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What’s the Real History Behind the Freedom House Ambulance Service From ‘The Pitt’?

February 26, 2025

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 1 Episode 8 of The Pitt.The Max series The Pitt has been praised by the medical community for its accuracy in portraying the daily lives of healthcare professionals in a Pittsburgh hospital. The cast, led by ER veteran Noah Wyle, portrays the emotional toll that treating critically ill patients takes on a physician while also highlighting the resilience required to juggle personal crises. The latest episode, “2:00 P.M.,” was the most heartbreaking of the series so far. However, amidst the heartbreak, creator R. Scott Gemmill and the writers turned a lighter case into an important history lesson, highlighting a significant chapter of Pittsburgh’s medical history for both the audience and the doctors at The Pitt.

‘The Pitt’ Highlights the Freedom House Ambulance Service in Episode 8

In Episode 8, “2:00 P.M.,” Dr. Robby and his team treat Willie Alexander (Harold Sylvester), an elderly patient with a faulty pacemaker and dementia. As the doctors assess his condition, they are surprised by his detailed knowledge not only of his pacemaker but also of the hospital and Dr. Adamson, Robby’s mentor, who passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked if he was once a doctor, Willie laughs and says he was a postal worker who delivered mail to the hospital. However, when his son Eli (Paul Mabon) arrives, he reveals that, when his father was young, Willie was part of the Freedom House Ambulance Service, America’s first Black-led paramedic crew, which played a crucial role in transforming emergency medical care — a vital yet often overlooked part of Pittsburgh’s history.

Dr. Robby has the right reaction, calling Willie a “legend” as a “Hero of Hill District”, reflecting the true significance of the Freedom House Ambulance Service, not only in the medical community but in the city of Pittsburgh. Founded in the late 1960s, Freedom House trained its paramedics, as Wilie says for 300 hours in advanced procedures like starting IVs, defibrillating, and intubating in the field — techniques that were revolutionary at the time. Before Freedom House, emergency response was limited to police with no medical equipment or on-site care, leading to unnecessary deaths, especially in the Black community. The service, staffed predominantly by young Black men, not only filled this critical gap but became the model for modern EMS, laying the foundation for the national 911 system. Willie’s personal history with Freedom House underscores the far-reaching impact of this program in shaping EMS in America.

Willie’s fragmented memory in the episode, combined with Eli’s recollections, highlights the profound impact of the Freedom House Ambulance Service. The service’s plan was to recruit and train young Black men and women with no prior medical experience, providing them with jobs and the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on their community. Freedom House not only filled a crucial need but also equipped these individuals with vital training, even though they were labeled “unemployable.” However, after their groundbreaking contributions to emergency response, the city absorbed the program and trained all new medics, and its predominantly Black paramedics were replaced by white medics, reflecting a common, troubling pattern of Black Americans’ contributions being stifled during that era.

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Dr. Safar Was a Real Founding Member of the Freedom House Ambulance Service in ‘The Pitt’

In the episode, Willie mentions one of his great teachers, Dr. Peter Safar, who was the “Father of CPR.” In real life, Dr. Safar was a key figure in the Freedom House Ambulance Service and the “Father of CPR.” Dr. Safar’s pioneering work in resuscitation techniques greatly influenced the development of emergency medical services and was instrumental in shaping CPR and trauma care. His legacy endures through the advancements made by the Freedom House team. Along with Dr. Safar, a group of visionary leaders, including Phil Hallen, president of the Maurice Falk Medical Fund, and James McCoy Jr., founder of the Hill District’s Freedom House Enterprise Corporation, recognized the need for change and launched the groundbreaking program.

Dr. Nancy Caroline became the medical director of Freedom House in 1974 and made lasting contributions, including writing the first paramedic textbook, Emergency Care in the Streets, which remains a critical resource for paramedic training today. By 1975, Freedom House was chosen as the model for the nation’s first EMS training program, and its impact spread globally, solidifying its legacy in shaping the EMS industry. Dr. Caroline’s work was adopted worldwide, underscoring Freedom House’s pivotal role in transforming emergency medical care. Willie’s reverence for his teachers, including his connection to Robby’s mentor, highlights just how impactful the program was— not only for the medics involved but also for the city itself. This makes it all the more heartbreaking to see how the program ended.

The inclusion of this history in a successful show like The Pitt is a significant one, drawing attention to an often overlooked chapter of medical history. By weaving the story of Freedom House into the narrative, the show highlights the origins of emergency medical services and the 911 system, showcasing Pittsburgh’s pivotal role in these developments. The Pitt continues to set itself apart by grounding its stories in real-world medical history, blending great characters with smart educational moments, and sparking renewed interest in this incredible piece of history.

New episodes of The Pitt air Thursdays on Max with the first eight episodes available to stream on the platform.