or are ok with stating they are gay or lesbian...what about the millions who do not? What about the millions who are gay/lesbian, they just haven't reached an age (puberty for starters) to be able to actually start defining what they are feeling? Please list any other group that is only 6 million strong and then I will research and tell you if any special protections exist...don't we protect small groups...isn't this what America is about? Protecting those who do not have full rights like our own citizens...oh wait..the gays and lesbians are already citizens...oh shit, they should have full rights already, yet they don't. WTF over? (Very poor form Herbie to say you are SURE there are other groups but not list any and then say these unnamed groups do not have special protections)

Isn't 1.8% of the US population about 6 MILLION people??? Pretty significant, no? Other than a random statistic Ruff, what was the point as I may have missed what you were referring to?

Great post...however I had to go research boxcar children to find out exactly who I was. I never read the series, never heard of it.

I give just as many negatives as positives...sex preference is never a factor, quality of post is. You are demonstrating exactly what we are discussing...you are perceiving the negative ratings are because of your sexual preference and not on the actual value of your post. Much like our token NAACP member who makes everything about race you are now doing it over sex preference.

Sex at work is a poor example...no one should be doing it while on the clock (except for a hooker)and I am pretty confident that all the places I worked it would not be treated lightly...gay, straight, or undetermined. I do not allow anyone to lead me in prayer, if you allow that then you are willing so again a poor example. I speak up or I excuse myself or I sit after they do whatever they want to do. Yes I do tell them to keep it to themselves if none of the above work. Punch no, but again you are comparing apples to oranges...

There is zero room for a chaplain within the emergency services. Stay in your lane...if people need you, they can seek you on their own time. There should be ZERO dollars allocated for any religious leader on a government payroll...and there should be no volunteer status either. It is presumptuous to assume your belief is what is needed on the department and to neglect all the other faiths or non believers (do not say your ears are open for them as well, as it is not the same thing). In short, chaplains need to stay in the churches and allow people to seek them if they want them.

Preferably should be "specifically" or "in particular"....

So the person who praises loudly and joyfully is to be respected and revered but the person who has a differing opinion is to be castrated...when is it ok for my voice to be heard? And for the record it is a consistent anti-religion stance...christians just happen to cry louder than necessary. "tearing down christian beliefs" begs me to ask this: 1. Was Jesus a Jew? 2. Did Jesus come from the middle east? How does a man emerge white, blonde/light brown, blue eyed and christian from the above? How is that tearing down the beliefs? Again it is me poising logic.

Disdain?? LOL...I am talking simple logic.

It doesn't make him white either! Totally off topic but I love how a Jew from the Middle East is white, blonde hair and blue eyes....your savior was no different from any Arab running around today.

Hmmm...adult exam versus adult exam versus safe sex practice versus adult exam unless extenuating circumstance compared to FEEDING a HUMAN LIFE with a titt/teat...you know that little nipple that every other animal on this planet sucks on with no undue embarrassment or sexual connotation. Comparison Fail. The only one I agree with is Condom Carl and that would be an age appropriate doll typically around 10 years of age when kids should get basic sex education experience/exposure.

Not an issue. The American society is so hung up on so many residual Puritanical beliefs it is amazing that we are able to look down upon other societies in such a hypocritical way. Breast feeding is natural and I do support and encourage women to do more of it. I understand I do not have to go through the changes and the soreness and whatever other difficulties which come with the act, but I do support those who choose to do so. Go to any other country and no one will give a second glance if a woman exposes her breast to feed her child. Some are so skilled you might never even realize they are feeding. Encouraging children to role play is no big deal and in my opinion it would help reduce the stigma associated with breast feeding. It just might even encourage some of those future mommies to do the same when they have real babies. In short, we really need to get over ourselves.

A sea burial is entirely appropriate as no nation would want the body on their land lest it become a permanent shrine, tribute, whatever and cause way more problems than ever imagined. It is much easier to dispose of the body where no official burial place can be recognized. Will shrines be built, yes, but officially they will be nothing...which is what is needed. Did we really toss the body overboard...I doubt it but I fully support the "official body dumping" into the sea.

***BREAKING NEWS*** Sara Palin just issued a press release: "I want to thank the NYPD for finally killing that terrorist Muhammed Ali."

"Oh, there are the Crown Jewels"...

Well done....

1. I am NOT condoning the behavior in this situation. 2. Rape is a serious and horrible crime. Ensure you are clear on my position listed above before flying off the handle and responding to the next part below. 3. I do not trust humans and more so I do not trust humans who have something to gain from sensationalism in mainstream media. The cameras stopped working. Convenient. She probably was assaulted (groped, etc) as I have seen this behavior in crowded middle eastern countries and during a mob/uprising, I certainly do not doubt the validity that she was violated in one way or another. What I do have are reservations regarding the extremes in which she claims. Highly sensational case, she is able to raise her voice loud since she is a woman and as a man we are not supposed to ever question the veracity of a rape claim. There has never been a more opportune moment for her to have such a sensational story...a story in which she owns the rights, the truth. No one can scoop her, no one can issue anything without her approval. In addition to this high profile situation, she can ride this story for years to come as journalistic experience, documenting the extremes she will go to and the shit she has endured to get a story. She has now proven herself in the man's world, she is hard core, she has subjected herself to danger, to physical harm, to remain true to the cause and still get the story...