By Rozanna M. Martinez
Albuquerque Journal (New Mexico)
Copyright 2006 Albuquerque Journal
John Francis, who wears many hats with the Rio Rancho Department of Public Safety, was recognized Friday for his work as an emergency medical technician.
Francis, who serves predominantly as DPS spokesman, received the EMT Basic of the Year award at the 26th annual statewide Emergency Medical Services conference and awards luncheon held Friday in Albuquerque.
“I was shocked because there are so many EMTs throughout the state that are very deserving of the award,” Francis said.
According to Francis, an EMT basic has a personal license to administer emergency services at the basic level.
He was recommended for the EMT basic award by the New Mexico Department of Health’s EMS bureau.
According to Francis, firefighters, EMTs and paramedics from around the state attend the EMS conference every year.
The conference is a series of trainings and seminars that allow fire, EMTs and paramedics a chance to obtain additional training and continue education hours for relicensing, Francis said.
Francis said he received the EMT basic award in recognition of his 26 years of EMS service.
Francis began as a volunteer firefighter with Bernalillo County in 1979 while still in high school.
He graduated from the University of New Mexico’s EMS academy in 1981.
“My first job was with Valley Ambulance in Belen as an EMT making $5 per call,” Francis said. “I had to work a lot of calls to make some money.”
Francis obtained his intermediate EMT licensure and worked in Española, Roswell and Hobbs before entering law enforcement full-time.
He joined Rio Rancho DPS in 1988.
Francis said he dropped his licensure from the intermediate EMT level back to basic because of time constraints.
He said he plans to stay licensed for many more years by obtaining continuing education hours and EMT refreshers every two years.