Support Freedom House for Congressional Gold Medal

NAEMT is very pleased to announce that a long standing priority of ours, H.R. XX, the Freedom House Ambulance Service Congressional Gold Medal Act, sponsored by Representatives Summer Lee (D-PA) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) will be re-introduced soon.

This bipartisan bill would award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Freedom House Ambulance Service in recognition of its pioneering contributions to modern emergency medical services (EMS).

Founded in Pittsburgh in 1967, Freedom House Ambulance Service was the first EMS in the United States staffed by medically trained paramedics. This groundbreaking model became the pre-eminent national standard for pre-hospital emergency care. 

Led by visionary professionals such as Chief John Moon, Dr. Peter Safar, Dr. Nancy Caroline, and Dr. Don Benson, and composed primarily of Black men and women from Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Freedom House transformed emergency response and saved countless lives.

This legislation honors not only Freedom House’s lifesaving innovations but also its role in advancing economic development in Pittsburgh and the evolution of EMS as a healthcare discipline. The Gold Medal would be displayed at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, ensuring this legacy is preserved and celebrated for generations.

We urge organizations across the country to sign on in support of this historic recognition. To add your organization’s endorsement, please fill out this brief form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfV4m20XTCG-JijE1Pz47E7zS_9wD5jgjunT7h1hPTKHu_zdg/viewform?usp=publish-editor

Thank you for your consideration to support and honor a vital part of our shared EMS history.