My Recruiting Blog

The city's fire department is one of the top employers when it comes to emergency medical services jobs in Phoenix. To learn more about EMS jobs, visit http://www.ambulancejobs.com.

Since 1985, the Phoenix Fire Department has been responsible for providing emergency transportation service to the city. The department operates 31 rescue squads, which are staffed with paramedics and EMT firefighters.

During 2006, EMTs and paramedics throughout the country accounted for about 201,000 jobs, and 30 percent of those employees belong to a union, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. In Phoenix, EMS workers are represented by the United Phoenix Firefighters Association, Local 493.

The Phoenix Fire Department currently employs about 900 firefighters who are trained as Emergency Medical Technicians and about 300 firefighters who are trained as Certified Emergency Paramedics.

The department's EMS staff consists of the following positions:

• one deputy chief
• one medical director
• one programs manager
• three staff captains
• three registered nurses who are paired with staff captains as district representatives for various programs, including EMT, paramedic training, liaisons to hospitals and the continuous quality improvement program
• one nurse who serves as the EMS prevention services program coordinator, who is responsible for the baby shots program, the adult flu program and other related events

The main goals of the fire department, according to state regulations, are to focus on response time, staffing, training and fee for service. In addition, the department uses an Ambulance Oversight Committee, which regularly reviews progress, correlates expectations and defines goals. The department also looks to its Ambulance Change Teams to evaluate, develop and implement program improvements.

The department currently operates a single transportation service and maintains a response time under 10 minutes 88.5 percent of the time. The department does not handle ambulance billing and collection services, which are contracted to a private sector medical billing vendor.

Labels: EMS jobs