Without Foundational Black American's there would be NO Ambulance Services
Trailblazers in Emergency Care: The Untold Story of Freedom House Ambulance Service 👀
Fact:
In 1967 Freedom House Ambulance Service became the first emergency medical service to have paramedic training beyond first aid. However, what people don’t know is that it was started in a predominantly Black Pittsburgh Hill District in Pennsylvania with Black Paramedics.
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Proof:
Often times today when we see someone in need of help, the first thing we think to do is call the ambulance. Yet what many of us forget is that this was not always the case, because before the 1960’s there were no ambulance services. In fact, if someone was stabbed or shot it was up to the Police to pick them up and take them to the hospital, which created a major issue because unfortunately for us the Police back then rarely came to our neighborhoods to provide aid or help. It was because of this that in 1967, Freedom House Enterprises started an ambulance service under the supervision of Dr. Nancy Caroline and Dr. Peter Safar who were approached by members of the Black community from Pittsburgh’s Hill District concerned about the transportation of their people in getting to the hospital. From this interaction Safar saw an opportunity to test his vision for national standards in community-wide emergency care. His department would help them get ambulances to transport critically ill or injured patients with life support, if they would let him train EMTs and medics to staff them. From this would come the first paramedic units in the country, all-black crews trained in emergency care and services. Over the next eight years Freedom House Ambulance Service would continue to train crews and run calls throughout the Hill District and the city of Pittsburgh, earning acclaim from a grateful city for saving hundreds of lives. Yet the racism of the time would eventually bring their success to a holt as in 1975 the city announced it would be starting its own EMS training program and service which forced Freedom House Ambulance Service to cease operations and for the original Black Paramedics to be quickly reassigned to non-medical duties.
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