02/04/2026
In celebration of Black History Month, let's honor the trailblazing Freedom House Ambulance Service. They were pioneers who revolutionized emergency care in America.
Launched in 1967 in the predominantly black Hill District of Pittsburgh, Freedom House was a civil rights project staffed entirely by black paramedics, most recruited from the black community, including veterans and the unemployed. They were assisted by professionals like the "Father of CPR", Dr. Peter Safar, in developing the historic 32-week training program, which included advanced medical skills such as intubation, defibrillation, CPR, and IV therapy, and went far beyond basic first aid.
Historical Importance
In an era marked by racial tensions and poor emergency response in the black community, Freedom House filled the gap created by the slow response of police ambulances to emergency calls. They accomplished this by responding to emergency calls within 10 minutes. In their first year, Freedom House responded to almost 5,800 calls and saved 200 lives. In the face of racism from the medical community, their compassionate service was in such high demand that police departments requested their service, with their ambulances being used to provide ICU-level care.
Lasting Impact
In operation until 1975, Freedom House developed the template for modern paramedic training, ambulance development, and emergency medical service, which is used today across the world.
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