L.A. EMS

[Kiwiology]

Ya know, the fact that a 21 year old kid in a third-world country, ten-thousand miles from U.S. shores, has to school American EMS personnel on the most basic aspects of their own history speaks volumes to how badly American EMS sucks. :?

Sorry I missed that until now, I was out with the local malitia fighting the CIA installed General who has overthrown our poor third world country's Government in a coup and on the way back I had to check how the well digging was going because I am sick of walking 10 miles for water. Boy it sure does suck to live in a country that's considered in the First World huh?.

*removes tounge from cheek*

[1aCe3]

By P.A. I had meant physician assistant.

So curious... If all/most of ALS is run my Fire, whom is staffed by firefighters/paramedics, do they just rotate shifts on EMS and fire...?

It's perceptible having a EMS division of fire, but requiring their paramedics to be firefighters is... well, what.. total crap? Putting together 2 completely different professions...

I guess the overall picture is, I need to become a firefighter to work 911 ALS in LA. And as most FD go, they want full time commitment and have schedules that don't mesh well with a second job or school. :evil:

[AnthonyM83]

It seems most FF/Medics prefer FF'ing first, though there are some that seem to like working the squads. I think most county FD stations that have a paramedic squad have three FFMedics per shift and they rotate on who works the engine (though if they're first on-scene they still do their ALS stuff if their engine has the equipment).

I'm not sure how LAFD does it, but I see some of the older guys in the hospital all the time. I think they want a slower pace? Or maybe they're some of the single-function paramedics (which they don't hire anymore). I've been told FF/EMTs are rotated into the LAFD BLS ambulances "forced to work the box" as they put it.

But seriously, if you like EMS don't you'd hate working anywhere in LA County. Like Dust said if you work for most private companies, you'll be doing mainly IFTs. If you work for a 911 private company, you'll be doing mainly EMT work but getting to start lines and such under FD's direction. The medical authority on-scene (the Fire Captain) might not have ever been a paramedic (though usually he is, but cert expired).

[Dustdevil]

I guess the overall picture is, I need to become a firefighter to work 911 ALS in LA. And as most FD go, they want full time commitment and have schedules that don't mesh well with a second job or school. :evil:

Bingo.

Now you know why I left the fire service.

But actually, FD schedules mesh very well with most of the menial, blue collar grunt jobs that most firemonkeys do, like house painting, carpet cleaning, fence building, car detailing, AMWAY selling, and ambulance driving. They just don't work well for educated professionals, or those who wish to become one.