Pittsburgh's Revolutionary Black Paramedics Made a Breakthrough in Medicine, Part I

Pittsburgh's Revolutionary Black Paramedics Made a Breakthrough in Medicine, Part I

Constant Wonder - Season 10, Episode 6

  • Feb 12, 2025 7:00 am
  • 43:40
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Before 1966, if you needed transport to the hospital, authorities might send a police car, or even a hearse. That year, Pittsburgh's non-profit Freedom House set out to change that for the city's predominately Black Hill District. Staffed by trained Black men, their ambulance service served as a model for newly emerging paramedic services around the country. Guests: Kevin Hazzard, author of "American Sirens: The Incredible Story of the Black Men Who Became America's First Paramedics" John Moon, paramedic at Freedom House and former Assistant Chief, City of Pittsburgh EMS Photo Credit: Heinz History Center Originally aired on September 21, 2022.