EMS Celebrates Inaugural Class of Freedom House EMT Training Academy

Published on August 14, 2024

Pittsburgh Bureau of EMS Celebrates Inaugural Class of Freedom House EMT Training Academy

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) today held a graduation ceremony for the inaugural class of the Freedom House EMT Training Academy. The ceremony was held at Frankie Pace Park which connects Downtown to the Lower Hill District, the birthplace of modern emergency medical services nationwide.

Marino Barbabella, TreVaughn Brown, Jennifer Burton, Allyson Foster, Abby Gwynn, Ryan Henderson, Aniya Jackson, Cortney Jaworski, and Moneic Miller obtained their EMT certifications after completing the twelve-week course which began in May. All nine graduates are now full-time employed EMTs with the Bureau of EMS.

Kicking off the ceremony, Pittsburgh EMS Chief Amera Gilchrist addressed the graduates directly. “To get a spot in this academy you had to work for it. You had to show a willingness and a desire to be here and every single one of you did. A great piece of Pittsburgh’s rich history had been forgotten for many years. Now the name Freedom House will forever be synonymous with prominence, aspiration, and success.”

Chief Gilchrist launched Freedom House EMT Training Academy earlier this year during February’s Black History Month. The academy is named after Freedom House Ambulance Service, founded in 1967 in the Hill District, which developed life-saving techniques that remain in use to this day.

Lee Schmidt, the Director of Public Safety, explained, “Freedom House was the first paramedic service in the United States; staffed primarily by Black men and women, who were trained in advanced medical procedures that saved countless lives. To our graduates, you are the torchbearers of that legacy.”

The academy builds upon the history of those paramedics who pioneered providing pre-hospital care in the field.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey highlighted the success of the new EMTs. “Being there for each other, being supports for one another, exemplifies what it means to serve and it’s what allowed this first class of Freedom House Academy to finish with a 100% graduation rate. Each of you has faced adversity, but through your challenges you have grown. We celebrate you and your accomplishments.”

Congratulations, graduates!!

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Freedom House EMT Training Academy trainees receive a living wage while attending the twelve-week course. Applications for the next class, to start in September, are currently being reviewed. Anyone interested in future classes should contact emsrecruiting@pittsburghpa.gov for more information.

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Emily Bourne
Public Information Officer
Public Safety
emily.bourne@pittsburghpa.gov