A local paramedic received a prestigious national medal earlier this week at Government House in Regina.

On Wednesday afternoon Swift Current resident Natalie LeBlanc was awarded the Governor General's EMS Exemplary Service Medal.

"It's an extreme honour to be able to receive such a medal with long service," she explained. "The whole experience was fantastic.

"To get to be around some of my colleagues as well as the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan was quite an honour."

LeBlanc is entering her 23rd year as a paramedic and was caught off guard this past spring when she was notified about the medal.

"I believe that there is a criteria that has to be met and you have to be in good standing," she said. "So I had received a letter back in April stating that I had won the award and that it would be presented in June so it was definitely a bit of a surprise."

She was one of four recipients from Saskatchewan that were presented the medal by Lieutenant Governor Thomas Molloy.

LeBlanc's favourite part of the job is working with other agencies and first responders.