Freedom House Ambulance Service was established in Pittsburgh in 1967. It was a cooperation between Freedom House Enterprises, a non-profit Black-administered organization focused on the development of Black-owned and operated businesses, and the Presbyterian University Hospital. Freedom House provided training for unemployed members of the Hill District community, teaching them to become Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) and deliver paramedic service to the area that lacked access to emergency services. This training equipped future paramedics with skills like intubation and defibrillation, which no one had performed in the out-of-hospital setting before. The Freedom House training would eventually become the model for the national standard of EMT training.
The Freedom House Ambulance Service operated successfully until 1975, during which time it extended its reach to serve not only the Hill District but also Oakland and downtown Pittsburgh. Due to political reasons and financial problems this highly advanced ambulance service, a trailblazer of the modern EMS in the nation, was disbanded and almost forgotten in Pittsburgh.
In 2020 UPMC launched a new program to recruit, train and employ first responders from poor communities. This program is called Freedom House 2.0. Organizers recruit from and offer each class in a different underserved community. The ninth class graduated last month, offering hope that the legacy of Freedom House training will continue.
Learn More
For a deeper look at the history and impact of Freedom House Ambulance Service, we recommend the following resources.
Read: “American Sirens: the Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America’s First Paramedics” by Kevin Hazzard (2022)
A true page-turner of local medical history, this book is suitable for all and comes with a guarantee of time well spent. Find it at Falk Library in our Leisure Reading Collection.
Listen: Constant Wonder, a BYUradio podcast
For those preferring hands-free activities in the summer, we recommend this two-part podcast hosted by Marcus Smith. Guests Kevin Hazzard, author of “American Sirens,” and John Moon, a Freedom House paramedic, tell the amazing story that started here in Pittsburgh and changed emergency services around the globe.
Part one: America’s First Paramedics Were Black Pioneers in Pittsburgh (43 min)
Part two: Black Paramedics Find an Ally in a Young White Female Doctor (40 min)
Watch: Freedom House Ambulance: The FIRST Responders (30 min)
This WQED documentary on the rise and fall of Freedom House Ambulance first aired in January 2023. It is full of historical photographs and video clips interlaced with the voices and views of the surviving paramedics from the original group. WQED offers additional information and educational resources (video clips, photographs, slides, educator’s guide) to help teachers introduce and discuss with students this documentary and the story it tells.
~Małgorzata Fort