May 18, 2023
Rose Blackhorse-Gill 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 4 EMS councils in Arizona.
Rose Blackhorse-Gill started as an EMT for Sacred Mountain Medical Service in 2005, and worked her way up to become a paramedic in 2009. Rose is a training officer and precepts new paramedics, she performs quality assurance and reviews 100% of the ambulance charts, she is responsible for medication and narcotic resupply, she is a certified critical care transport specialist, and she has completed defensive driving courses.
2023 EMCT of the Year award winners!
From left: Raymond Proa, Western Region; James Cesolini, Central Region; Rose Blackhorse-Gill, Northern Region; Branden Mason, Southeastern Region
Northern Region winner!
Rose Blackhorse-Gill, Northern Region Winner, with her family...
Sacred Mountain Medical Service is based on the Navajo reservation in Tuba City and Kayenta. Rose lives in Chilchinbeto and she will drive 173 miles to Flagstaff to resupply narcotics and medications and then deliver them back to the Sacred Mountain Medical Service bases in Tuba City and Kayenta. Rose has been described as selfless, and takes on these extra responsibilities so that her EMS crews can concentrate on their jobs and not have to worry about other tasks.
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. 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.