The BCAS has a history of poor quality management, low wages, Poor training, and does little to promote the company brand.

All BC Ambulance paramedics start their employment on a Part-time basis, away from metro centers, and usually in the armpit of the of BC. Here, an employee can expect to be paid $2 and hour to carry a pager on what is call a "Kilo" shift. When they are paged, they phone in to the dispatch center where they will be paid 20.17 an hour (PCP-1V) for a minimum of 4 hours. Employees in these stations can go for long periods of time without receiving a call.

The rational for a pager system is; communities would run these ambulance stations and continue working at a job that would allow them to attend ambulance calls when required. the reality is far different. Most employees live away from the community where they work, and end up driving long distances only to collect 20$ for the day. Most employers these days have little patients for employees that leave them with short notice, and no indication of when they will return. This pager system also leaves critically ill patients waiting while the paramedics are getting dressed in uniform, drive to the station, waits for their collegue to arrive, and drive to the destination where their patient awaits. This in my opinion is far too long for any BC resident to wait for emergency medical treatment. Also, it should be pointed out that there is no set time for the response time on a kilo shift.

The management of the BC Ambulance service is quite top heavy. I have been employed with BC ambulance for many years and have only a small idea of what they do. The little I do hear are rumors of, inflated wages, negligent overspending, and an indifference to the front line force of the ambulance service.the same people who keep ambulance station a float on 2$ an hour). One other point to note; I have yet to meet my areas supervisor.
This boils down to Poor moral and company pride in a thankless career.

With low moral, Poor wages, and a management staff that fails to recognize their employees efforts. I'm shocked that people still apply to work with the BC ambulance service.
The BCAS has a history of poor quality management, low wages, Poor training, and does little to promote the company brand.

Other reasons include
- No benefits for 6 years! I recommend working at Tim Hortons.

-Only select cars are equipped and trained to treat serious cardiac emergencies. As the system is now: A Basic life support unit arrives, asses the patient, and administers primary car to the patient. After assessment they then request the the Advanced life support crew, or ALS, to render further treatment. I believe all paramedics should be Advanced life support trained to start full treatment upon arrival to the patient.

-Training is expected to be paid for by the employee prior to employment.

-Some people might say that their are a more than a fair share of nutbars working for the ambulance service.

-poor equipment on car, and ongoing training courses lack serious education substance.

- Expect the BC ambulance service to hang you out to dry if their were something to go wrong and the employee followed the laughable Policy and procedure.

-The union is a mess of unorganized pushovers.

-Did I mention the Nubars??

I believe in a true world leading ambulance service.

Posted on 1 January 2009 by Rater #2 | Flag as inappropriate

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