Freedom House Enterprise, Inc. - Pittsburgh, PA

Rick Duffy said:

You'll have to review the history, to find that pre-hospital (Paramedic) care as we know it today, really started in 1965, in Pittsburgh, with the creation of Freedom House Ambulance Service (1967-1975)

Here, unemployed and often "at-risk" men were recruited from the poorer communities in Pittsburgh and trained by Peter Safar, MD (father of CPR) and Nancy Caroline, MD (Emergency Care in the Streets) and Don Benson, MD. For nearly 2 years these people were trained at Presbyterian University Hospital prior to beginning the first ALS service in early 1967.

Part of Dr. Safar's vision was to create a vehicle, capable of carrying the ALS equipment and having the ability/room to perform advanced life support in the field. FHA had 3 units that I remember. They were comprised of International (bread truck) followed by two van style ambulances that were adapted specifically for this purpose.

Click to expand...