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WHEREAS, in 1967, the Hill District-based, Freedom House Ambulance Service was established as the first Mobile Intensive Care unit in the country with personnel trained in Advanced Life Support, thereby paving the way for a new professional-"The Paramedic"; and
WHEREAS, this innovative concept of "Mobile Intensive Care" sought to work in collaboration with a local anti-poverty initiative, whose goals included the recruitment of unemployed and trainable African-American men and women from Pittsburgh's Northside and Hill District, who would serve as Freedom House attendants; and
WHEREAS, the Freedom House attendants were trained by the late, Dr. Peter Safar, a University of Pittsburgh Anesthesiologist and medical visionary, who developed a method of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, thereby earning Dr. Safar the titles of "Father of CPR" and in Pittsburgh, the "Father of Paramedic Training"; and
WHEREAS, marking the 40th anniversary of the founding of Freedom House Ambulance Service, and in celebration of Black History Month, the University of Pittsburgh and the Hill House Association co-hosted the world premiere screening of a one-hour documentary by Gene Starzenski of Genastar Productions of Los Angeles which seeks to tell the story of "Freedom House."
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby wish to recognize the life-saving work of the Freedom House Ambulance Service, the nation's first Paramedic team; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby join its voice with the University of Pittsburgh, the Hill House Association, and Genastar Productions, as they celebrate Black History Month and the Freedom House Ambulance Service's 40th anniversary.