Pittsburgh's Revolutionary Black Paramedics Made a Breakthrough in Medicine, Part IConstant Wonder • Season 10, Episode 6
Feb 12, 2025 • 44m
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
Visit Kevin Hazzard online to learn more about his writing and research:
Main website: https://www.kevinhazzard.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goes_by_hazzard/?hl=en
X/Twitter: https://x.com/goes_by_hazzard
Photo Credit: Heinz History Center
Originally aired on September 21, 2022.