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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John Moon's Inspiration
- John Moon, labeled "unemployable," worked as a hospital orderly.
- He was inspired to become a paramedic after witnessing two black paramedics saving a patient.
Early EMS
- Early emergency medical services (EMS) focused on transport, not treatment.
- Police, fire departments, or even funeral homes often handled transport, lacking medical training.
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.
