South Dakota EMS Association recently named the 2021 Paramedic of the year. The distinction went to Lennox Area Ambulance personnel Amy Roseland.
Roseland has worked as a Paramedic for the Lennox Area Ambulance for the past four years. She has been employed at the Canton Hospital for 27 years.
Roseland graduated from Canton and raised her family there. She has two adult children — a son and his wife who live in Sioux Falls and a daughter who lives in Canton. Roseland continues to make her home in Canton with her significant other.
Roseland started as a paramedic about ten years ago, when there was an EMT class in Canton.
“I fell in love with it,” said Roseland, “And three — almost four — years ago I got my Paramedic.”
She was inspired to become a paramedic because she watched her mom serve her community in those roles.
“My mom was a nurse and also an EMT while I was growing up,” Roseland said, “ I saw the passion she had and decided I wanted to follow in her foot steps. I just wish I had done it earlier in life.”
She says the most challenging part of her job as a Paramedic is also the most rewarding part.
“Working in small towns means you get to know your patients,” she said, “That makes it very hard when you know the person and they are going through a tough time, but its also rewarding when we can help them through that tough time.”