99% Invisible Freedom House Ambulance Service
Jul 8, 2020
Join John Moon, a pioneering paramedic from Pittsburgh's Presbyterian University Hospital, and reporter Kevin Hazard as they explore the groundbreaking Freedom House Ambulance Service. They discuss how this service revolutionized emergency medical care in the 1970s, spotlighting the vital role of Black paramedics in reshaping public safety. Hear about the socio-economic challenges they faced, the innovations they implemented, and the ongoing legacy that continues to influence modern emergency services today.
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Police as EMS
- Police often provided minimal first aid with limited equipment like stretchers and oxygen.
- Patients were left unattended in the back of police vehicles, sometimes with obstructed airways.
Hill District EMS Crisis
- In Pittsburgh's Hill District, police response was slow, and black residents distrusted them.
- This created a public health crisis as people hesitated to call for help.
Freedom House's Initial Vision
- Phil Hallin, seeing inadequate healthcare, initially envisioned Freedom House trucks transporting patients.
- Inspired by Freedom House's mobile grocery store, he sought to bring medical vans to underserved neighborhoods.
