EMT-B experience in Chicagoland

[ambulancedriver]

I am EMT-B here in Chicago wondering where good BLS experience is to be had (I currently work for MedEx)

I've heard Advance has a waiting list because the basics do so many emergencies due to ALS unavailability. is that true? what have you guys heard about the various companies here in chi-town regarding this.

also, anybody have any other ideas on how to get good emergency experience. certain hospitals you did your con-ed hours at or certain fire departments you rode with? also, how you were able to set these up?

thanks......it's just that even after 1.5 years at MedEx, only a couple emergencies have come my way. I need some excitement

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[PluckyDuk8]

You can ride the chopper at U of C as an EMT-B for a ride along for con-ed (at least you could two years ago, they might have stopped it). Next time Medex brings you down to the U of C area, find the UCAN office (ask the guy in the front desk of the children's hospital entrance, that's the entrance closest to you). Bring your emt license with you, and try to schedule in seasons with better weather, because you'll be grounded very easily if the weather is bad. As for doing a shift or two with CFD, find a CFD guy who moonlights at Medex and ask him if you can join him for a shift. I had several people offer me to follow them at CFD when I was working at the private companies.

 

[Big Papa]

U of C helicopter UCAN does allow ride along at all levels, I know Loyola's Lifestar Helicopter only allows EMT-P students from the Loyola EMT-P class. UCAN is mostly transfers from hospital to hospital with critical patients. Every once in a while they will do a scene.

All the suburban FDs are really cool with ride alongs. All you have to do is call and ask. I know that Forset Park FD, Westchester FD and Northlake FD take students from Loyola's EMT classes for ride alongs so those three shoulden't be a problem. And like pluckyduk said, if you know anyone who works at a FD or who has a freind who works at a FD, use that connection to get a ride along.

 

[InfiniumEtAl]

Oh, you mean you don't light it up to get home after being held over for countless hours simply because your dispatcher has a complex.

By the way your statement that none of those companies go code 3 is utterly false. (Except ER, beacuse they are purely pre contracted call only done during the 9-5.)

 

[sanford_w/o_son]

i agree with you for the most part, bstone, except for maybe two companies: emts at advance seem to have a reputation of doing an above-average amount of bls work (according to about five sources), supposedly because they carry contracts with not-so-great nursing homes (according to one source); emts at buds are known to do a substantial amount of bls work in the south suburbs, because they work in suburbs where buds is linked to 9-1-1 (and they use their emts for als assistance, according to one source). of course, if you've seen buds in the city, it is probably because they were doing transport work (as they were the only time i've seen them). i don't know much about er or pulse.

 

[DSM]

I saw an ambulance with "Hank's ambulance service" on the side of it...I believe it was from Birmingham, Alabama