The Department of Emergency Medical Services- Shiprock Field Office is located in the community of Shiprock, NM. Shiprock is approximately 30 miles southeast of the Four Corners Monument, USA, the only place in the United States where the four states meet on the Navajo Nation.
Shiprock (Tse' Bit' Ai') is named for the volcanic formation rising high in the desert at 1500 feet. The Tse' Bit' Ai means rock with wings. The Shiprock Office serves a population of 32,000 and an area of about 1300 square miles. In these square miles there are many other communities.
The Shiprock Field Office operates two ambulances with a crew of two EMT's on duty or on call at all times. During 2001 the office responded to 1362 calls. Most consisted of motor vehicle collisions. As of April 2002 the office has responded to 468 calls. The ambulance is dispatched either by the Navajo Department of Law Enforcement- Shiprock or directly from the patient or family members.
Response to scene range from a couple of minutes to an hour or more. This is due to the terrain and the lack of an addressing system. Most calls are on unpaved roads. The crew may ask the complainant for specific landmarks or familiar family names to locate scenes.
Medical control is provided through the Northern Navajo Medical Center. Our medical director us Patricia Breeden, MD. She has been our medical director since January 2002. Most of our patients are transported to the Northern Navajo Medical Center.
Other may be transported to San Juan Regional Medical Center by way of their helicopter (Air care I). We have an ongoing CEU program in our office. In-service are held on the last Wednesday of each month and are planned at the beginning of each year.
All visitors are welcomed to meet our staff. We are also available for on site presentations to schools, visitors, and the public. We also provide certification in American Heart Association CPR and F.A.C.T.S.