Committee honors Freedom House paramedics, acknowledging role in modern emergency medical services
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Summary
Representative Mays presented a lengthy tribute to Freedom House Emergency Service — a pioneering, Hill District–based paramedic service — and the committee voted to report House Resolution 4‑13 recognizing its contributions to emergency medicine and local communities.
The House State Government Committee on Monday reported a resolution honoring Freedom House Emergency Service and its role in shaping modern paramedic care.
House Resolution 4‑13 (Rep. Abney sponsor, presented by Representative Mays) recognizes the pioneering paramedics, medical leaders and community members from Pittsburgh’s Hill District who created Freedom House Ambulance Service beginning in 1967. Representative Mays described conditions at the time — emergency transport handled by police or funeral‑home ambulances without medical care — and said Freedom House partnered with University of Pittsburgh physicians to create a highly trained paramedic corps capable of delivering advanced medical care in the field. Mays called Freedom House “living history” and urged an affirmative vote so surviving paramedics could be honored while alive.
Committee members voted to report the resolution for the record. Representative Mays noted Freedom House’s national impact, its influence on training protocols and its later defunding and dissolution in 1975; the resolution records those contributions and the request to honor surviving paramedics.
Next steps: The resolution was reported by the committee; further disposition will follow normal legislative process.
