EMT-B going from San Diego to Boston

[rocketjaw]

Hey all, my name is James. I am a 21 y.o. EMT-B from southern California. I am planning to move out from San Diego and begin looking for a job in the area of Boston, Massachusetts. I've been working on a BLS ambulance for the past year and a half. I've already been out to Boston and done a little bit of research. I know there are many different ambulance companies to choose from, just like in San Diego. Does anyone have any advice they can offer me on which ambulance companies I should set my sights for? Also I am under the impression that if I am nationally registered I will be able to get my Massachusetts EMT card without much difficulty. Other than that I wondered how the pay was out there on the east coast. If anyone can offer me any insight at all about working in the Boston, Massachusetts area, I'm eager for information.

- Thank you all

[Dustdevil]

Here's a previous thread that may have some information for you:

http://www.emtcity.com/index.php?showtopic...boston&st=0

There are probably others, and we do have several Boston area members who I'm sure will help you out. There are plenty of private ambulance jobs in the area, and several of them actually run a good bit of EMS. Cataldo, Professional, and Action are three of the better regarded privates. Cataldo and Action are always hiring. Pro usually has a waiting list and not much of a turnover. Fallon hires anyone with a pulse and isn't bad. Armstrong isn't bad. Nobody seems to like EasCare, and they have a pretty steady turnover. There are several others, plus even more the farther you get from the city. Unless there is something really bad on your resume, or you have BO or something, you shouldn't have a problem finding a job in a relatively short time, even if it isn't a particularly well paying one, or is just a transfer job. It's definitely a better job market than in So Cal, where way too many schools are cranking out way too many EMTs every month who only want to be firemen.

Boston EMS... rumour is they will be hiring again soon, but that doesn't seem to happen too often. In New England, all municipal jobs -- from EMS to ditch digger -- are highly sought after and people don't tend to leave until they retire. It's the best gig around, but don't count on getting it quickly.

Biggest drawback to Boston -- and Massachusetts in general -- is that their educational infrastructure is less than ideal. Not a single Nationally Accredited paramedic school in the entire state. And the state itself has pretty basic, restrictive ALS protocols. But if you're from So Cal, you're used to that, and Mass will actually be an improvement. At least the firemonkeys aren't dominating EMS in Mass.

Oh yeah, and they don't speak English in Mass, so beware!

Good luck, and welcome back! Long time, no see!

Edited May 12, 2009 by Dustdevil

[JPINFV]

I'll echo that I've heard really good things about both Cataldo and Professional. Cataldo has a rather extensive preemployment test (they weren't hiring the month that I applied ). Pretty much once you start getting out of those two (or three, I don't really know a lot about Action), it starts to go down hill fast. Fallon and EasCare are your standard IFT dominated companies with Fallon holding a bunch of 911 contracts South of Boston. EasCare, along with a handful of other companies (Cataldo is the only one I can think of off the top of my head) run backup for Boston EMS. Based on what I've heard about EasCare from a member of another forum that works there, it'd be my last choice (not everyone drives, no pagers/portable radios/nextels for the basic crews so someone always has to be in the ambulance when posting, etc).

[Diazepam618]

Okay first thing first WHY would you want to leavs San Diego?, I mean it's like 70 degrees all year long and the surf is great.

[rocketjaw]

Well I love San Diego but I've been here all my life. I just want to get outside of California and experience living a few other places before I get settled down in one area. Luckily I am still young enough to do so! Hey thanks a lot guys for the replies theres a lot of good info in them and they helped me a ton.

Thanks again,

-James

[JPINFV]

Well, after riding the T (subway) for a while, you're going to start to wish for your rush hour drive back.

/me HATES the T.

[Chief1C]

First, you have to pronounce it right. Say it aloud "Bah-Stin"

[p3medic]

First, you have to pronounce it right. Say it aloud "Bah-Stin"

Don't leave your boards at home, believe it or not, there is surf here on occasion, only problem is its either rare hurricane swell or middle of winter cold as a witches t$t Nor'easter surf....but if you can stand a little cold, buy a 6/5/4 suit you will survive. Mass isn't too bad, there are some great colleges in the area, night life is good, great sports teams, and you are close to oceans, mountains, rivers etc...Most ALS protocols are standing order, we don't call for much, however some systems are more restrictive than others when it comes to that. Oh, and Spanish is the Puerto Rican version, much faster and harder to follow if you are used to slower Mexican Spanish.

[CBEMT]

Also I am under the impression that if I am nationally registered I will be able to get my Massachusetts EMT card without much difficulty.

NR means nothing in MA.

Other than that I wondered how the pay was out there on the east coast.

Several of the privates have payscales in their websites. Fallon I know for sure does, and they're on the lower end to give you some perspective.

I'm surprised nobody mentioned AMR. Not that they're the be-all and end-all by any means, but they are here in force and do have a not-insignificant amount of 911 contracts.

This may also be of assistance: http://www.firenews.org/ambulance.html. All known private EMS contracts in Massachusetts.

If you're willing to work and/or live outside of the city itself, Trinity Ambulance has an interesting setup in Lowell. Very nice looking BLS transporting ambulances with ALS non-transport provided by the local hospital- ie, you're not just chauffeuring a medic all day. Lowell is kind of a pit of a city- not where you'd want to live, but some great experience to be had, especially in a system where it seems like you'd actually get to do something. Seems like a lot of shootings and stabbings happen there for a city it's size, and they're just far enough from Boston that calling MedFlight is not infrequent.

I also have a friend at Professional, rookie medic, he's very happy there. I don't know how it is for Basics. They have their own medic school which is getting very good reviews, and reserve a good chunk of the class for their own employees every year.

Edited May 13, 2009 by CBEMT

[JPINFV]

NR means nothing in MA.

Not entirely true. NR cert alone gives credit for taking an EMT-B course which means that the applicant only needs to take a practical and the written. If you can get your cert in a different state that honors NREMT completely, then you can transfer with only needing to take the written.