The Freedom House Ambulance
The Freedom House ambulance service was the first of its kind. It was established in 1967 in The Hills District of Pittsburgh, PA. Before the ambulance existed, people had to call the police during emergencies. In underserved communities like the Hills District, people did not receive prompt medical attention. Especially Black Americans because their relationship with the police was oppressive (Sala Udin).
Many of the first responders in the Freedom House Ambulance were Black men who grew up in the Hills District. They learned how to perform CPR and intubate patients. Both CPR and intubation were new practices at the time. They learned to defibrillate patients and more. Once they were successful and proven to save lives. They began training others to become skilled first responders.
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