American Sirens

by Kevin Hazzard

  • Hachette Books
  • 2022
  • ISBN: 978-0306926075
  • 316 pages
  • WorldCat
American Sirens book cover
About the Book

A dramatic story of the Freedom House EMS in Pittsburgh, a group of Black men who became America's first paramedics and set the gold standard for emergency medicine around the world, only to have their legacy erased--until now. At every turn they battled racism--from the community, the police, and the government. Never-before revealed in full, this is a rich and troubling hidden history of the Black origins of America's paramedics, a special band of dedicated essential workers, who stand ready to serve day and night on the line between life and death for every one of us. ebook iconAudio book icon
Kevin Hazzard
About the Author

Kevin Hazzard is a journalist, TV writer, and former paramedic. His first book, A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic’s Wild Ride to the Edge and Back, was published in 2016. He now writes for film and TV, with work produced by Hulu, CBS, ABC, and Universal. His journalism has been published at 99% Invisible, the Atavist, Men’s Journal, Creative Loafing, Atlanta Magazine, and elsewhere. He does medical relief work through Global Response Medicine and is a sought-after voice on emergency medicine. He lives in Atlanta.

Official website of Kevin Hazzard

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  • The Journal of Emergency Medical Services hosted a free webcast event on February 26, 2024 called The Legacy of Freedom House: The Black Men Who Became America’s First Paramedics. John Moon, a former Freedom House Paramedic, who retired as assistant chief of Pittsburgh Emergency Medical Services after 34 years of service, was the gusest speaker. Watch the Recording

Terms of use: Network of the National Library of Medicine (NNLM) staff offer these health discussion resources for educational use. The materials included do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the author, publisher, or the sponsoring agencies of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).