Getting to know Supervisor Jason Carita
May 5, 2021 | Category: News
Cetronia Ambulance Corps has four supervisors to lead two platoons. One of those supervisors is Jason Carita. Jason strives for high morale on his team by trying to build a strong rapport of mutual respect with them.
We did a little Q&A to find out more about Jason Carita …
How long have you been working at Cetronia?
I started in January 2021.
Before Cetronia, where did you go to school, and what did you study?
I graduated from Phillipsburg High School. After high school graduation I went to the Warren County Fire Academy, Pennsylvania Culinary Institute for Culinary Arts, and New Jersey Technical Institute HazMat. I got my EMT certification through Northampton Community College. And, I furthered my career by becoming a Paramedic through the George E. Moerkirk Emergency Medicine Institute.
When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I was headed on a path to become a chef or a teacher.
Can you walk me through your career path from entry level position to your current position?
My adult life started off as a culinarian and a customer service professional. While I loved the job, I also wanted a better home life. I then decided to become an EMT to help out a local fire company. As the class went on I realized that it is part medicine and a lot of public service. I started working after obtaining my EMT certification as a Basic Life Support (BLS) transport EMT. As my skills got better I moved to an Advanced Life Support (ALS) unit. I really liked the aspect of ALS care, and decided to go to paramedic school.
When I became a paramedic, I became fully immersed in emergency care and moved up to a supervisor position. A few years later a few friends of mine told me about a great opportunity at Cetronia as an operations supervisor. I took a risk and applied. After my first interview all I could think about was how amazing the Cetronia culture was. After my second interview I was sold. Working with the talented EMS team, Paratransit team, and management team at Cetronia makes me look forward to coming in every day.
What day-to-day responsibilities does your job entail?
A lot of what I do day to day is helping our team. Not everything I do is medical. Sometimes part of what I do is just listening. It may be someone venting or looking for advice. It gives me pride to ensure the morale of our team is high, as well as the satisfaction of the patient care that they provide. I also help out when I can on the education side of Cetronia as a CPR instructor, mentoring new EMTs and medics. Another part of my responsibilities is being a part of the supply team and making sure the crews have what they need.
What project that you’ve worked on at Cetronia are you most proud of?
The project that I am the most proud of is getting to know our team and building a trusting rapport with them. I grew up with the idea of working off of mutual respect. The respect you give your team translates to the attitudes the public sees.
What’s really fun about your job, and what’s really challenging?
The fun part of my job is assisting teammates with high priority calls and the logistics of difficult medical situations.
How has your job here allowed you to grow personally and professionally?
My position has helped me grow in leadership and reignited my interest in teaching others.
What might surprise people about your job, or what’s one thing people don’t know about your position?
Many think that a supervisor sits at the desk and does paperwork or handles phone calls. The truth is that there are multiple ideas that get discussed behind the scene. We are constantly looking at ways to better team morale, improving Cetronia as a whole. Our goal is to find solutions to issues we have all had being field unit personnel.
What advice would you give to a young professional searching for a job like yours?
I would tell young professionals to always have an open mind. At times your team may have a better idea, or a better way to solve an issue. It is a team, and will only work if everyone is working together.