American Ambulance is pleased to provide an opportunity to observe prehospital Emergency Medical Services for Fresno and Kings County.
Who can participate?
- Base Hospital Physicians, Residents, and MICNs as required by CCEMSA.
- EMT Students 18 years or older who are currently in an EMT Program that has a Clinical Affiliation Agreement with American Ambulance.
- Guests of employees; employees are permitted to have two guests per year.
How do I schedule a ride-along?
If you are a:
Current Base Hospital Physician, Resident or current MICN – Contact our Fresno office at (559) 443-5959, Monday through Friday, 0800 – 1700, to schedule a shift. You will be required to submit a signed copy of Ride-Along Agreement and Release of Liability, along with a copy of your ID. To request a shift in Kings County, contact our Hanford office at (559) 585-6803.
MICN and EMT Students – Your program will have you complete a Ride-Along Agreement and Release of Liability and provide a copy of your ID and forward them to us. American Ambulance will advise your program when we are ready to start scheduling. For shifts in Fresno, call (559) 443-5959, for Kings County call (559) 585-6803.
Guests of American Ambulance Employees – Complete the Ride-Along Agreement and Release of Liability and provide a copy of your ID. Once submitted, the employee you are riding with will need to call to have you scheduled; (559) 443-5959 for Fresno shifts, (559) 585-6803 for Kings County.
Please Note: The completed Ride-Along Agreement and Release of Liability and copy of your ID must be submitted prior to the ride-along. You will not be allowed to ride-along without submitting these items.
Your role as a ride-along
The ride-along program is an opportunity to observe EMS operations and learn about EMS and the roles of EMS providers; you will not be directly involved in patient care.
You are a guest of American Ambulance and will be taken into the homes of people who have requested our assistance. Even though a caller has requested our assistance, we are still guests and must conduct ourselves accordingly. If your behavior is inappropriate, we will make arrangements to end your shift.
As healthcare professionals we are required to protect the privacy of patients' information. This includes, but is not limited to, name, DOB, address, and medical history. Private health information disclosed in your presence may not be discussed with others outside of your ride-along. It is permissible to discuss general information with the others regarding the patient's condition and the treatment they received.
Ambulance personnel will sign shift documentation forms if required by your program. Copies of Patient Care Reports will not be provided.
Appearance & Dress Code
American Ambulance requires all ride-alongs to be appropriately groomed; clean with no after-shave or perfume, facial hair should be neat and trimmed, and shoulder-length hair should be pulled back in a ponytail or bun.
Base hospital physicians, residents, MICNs (current and in training), and EMT students may wear their program uniform for their ride-along.
If you are a guest of an employee or do not have a program uniform, the following dress code applies:
- Dark blue or black slacks (no jeans, sweatpants, scrubs, or jeggings).
- Flat, closed toed shoes (no sandals, heels, or cowboy boots).
- Work boots and plain tennis shoes or sneakers that are a single neutral color are permissible.
- Single color, collared shirt (no t-shirts).
- Personal items, other than a stethoscope, are not permitted.
Preparing for your shift
We ask that you arrive at least 10-15 minutes prior to your shift time.
- Fresno Headquarters – 2911 E. Tulare St. Go to the entrance on the east side of the building that says "Operations/Ride-Alongs". Press the "Ring" button. Someone will come to let you in.
- Kings Headquarters – 910 Garner Ave. Please park at the north end of the parking lot. Enter through the front entrance of the building (south side). If you are riding on a weekend or holiday, please go to the back entrance at the ambulance bay (east side). The door will be locked; knock and someone will let you in.
Please plan accordingly for food and drinks. You are welcome to bring snacks/lunch with you (small coolers/lunch boxes are OK). While crews may be able to stop for food and snacks throughout the shift, there are no guarantees you will be able to eat.
Due to the dynamic and unpredictable nature of our work, you could be sent out of town and/or be held over past your originally scheduled end time. Scheduled shifts are a minimum of 12 hours.
We hope your ride-along experience is educational and informative. Please forward any comments about our service and/or your experience to hr@americanambulance.com.