History Fix

Happy Black History Month! We're kicking off the month with a story that was suggested by Janice on Instagram. Nowadays, when you call for emergency services, you expect the speedy arrival of an ambulance staffed by personnel who have the skills to save your life en route if necessary. But, believe it or not, that's actually a new concept. Before the 1960s, your call would have been answered (quite slowly) by a police paddy wagon or even a hearse and there would be virtually no pre-hospital care other than basic first aid. It took until 1967 for folks in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to realize that there had to be better way and the Freedom House Ambulance Service was born. If you've never heard of it, there's a reason for that. The Freedom House Ambulance Service was staffed by all Black paramedics, taken off the streets of Pittsburgh's impoverished Hill District. They were trained up and put to work and they absolutely killed it, revolutionizing emergency medical services country-wide. But history has a way of erasing these types of stories. So, let's fix that!  Support the show!  Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast)Buy some merchBuy Me a CoffeeVenmo @Shea-LaFountaineSources:  EMS1 "How Pittsburgh's 'Freedom House' Shaped Modern EMS Systems"University of Pittsburgh "Freedom House Ambulance Service of Pittsburgh - Making Medical History"University of California San Francisco "America's First Paramedics Were Black. Their Achievements Were Overlooked for DecadesWikipedia "Freedom House Ambulance Service"Shoot me a message! Support the show