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hcumbie's review
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
3.75
Inspirational and informative book about early black paramedics and the invention of modern day CPR. It's hard to believe the pushback Freedom House got and that Dr. Safar got, trying to save lives!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Medical content
Minor: Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Suicide
laurenscholle's review
5.0
I love reading about pittsburgh history and this book was no exception!!!
booktwin2's review
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
This book was so good. Any chance I have to learn about the contributions Black people have made in history. I am all for it. Finding out that the first paramedic unit in America was Black was eye-opening. Kevin Hazzard did a great job giving backstories and connecting them to everything throughout this book.
lizaroo71's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
4.0
first heard about Freedom House and John Moon on the 99% Invisible podcast (if you haven't listened to it, check it out). This is all about the first real ambulance service set up in Philly during the late sixties and into the seventies. Freedom House started out servicing The Hill (a predominantly African American enclave).
The EMTs fought hard to get funding from the city, but the then mayor said the city didn't neeed ambulance service. It was handled just fine by the police officers. Yes, ambulance service was "provided" by the police which entailed picking up a body without first assessing what could be wrong and throwing the body into the back of a paddy wagon - unattended. Needless to say they lost many patients this way.
It was through the tiresome work of a ground-breaking doctor, Safer (the father of CPR) and his fight to train the men that would become the premiere EMTs in the world. When Freedom House was at risk of losing more funding, Safer recruited its final director, Dr. Nancy Caroline. She would make runs with the men of Freedom House and fought for them through the racist rules to get what was rightfully theirs.
The story focuses on John Moon's journey from emptying bed pans to learning how to do a tracheotomy. This requires extensive training and is difficult to perfom in even the most calm conditions. John excelled at his job, but when circumstances pushed him into EMT position with people with less experience, he had to fight tooth and nail for his place at the top.
This is an eye-opening story about a group of men (and some women) largely forgotten in the world of medicine. It's time to recognize their contribution to emergency medicine.
The EMTs fought hard to get funding from the city, but the then mayor said the city didn't neeed ambulance service. It was handled just fine by the police officers. Yes, ambulance service was "provided" by the police which entailed picking up a body without first assessing what could be wrong and throwing the body into the back of a paddy wagon - unattended. Needless to say they lost many patients this way.
It was through the tiresome work of a ground-breaking doctor, Safer (the father of CPR) and his fight to train the men that would become the premiere EMTs in the world. When Freedom House was at risk of losing more funding, Safer recruited its final director, Dr. Nancy Caroline. She would make runs with the men of Freedom House and fought for them through the racist rules to get what was rightfully theirs.
The story focuses on John Moon's journey from emptying bed pans to learning how to do a tracheotomy. This requires extensive training and is difficult to perfom in even the most calm conditions. John excelled at his job, but when circumstances pushed him into EMT position with people with less experience, he had to fight tooth and nail for his place at the top.
This is an eye-opening story about a group of men (and some women) largely forgotten in the world of medicine. It's time to recognize their contribution to emergency medicine.
carlys_currently_'s review against another edition
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
fast-paced
5.0
maraihrcke's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
5.0
laraleighz's review against another edition
5.0
Honestly, this book should one million percent be required reading for anyone going into healthcare.
kalliegrace's review
informative
inspiring
sad
medium-paced
4.0
So fascinating and frustrating, how poorly the first paramedics were treated (mostly due to their being Black) and how hard the city fought to kill the paramedic program. It's hard to believe how recent full service ambulances are. Also, thank goodness for CPR but who in the world allowed that experiment to go forward?!