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Employment Opportunities

PCEMS currently no full time position available

Putnam County EMS is a progressive EMS System. We have a close relationship with the local medical community and hospital. Ambulances are replaced/refurbished on average every 3 years. Ambulances are well stocked and well equipped. A progressive Director and Medical Director along with skillful and dedicated EMS staff have kept this service at the leading edge of EMS treatment. PCEMS was the first in the state to equip all ambulances in the fleet with the ability to acquire and transmit 12 lead EKG’s in 1993. We were also at the leading edge of implementing facilitated intubation, oxygen saturation, surgical airways, automated blood pressure devices and automatic transport resucitators. PCEMS has extensive Standing Orders that allow our crews a great deal of autonomy. We strive to equip, supply and train our staff to provide excellent patient care. Our system offers the full range of short and long pre-hospital transport times. We also conduct inter-facility transfers. Four aero-medical programs service this area.

If you are a State of Tennessee Licensed Paramedic or EMT-IV and would like to apply for a position with Putnam County Emergency Medical Services please follow the instructions at the bottom of this page.

PCEMS does periodically hire part-time positions. We generally hire full-time positions from our pool of part-time employees. We place emphasis on hiring Paramedics for full-time positions. In the increasingly complex, fast paced EMS environment, we feel that double paramedic ambulances are preferable.

Employment Application

Pre-employment Process

PCEMS will review the applications received 2-4 times per year. At that time we will set up an interview panel and physical agility test. All applicants will be notified of the date.  All applicants meet at the main EMS building.

An interview will be conducted with a panel of Administrative Personnel and Training Officers. Applicants may fail this portion of the process and not be allowed to proceed.

Physical Agility Test: A pair of applicants will start with a 170 pound "Rescue Randy" on the cot in an ambulance. The applicants will be required to remove the cot from the ambulance and wheel it to the foot of the stairs. The applicants must then carry the "Rescue Randy" up 2 flights of stairs without dropping it on the stairs. The applicants may carry the manikin on a Scoop Stretcher, Long Spine Board or the cot. At the top of the second landing, the applicants may rest and the clock is stopped. When ready, the applicants must carry the "Rescue Randy" back to the cot, wheel the cot to the ambulance and lock the cot in. This is a timed event. Timing may be adjusted to reflect the available venue on the day of testing.

Each applicant will be required to perform a rapid extrication of a trama patient in cardiac arrest. The patient will be the 170 "Rescue Randy". The applicants will be paired during this evolution as well.

Each applicant will be required to demonstrate a skill appropriate to their level of licensure.

Applicants may fail this portion of the process and not be allowed to proceed.

Successful applicants will then schedule two rides. One on A/B shift and one on C/D shift. These rides will then be conducted with the EMS Administrator or Trainer. These will be conducted like a  interactive interview. The applicant may be asked any questions within their scope of practice, may participate in patient care, may be asked to demonstrate proficiency in any skill. Observations of their interaction with peers, patients, families and the general public will be observed. Appearance, grooming, attitude, skill, knowledge and the ability to learn new tasks will be judged.

Applicants may fail this portion of the process and not be allowed to proceed.

Applicants are subject to a background check.

At sometime during the application or initial employment stage, you will be sent for a drug test.

Applicants that receive positive recommendations from the Supervisors or Trainers will be scheduled to interview with the Director and Assistant Director.

Applicants are then hired based on the entire process if appropriate.

PCEMS is an Equal Opportunities Employer

PCEMS is a Drug Free Work Place

Applications for employment may be submitted by mail or fax. Please send them to the attention of the Assistant Director. Include copies of the following with your application

• State of Tennessee Driver’s License Class D with F endorsement
• State of Tennessee EMT or Paramedic license
• Copy of National Registry (Optional)
• Social Security Card
• CPR card for Healthcare Providers
• ACLS Card (Paramedic only)
• PALS Card (Paramedic only)
• PHTLS or BTLS Card (Paramedic only, optional)
• Other License or Certifications (Optional)
• Resume’ (Optional)

If you are new to the area or considering moving to the area, please check out the link below. Cookeville offers many wonderful opportunities for education, shopping, cultural events, and outdoor recreational activities.

Putnam County Chamber of Commerce


Benefits

Paid Time Off:
Each full-time employee is entitled paid time off each fiscal year, after being employed for six months. The accumulation rate of PTO days is listed below.

• 0-1 years 0.5 days/month
• 1 to 5 years 10 days
• 6 to 10 years 12 days
• 11 to 15 years 14 days
• 16 to 20 years 16 days
• 21 to 25 years 18 days
• 6 to 30 years 20 days

Holidays

The county recognizes the following holidays:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Day
• President’s Day
• Good Friday
• Memorial Day
• 4th of July
• Labor Day
• Election Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving Friday after Thanksgiving
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day

Other Benefits:

• Each full-time employee, their spouse, children, mother or father are not charged for transportation or treatment by Putnam County Emergency Medical Services. Insurance will be billed and any balance will be written off.
• Tennessee Consolidated Retirement Program.  
• Fleetguard Federal Credit Union.
• Cafeteria plan, which allows you to make pre-tax deductions from your check.
• Employees are paid twice each month. This occurs on the 15th and the last day of each month. If these days fall on a recognized holiday or weekend, you will be paid on the last business day before the scheduled payday.
• Dental Insurance: Each employee has dental insurance. The county insurance will cover 50% of dental procedures up to a maximum of $500.00 per calendar year. To file a claim, you must first pay the bill, and then take a copy of all receipts to the County Executive’s Office.
• Life Insurance: Each employee is covered with $10,000 insurance for the duration of employment. Additional insurance can be purchased at a discounted rate.
• Longevity pay at a rate of fifty dollars ($50) per year, after employee has been employed for five (5) years. This will be paid (with a separate check) in one lump sum the last pay period in November.
• Step pay raise: The county offers a step pay raise to each employee from 1-20 years of service. The raise will be given or withheld based on an employee evaluation conducted by the employees Supervisor and reviewed by the Assistant Director and/or Director.
  • The Current Step raise is $600 for the first 20 years of employment. This will add $12,000 to base pay.
• EMT Base $25,000
  Paramedic Base $31,000
  Cost of Living raise: Cost of living raises are based solely on the decision of the County Commission on a year-to-year basis.
• Schedule: PCEMS works 12 hour shifts for 7 consecutive days followed by 7 days off duty and off call. Day trucks work 8 hour shifts, 5 days per week.