ALEXIS CREEK: B.C. Ambulance under fire

[Scuba]

ALEXIS CREEK, BC - A shortage of paramedics led to the closure of the ambulance station in Alexis Creek over the long weekend, and Cariboo South MLA Charlie Wyse said the situation remains unacceptable. "There are more activities taking place in the summertime, Nemiah rodeo for example. So there's increased activity, increased people from tourists, and a long weekend and we find that we have an ambulance station that is shut down because there are no crew members to staff it," Wyse said.
Source: The Williams Lake Tribune (click for full story) (http://www.wltribune.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=37&cat=23&id=705441&more=)

Ambulance is needed: wltribune.com (http://www.wltribune.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=37&cat=48&id=705488&more=)

[Paraone]

I have never could understand how they can just shut down an amublance station??? You would think that, there would be at least two paramedics or EMRs willing to work over a weekend.

[BenDiesel]

Not for $2.00/hr, costs more in gas and food than you make!!

[Paraone]

I agree, but still when we got hired we knew that was going to be the wadges. I will be driving from Nanaimo to Gold River to work at that station, I know I will be going through a lot of gas. I just feel if I want to do this job, I have to start somewhere and if that means two dollars an hour and it takes me three hours to get there that is what I have to to do! I understand where you are coming from, it is frustrating after the money and training we get and the pay is so low, but one day it will pay off. Plus to me it is about helping people and not all about the money!

[nffd141]

You will realize very fast once your knees deep in $2/hr, It gets old very fast, also when you realize that BCAS dosnt really care about you or the community. No raises in 8 years is a big one

[geoffey]

I've you ever been to Alexis Creek.....you'll know why nobody wants to work there

[Paraone]

I have never been to Alexis Creek. I am assuming it is not the best place in the world! I know in Nanaimo sometimes they have to shutt down a car, because they have nobody to staff it. So it is just not the smaller communities that are hurting.

[BenDiesel]

There's a reason it's hurting everywhere, people are tired of taking it in the ass and the ambulance service is to cheap & incompetent to fix the problem.

[FireChef]

I notice how some of you are voicing your opinion about not having a raise for 8 years, granted thats a long time, but you are still making a decent wage. No where on god's green earth does it say that you are supposed to have a certain percentage wage over a certain amount of time. Yes it is true that the cost of living is going up, decent mean that your wage has to go up, you just have to manage your money better.

I am with Paraone on this one, once I am done my PCP next year, I know I will have to go somewhere small for awhile, like him, I will prepared to do it. Gone are the days of going to the local station, yaking with the U/C and getting hired.

There are medics all over the states (maybe even Canada), making a hell of a lot less then here in BC, and are still happy with the job.

I would do the job for minimum wage. There are actually some people out there, that are there for the job and not the money.

I have been in the cooking field for 12 years now, and I make $14.50/hr. I dont complain, I know there are cooks out there making a lot less in other places. With 12 years senority with BCAS I would be making mid $20/hr.


For those that dont think they are making enough money, you could always leave and go work in the patch up north, and make room for others that want to do the job to help people and not bitch about the wage

[BenDiesel]

You have to think what the other emergency services are making. Are paramedics less important that fire or police? They're way busier than any fire department!! Parity is what we are asking for. If you want a career, you should be paid to have a career. I've never heard of anyone who has a volunteer career, that's called a hobby.

[FireChef]

I think here in Nanaimo, City Fire and RCMP and BCAS are all pretty close to being on par with each other. RCMP after 5 years, I believe is about 75,000/year, and I believe a Captain is about the same.

FDNY EMT after 5 years makes $39,179
FDNY Paramedic after 5 years makes $50,501
*that is before OT, vacation, etc.

City of Pittsburgh - Paramedic starting off is making $13.30/hr

So I dont think BCAS is doing too badly in the salary category

[BenDiesel]

F/T Paramedic in BC $54,000.00. $20,000.00 less than the other 2. That's a huge difference. You can't really compare bc with the states, to make it fair you'd have to compare all 3 in the states. Just because people are getting shafted everywhere doesn't make it right.n Emergency services are emergency services.

[FireChef]

Now when you say "Paramedic" are you talking about PCP or ACP, and after how many years?

[BenDiesel]

PCP IV with 3 yrs experience pay, thats the hightest. That's the salary before OT ect. ACP is not that much higher, maybe 10k.

[nffd141]

One more thing you have to put into play is that the other services start you out as full time, not part time for 5 years so that is a huge pay difference, as well as having to be a irreg for 3-4 years. Don't get me wrong I have the greatest job in the world, it's just working for the worst company.

[nocomment]

F/T Paramedic in BC $54,000.00. $20,000.00 less than the other 2. That's a huge difference. You can't really compare bc with the states, to make it fair you'd have to compare all 3 in the states. Just because people are getting shafted everywhere doesn't make it right.n Emergency services are emergency services.

Don't worry BenDiesel your paycheque will look nicer once your amalgamated with Fire. :wink:....Kidding bro.

[BenDiesel]

It wouldn't bother me:)

[nocomment]

It wouldn't bother me:)

I've heard that from a few medics. You guys have been shit on long enough by the provincial government. Amalgamation just may happen one day.

[FireChef]

Now when you say amalgamation with the FD, are you talking about like LA where the paramedics are also FF's or just having the ambulances out of the same hall as fire? Personally I cant see that working. What are you going to do with the towns and cities that run a volunteer department? I cant see having volunteer paramedics, but for some American cities it works.

[nocomment]

Now when you say amalgamation with the FD, are you talking about like LA where the paramedics are also FF's
To be honest I have no idea how it would work, and I probably won't see it in my career anyways. If it does happen hopefully i'll be reading about it in the paper at my cabin in the interior in about year 5 of retirement. Because that's about as close as I wanna come to it. But the rumours have been floating around for years and years.

[Squamish-FF]

The other thing you have to remember is the cost of living in the lower mainland is one of the highest in Canada, so to be able to afford a place remotely close to work, you need to have a decent wage. So forget about buying anything for the first 3-4 years working for $2 per hour,the banks would laugh you out of the office.

I have to work 6 shifts with 2 off, to barely make ends meet. I live in Squamish, I could never afford to live in North Vancouver where I work. So, I commute.

All we want is to be paid similar to other emergency workers. Right now, we are $10 per hour behind a Vancouver Police constable and considerably less than our FD members that we work along side.

So, new up and coming medics, don't sell yourself short. Don't be happy with $2 per hour, that is how this cheap-ass management gets away with this crap for so long! When the crap hits the fan and you are in dire straights, you can't argue that you want a well trained and satisfied medic to be working on you, not some half-assed person is disgruntled and burnt out!

[Bubba]

Looking through this thread I see no mention of holding the provincial government responsible for the shameful lack of service to all British Columbian's. Are even the unions that serve provincial workers now so weak that they dare not rock the boat for fear of ?. Complaining about your wages ( or lack of ) is futile, unless you and your brothers and sisters do it collectively.
Fire departments haven't helped this issue by becoming "first responders". Does no one remember the beefs in the 80's and early 90's over this ?. Until FD's start doing transport, BCAS are the body snatchers... period.
They need to be manned and ready to respond. I cant believe there has been no concerted effort to put this issue in the public eye other than to show how the service is dwindling. Get your stewards to grow a set and take up these issues with your business agent and fix this problem. Or are ambulance services the next thing to become privatized ?.

I guess this qualifies as a rant but really... bitching about it here does no good at all either.

[nffd141]

I don't know if you saw or not but on October 7 there was a ralley held at Canada place in Vancouver. Over 500 BCAS members showed up to make all these issuses public and try to bring them to the public. The government is already starting the privatizing ball rolling by putting transfers out for tender and letting companies like SN transport exist. They want nothing to do with our wage talks.

[Bubba]

Thought sure someone would be calling me out on this...

Didn't know about that rally, what came of it ?. Was there a minister responsible or any other big cheeses there promising action ?. This dilemma is happening all over the province, I understand that BCAS is an essential service and it is difficult to send a clear message to management but I'm sure with some kind of promoted public forum there would be overwhelming support. The middle class is taking hits pretty much daily now and it seems to me that the organizations that have the most to lose and are closest to whatever issue needs addressing need to get better at making the need for public support known. Our unions should have petitions on their websites and lobbyists or whatever in the faces of decision makers with the media there pounding for answers.
What are your dues doing for you anyways ?, I'd be all over that if it was my ass on the block. Then I'd post on here and anywhere else I could encouraging a response. What if right after a report on the news there was a commercial about some easy way for the people to participate in letting governments know that an issue is known and needs prompt action.
I'm dreaming... I know, spoke with a local attendant last night, they didn't even know who their steward was, and yes they were on standby @ $ 2.00 an hour, sad days indeed.

[nocomment]

The government is already starting the privatizing ball rolling by putting transfers out for tender and letting companies like SN transport exist. They want nothing to do with our wage talks.
Why would your union allow this without a fight? When is your current contract up?

[nffd141]

The contract is up soon. IMHO the union has done to little in the past and starting to put up a front now is too little to late. Im hopeing for a cleaning house of the union and get some fresh faces and get rid of the old guard. I want to have a future where all i have to do is worry about going to work and doing good calls not worring about weather or not I can pay the bills.

[bcasmed]

"I would do the job for minimum wage. There are actually some people out there, that are there for the job and not the money"

Great in theory. Only a problem is those "nice" people don't always make the best medics. Many young people who are outstanding medics leave the profession because they know they can do better. Your encouraging mediocrity. This entire PT work for the first 5 or so years only encourages the weakest to stay around. There are some great medics out there, but the system still discourages the strongest applicants. Intelligent, hard working individuals want to work where their appreciated.

I could care less about hiring altruistic applicants for BCAS. I want to work side by side with the guy/gal who could have been a doctor, lawyer, or CEO but actually CHOSE to be a medic. I don't want some plug who waited around because...well that's all you really have to do. Stay around and wait for that full time spot. It's just embarrassing.

I hope it merges with fire or municipalities start making their own EHS systems. That way they can obtain competitive applicants and start making medics an occupation to be proud of.

[dentedhead]

"I would do the job for minimum wage. There are actually some people out there, that are there for the job and not the money"

Great in theory. Only a problem is those "nice" people don't always make the best medics. Many young people who are outstanding medics leave the profession because they know they can do better. Your encouraging mediocrity. This entire PT work for the first 5 or so years only encourages the weakest to stay around. There are some great medics out there, but the system still discourages the strongest applicants. Intelligent, hard working individuals want to work where their appreciated.

I could care less about hiring altruistic applicants for BCAS. I want to work side by side with the guy/gal who could have been a doctor, lawyer, or CEO but actually CHOSE to be a medic. I don't want some plug who waited around because...well that's all you really have to do. Stay around and wait for that full time spot. It's just embarrassing.

I hope it merges with fire or municipalities start making their own EHS systems. That way they can obtain competitive applicants and start making medics an occupation to be proud of.

Whoever made the do it for min wage comment,thats exactly why you are in the predicament you are.Take your stones out of managments purse and stand up for your selves.

The points made by bcasmed are bang on.I started in EMS when it was full of frustated cops and FFs.Some did a good job others were borderline psycho.Now you get ppl are growing up and wanting to be medics,the profession has come a long way but still has a long way to go.

The hiring and retention in BC has to be abysmal.Maybe downloading to UTMs would be th ebest thing for all involved.

Dentedhead

[Comox30]

Be careful what you wish for with regards to amalgamation with the fire services in B.C. as most Fire Departments in this province as elsewhere are volunteer with little or no compensation.

[nocomment]

Be careful what you wish for with regards to amalgamation with the fire services in B.C. as most Fire Departments in this province as elsewhere are volunteer with little or no compensation.
I don't think it would mean FT Paramedics being placed into Volunteer firehalls in BC's smaller communities more like cities around Metro Vancouver that have a majority of the population and the high call volume.

[MMAINC]

I notice how some of you are voicing your opinion about not having a raise for 8 years, granted thats a long time, but you are still making a decent wage. No where on god's green earth does it say that you are supposed to have a certain percentage wage over a certain amount of time. Yes it is true that the cost of living is going up, decent mean that your wage has to go up, you just have to manage your money better.

I am with Paraone on this one, once I am done my PCP next year, I know I will have to go somewhere small for awhile, like him, I will prepared to do it. Gone are the days of going to the local station, yaking with the U/C and getting hired.

There are medics all over the states (maybe even Canada), making a hell of a lot less then here in BC, and are still happy with the job.

I would do the job for minimum wage. There are actually some people out there, that are there for the job and not the money.

I have been in the cooking field for 12 years now, and I make $14.50/hr. I dont complain, I know there are cooks out there making a lot less in other places. With 12 years senority with BCAS I would be making mid $20/hr.


For those that dont think they are making enough money, you could always leave and go work in the patch up north, and make room for others that want to do the job to help people and not bitch about the wage

I hope you fail the PCP program. It is your type of attitude that is keeping BCAS in the stone age. If you do in fact pass and work for BCAS go present that attitude to the crew members that were just on strike and see how far it gets you. My blood is boiling with your ignorant comments!

You state you will have to go some where small for a while...Not a while fella a long time. Then when you do get full time you will be shuffled from station to station, call outs and irregularly scheduled.

You sound like the type of person who is expecting to race from call to call and be dealing with trauma blood guts and horror all the time. You may have watched Bringing Out The Dead to many times! Just wait until your first Pt sh&*s on you or vomits all over you or assaults you then see how much your $2.00 an hour pay looks!

Some people in the profession have families and loved ones that they have to be away from for weeks and months to go work in a small community. This isn't possible for some so should they quit bitching because there situation is different from yours?

If you are trained to respond to emergencies you should be compensated accordingly. It is not the volume of calls or the size of the community it should be based on training and level of service!

[FireEMTGuy]

I hope you fail to PCP program. It is your type of attitude that is keeping BCAS in the stone age. If you do in fact pass and work for BCAS go present that attitude to the crew members that were just on strike and see how far it gets you. My blood is boiling with your ignorant comments!

You state you will have to go some where small for a while...Not a while fella a long time. Then when you do get full time you will be shuffled from station to station, call outs and irregularly scheduled.

You sound like the type of person who is expecting to race from call to call and be dealing with trauma blood guts and horror all the time. You may have watched Bringing Out The Dead to many times! Just wait until your first Pt sh&*s on you or vomits all over you or assaults you then see how much your $2.00 an hour pay looks!

Some people in the profession have families and loved ones that they have to be away from for weeks and months to go work in a small community. This isn't possible for some so should they quit bitching because there situation is different from yours?

If you are trained to respond to emergencies you should be compensated accordingly. It is not the volume of calls or the size of the community it should be bases on training and level of service!

As you can see below, he does work for BCAS. I have never known an employee who would defend low wages... Or even if he thinks they are decient wages, to stand by while the rest of his union fights for increased pay.

Welcome to the site !! I work with BCAS in McNeill. A friend of mine is a LT with you guys, he is also on this site.

Looks like he does work for BCAS... unfortunately he doesn't seem like one to support your union's brothers and sisters in their fight to obtain better wages. I am having a hard time figuring out why he is defending the low wages..... kind of reminds me of this guy....

http://www.firehall.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18504