Pros
A lot of the EMTs are good people. You can get good clinical experience. If you want to learn how to handle difficult managers, AMR will provide that opportunity.
Cons
All ambulance companies in Los Angeles are bad places to work because they pay so little. They can get away with it because fire departments hire mostly paramedics, and to be a paramedic you must work first as an EMT. So the ambulance companies have a steady stream of aspiring firemen to hire even though less than one in 10 ever makes it onto a fire squad. Starting pay at AMR for an EMT is less than starting pay at one of the local burger chains. AMR is worse than the rest for a number of reasons. Management consistently shows it does not care about the employees. Currently, contract negotiations with the union are trying to either eliminate health benefits all together or charge more than a third of take home wages for health insurance. The last time contracts were negotiated, the members from each of the two stations covered by the contract were told that while they rejected the new contract, the other station overwhelmingly approved it. National union representation went back to the East Coast early, a crucial local union leader was promoted within AMR, two local leaders were fired, and the rest were replaced. Certain managers on the management team for LA County have promoted personal friends to supervisor roles over more qualified candidates. At least one of these supervisors has such poor people skills he is uniformly disliked by EMTs, paramedics, and nurses in the field. This dislike is severe enough that people stay home sick to avoid being on shift when he is a supervisor. Management has made several costly marketing and management mistakes in the past two years. It has alienated key marketing personnel, resulting in the loss of several important hospital contracts and the volume of transports associated with them. Rather than correct the problems or address morale concerns, senior management has consistently increased pressure on supervision which in turn has pressured EMTs and dispatch to work harder, longer hours. Dispatch shows no perceptible concern for EMTs schedules, for their need to sleep, their need for food or breaks, or their desires to clock out within a few hours of their off time. Management does not keep adequate stocks of supplies in reserve. In any given month it is not uncommon to find no sheets in the stock room for a day or more at a time. The same can be said of such basic supplies as oxygen, and backboards, and in colder months blankets and rain sheets. Despite these problems AMR has found money to pay for new uniforms, laptop computers, and electric gurneys, while neglecting such basics as brakes that don't squeak and shock absorbers (particularly helpful for patients with spinal injuries). In other words management is willing to pay extra so it's people and ambulances look good, but not willing to pay for such substantive improvements as a rested crew or equipment that actually improves clinical treatment. If you are thinking of being an EMT, I would recommend finding a job outside LA county. If you must work within LA county, I suggest you choose any company other than AMR.
