Freedom House Ambulance: The FIRST Responders | A WQED Documentary
Encore broadcasts: Sunday, February 12 at 2:30PM | Thursday, February 23 at 8PM
In 1967, Pittsburgh's inner city produced America’s first EMT service. Comprised solely of Black men and women recruited from the city’s Hill District neighborhood, the paramedics of Freedom House Ambulance became trailblazers in providing pre-hospital and CPR care. Freedom House was initially conceived to respond to the needs of Pittsburgh’s African American community who often times, couldn’t rely on police and fire departments during an emergency. Their ground breaking work became the basis for all paramedics training in the country. However, despite its success - racism and power dynamics in Pittsburgh shut down Freedom House in 1975, leaving its legacy almost lost to history.
This 30-minute documentary explores the rise and fall of Freedom House Ambulance. With rare archival images, the program features the story of inception from an original founder, compelling reflections of surviving paramedics, stories of the world-renowned doctors who trained them, and memories of lifelong Hill District residents.
Watch the documentary:
Annette Banks - Freedom House Ambulance
Original airdate: Jan 11, 2023
WQED-FM's Anna Singer spoke with Annette Banks, producer of the new WQED-TV documentary "Freedom House Ambulance: The First Responders." Airing on Thursday January 12th at 8pm on WQED, the documentary tells the story of the paramedics of Freedom House Ambulance which was initially conceived to respond to the needs of Pittsburgh’s African American community who often times, couldn’t rely on police and fire departments during an emergency. With rare archival images, the program features the story of inception from an original founder, compelling reflections of surviving paramedics, stories of the world-renowned doctors who trained them, and memories of lifelong Hill District residents.
Freedom House paramedic helps to evaluate a patient inside an ambulance.
Freedom House paramedics answer an emergency call at a Pittsburgh high school.
Group of Freedom House men along with founder Phil Hallen outside Pittsburgh's Presbyterian Hospital.
Freedom House Ambulance parked in front of a Pittsburgh high school.
Freedom House Ambulance: The FIRST Responders - A Pre-screening Event
Held January 10, 2023 at the Jeron X. Grayson Community Center
On January 10, 2023 more than 100 people attended the pre-screening event of the WQED documentary Freedom House Ambulance: The FIRST Responders. The event was held at the Jeron X. Grayson Community Center, located in the Hill District -- the same Pittsburgh neighborhood where in 1968 the nation's first paramedics started saving lives.
Three of the original Freedom House Ambulance paramedics were in attendance along with one of the founders:
George McCary III, veteran paramedic and part of the original training program established by Dr. Peter Safar, known as the "father of CPR."
John Moon grew up in the Hill District saw first-hand the neglect his neighborhood experienced, and joined Freedom House to make a difference.
Mitchell Brown was trained as a medic in the Air Force, and became the Operations Manager for the ambulance service.
Phil Hallen, an original founder and believer in the Freedom House mission, who provided funding for the service through his work with the Maurice Falk Medical Fund.
Freedom House paramedics Mitch Brown and George McCary III posing with Bobby Hopewell from Mobile Health Resources
Former paramedic Tiaura Hanner taking a photo with Freedom House paramedic John Moon
Emily Lovallo from UPMC giving opening remarks
Back row: Carl Brown, Mobile Health Resources. Anita Srikameswaran, Univ. of Pittsburgh. Minette Seate, WQED. Bobby Hopewell, Mobile Health Resources. Front: Annette Banks, WQED
Freedom House Paramedics George McCary III, Mitch Brown and John Moon with one of the Freedom House founders Phil Hallen
The Q&A panel was moderated by WQED's Minette Seate and included WQED Producer Annette Banks and Freedom House Ambulance pioneers John Moon, George McCary III, Mitch Brown and Phil Hallen.
The Jeron X. Grayson Community Center
Funding made possible by:
UPMC
Mobile Health Resources/EMSST
Page, Wolfberg & Wirth LLC
Center for Emergency Medicine/ STAT MedEvac
