Progressive EMS Systems

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Boston EMS, www.bostonems.com, links to other sites, including the boston public health commision, who is the city agency we fall under. The hiring process involves a written test, practical exam and oral interview, all candidates must be Mass certified EMT-B or higher. All new hires are as EMT's, regardless of your level of cert, all ALS positions are filled from within the ranks, no direct hire of medics. If one passes the entry requirements, including criminal background check, driving record, drug screen, you spend I believe 10 weeks in our academy, mostly didactic work, with some hospital and field clinical time as well, covering all aspects of the job, interagency familiarization, hazmat, subway ops, airport response, police dept stand by with eod/entry, fire ground operation, etc...after the academic portion new hires are entered into the field preceptor portion, responding to calls with a fto and another cadet, or perhaps an fto and experienced emt, things are currently being changed, so i'm not completely sure how the current class is going to do this...anyway, the field portion is 9 weeks, with a possible extension depending on circumstances. If you pass all that, you get your badge and are a probie for 1 year. In order to compete for a medic spot you must be employed for at least one year, be a Mass certified EMT-P, pass written, practical and oral interview. Selected individuals spend a month in class, another several weeks in clinical rotation in hospital, (OB/GYN, OR, NICU, PICU, EW, Ped's etc...) The field internship is 9 weeks, then an exit interview. If selected you are a probie medic for 6 months with 100% chart review, and must work with a medic with at least 1 year BEMS experience. The testing process is very competitive, we have a large number of our BLS providers that have ALS certs, so having a medic ticket is only good for the chance to compete, it is no guarantee you will ever wear a white shirt.

The system is a third service provider, with limited first response on certain call type codes by BFD/BPD. We on average staff 15-20 BLS trucks and 5-6 ALS, BLS trucks are staffed by 2 EMT's, ALS by 2 medics. We also have a north and south side division supervisor (Lt.) that are experienced EMT's, and a shift commander (Dep Superintendent) an experience medic. We staff BPD boats with EMT's and medics during the summer months or during special events as well. There are two tactical response units, tango 1-2, with trailers for specific equipment, i.e scba cascade system, mci, bike trailers, comm's, hazmat, etc...I'm not exactly sure of the pay scale, but starting EMT's are about 22/hr, medics 29/hr, after 5 years medics are just under 33/hr, not including built ins like haz duty, shift diff, etc...or OT. We are negotiating a contract currently, so these will change, hopefully a lot! but i won't hold my breath.

CPAP is in stock, yet hasn't been fielded yet, should be on the street before the new year, but i've heard this before, we'll see...RSI, IO utilizing the EZ-IO, great tool in my opinion. Pain management is aggressive at the ALS level, nothing at the BLS level, yet....

We conduct internal training every month, ACLS/PALS/BTLS/ Refresher all paid OT. We are fortunate to be in a city with several teaching hospitals, so are invited to attend training that is difficult if not impossible to get at other services. Medical examiners office, Boston Medical Center, Mass General, Brigham and Womans, Shriners, Beth Israel, Childrens, NEMC have all extended lectures or programs to our membership. We have a strong Union, good health benefits, 15 paid holidays, 15 paid sick days, 3-6 weeks paid vacation depending on longevity, a support services section, special ops, communications (dispatch center with BPD) tqi/tqa program, a research oriented training department, Medical director and Associate medical directors with active participation in training and research, and EMS fellows, who conduct research as well...We also teach AED to the community and businesses, and some outreach programs to populations at risk....

Wow impressive. What shifts do you run. 24s 12s. Can a EMT with a ALS cert use any of his/her skills? When you said limited first response I didn't quite understand are you first in or is fire?

Thanka for the post

[p3medic]

we generally do 8's, 4 on 2 off, a few crews do 10's....fire responds in first responder capacity to some call types, not all...they go to uncons, cardiac arrest, mva's, diff breathers, don't go to shootings, stabbings, diabetics, or asthma for example....the bls crews give narcan, albuterol, epi pen, ntg, asa, saed etc...with als supervision bls providers with als cert do get to perfom skills, off the record....

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I've heard good thing about REMSA. Anybody have first hand experience?