Getting to know Supervisor Miguel Rivera

November 7, 2022 | Category: News

Cetronia Ambulance Corps has four supervisors to lead two platoons. Miguel Rivera is one of the newest to be promoted into an open position. Miguel thought he would follow his father’s footsteps and become an electrical installer but the EMS bug got a hold of him and he has flourished during his years with Cetronia from starting as a Paratransit associate and working his way up the ladder.

We did a little Q&A to find out more about Miguel Rivera …

How long have you been working at Cetronia?
I have been working with Cetronia since June 1999, completing just over 23 years.

Before Cetronia, where did you go to school, and what did you study?
I went to Alfred E. Smith vocational high school in Bronx, New York. There I studied commercial and residential electrical installation.

When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a kid, I idolized my dad who was a handyman. I thought at the time he was an electrician, so I went into electrical installation.

Can you walk me through your career path from entry level position to your current position?
When I began my career at Cetronia, I was a paratransit associate. After approximately a year and a half I was able to get onto an Advanced Life Support (ALS) truck as an EMT. For the next three and a half years, I worked alongside great mentors and followed suit into paramedic school at George E. Moerkirk Emergency Medicine Institute. I have been a paramedic at Cetronia since.

What day-to-day responsibilities does your job entail?
I have been tasked a new role here at Cetronia. As an operations supervisor, I am responsible for making sure that our crews have the supplies and support they need to complete their daily duties and patient care. Along with this I shall stay committed to helping them succeed and represent Cetronia with the respect that they deserve.

What project that you’ve worked on at Cetronia are you most proud of?
The bike team. Although I am no longer a part of the bike team, I was one of the original members when it began long ago. I did help with some of the organizing and also attended a conference in Ogden, Utah where I had some very good training. I also was part of a program that transmitted 12 lead EKGs before there was easily available data networks like we have now.

What’s really fun about your job, and what’s really challenging?
The fun part of the job is the unknown. You just never know what the next call is going to be. And that is also sometimes a big challenge. Being able to think on your feet and change the motive how you care for people.

How has your job here allowed you to grow personally and professionally?
Prior to coming to Cetronia I had many jobs, none that would be considered a career. I saw how important educating yourself was and here I stand on a new chapter of my career feeling very excited.

What might surprise people about your job, or what’s one thing people don’t know about your position?
That it is a thankless job and the rewards come from the smiles after treating someone and relieving their pain or their discomfort. The patient that survives a catastrophic event in their life to come back and give you thanks.

What advice would you give to a young professional searching for a job like yours?
I would say that hard work and determination, along with being loyal to yourself, and to the company you represent will afford you the position that you were looking for.