Horizon Health EMS Awarded for Exceptional Service

A Horizon Health ambulance crew wasn’t expecting kudos when they responded to a call of a choking victim earlier this year. But unbeknown to them, a special award would follow for their exceptional service.

Paramedic Morgan Latoz and Trevan Land, emergency medical technician, recently received a Challenge Coin from Carle Regional Emergency Medical Services (CREMS), which includes Horizon Health.

The Challenge Coin is a national recognition program that began in the US military and was expanded to include civilian emergency responders. Each coin is customized, with a special version designed for EMS.

Morgan and Trevan were selected from 1,400 emergency responders in CREMS, which is one of 11 EMS regions in Illinois. Five Challenge Coins are given monthly to responders in CREMS.

“It’s a great honor,” said Samantha McCarty, Horizon Health emergency services director. “Of all EMS entities – flight, transport, and non-transport – it shows outstanding patient care with a good outcome.”

Dr. John Aguilar, Carle Regional EMS medical director, said Challenge Coin is equivalent to the DAISY Award, a national recognition program for extraordinary nurses.

“The idea is to celebrate our successes in the EMS system that demonstrate exceptional patient care,” he added.