Rose Blackhorse-Gill receives EMT award

CHILCHINBETO, Ariz — Rose Blackhorse-Gill recently received the prestigious Emergency Medical Care Technician (EMCT) award from the Arizona Department of Health Services Bureau of Emergency Medical Services and Trauma Systems, representing the Northern Arizona Emergency Medical Services Council (NAEMS).

NAEMS is one of four EMS councils in Arizona.

Blackhorse-Gill started as an EMT for Sacred Mountain Medical Service in 2005, and worked her way up to become a paramedic in 2009.

Her duties include being a training officer and training precepts as new paramedics.

She performs quality assurance and reviews ambulance charts and she is responsible for medication and narcotic resupply.

Blackhorse-Gill is a certified critical care transport specialist and has completed defensive driving courses.

Sacred Mountain Medical Service is based on the Navajo reservation in Tuba City and Kayenta. Blackhorse-Rose lives in Chilchinbeto; she drives 173 miles to Flagstaff to resupply narcotics and medications and deliver them back to the Sacred Mountain Medical Service bases in Tuba City and Kayenta.

She has been described as selfless and takes on extra responsibilities so her EMS crews can concentrate on their jobs and not have to worry about other tasks, said Vincent Martinez of Northern Arizona Healthcare.

"It should be noted that Sacred Mountain Medical Service performed a very high number of ambulance transports of very ill Navajo patients with COVID to Flagstaff Medical Center and other Arizona hospitals, of which Rose was instrumental in performing," he said. "Rose is based primarily in Kayenta, which was ground zero for the COVID outbreak on the Navajo reservation. Rose is an EMS leader and provides a critical role in staffing essential ambulance services on the Navajo reservation in support of her community."