The Pitt 1x8 '2:00 P.M.' 1-Week Early Access

It's so wonderful that this show took a moment to shine a light on the history of the Freedom House Ambulance Service. Such an interesting and important piece of history that I didn't even know until seeing this episode of The Pitt. Here are some excerpts from teamrubiconusa.org: "The Ambulance Service That Made the Modern EMS" -- a great article, feel free to google it to read more: "Prior to the mid-1960s, most ambulance services in the city were provided by the police, who would typically rush people to the hospital in the back of a police van. During an emergency, many residents of the Hill District were reluctant to call the primarily white Pittsburgh police force. When they did call, the police were often slow to respond. These racial tensions existed against the backdrop of a community that desperately needed emergency medical care." "Freedom House began by recruiting would-be paramedics from within the community, including many who had experienced long-term unemployment, had criminal records, or were veterans of the Vietnam War. Freedom House worked closely with Dr. Peter Safar, known as the “Father of CPR,” to design and implement a revolutionary 32-week training program that would turn these recruits from the Hill District into the world’s first-ever first responders. The recruits’ training included 300 hours of anatomy, physiology, CPR, advanced first aid, nursing, and defensive driving instruction. Once they were on the road, the Freedom House ambulances became the first emergency medical service in the United States to be staffed by paramedics with medical training beyond basic first aid." "During its first year of operation, the Freedom House Ambulance Service responded to nearly 5,800 calls and transported more than 4,600 patients, and, according to data collected by Dr. Safar, its paramedics saved 200 lives." "Though highly regarded throughout the medical field and beloved by residents of the Hill District, the Freedom House Ambulance Service was forced to cease operations at the end of 1975 when the mayor of Pittsburgh instituted a citywide ambulance service. Most of the Black paramedics who had served on the ambulance crews for Freedom House were excluded from comparable work within the new system."

Anna H