EMS History: First ever paramedic unit in your area

medicsb

Forum Asst. Chief
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I'm interested in the start of paramedic services and Iam putting together a list of the first paramedic units to be established. Most people know the first cities to have paramedic programs, such as Miami, Pittsburgh, Columbus, Los Angeles County, Seattle, etc., but I'm curious about the others.

I'm also curious about the mobile coronary care units that were around in the late 60s and early 70s (e.g. St. Vincent's in NYC).

If you have any to add, please do! If you can use a similar format or provide a link, that'd be great! Thanks!

Here's the list I have so far...

City/County | Service name | unit designation | start date ("0-19XX" means only the year is known) | location | founders | notes about the service

Pittsburgh PA - Freedom House Ambulance Service - 15-Jul-1968 - Presbyterian Hospital Dr. Peter Safar, Phillip Hollan, Morton Coleman - MD & medic staffed initially?

Columbus OH - Columbus Division of Fire & Ohio State University Medical Center - Heartmobile - 1-Apr-1969 - Ohio State University Medical Center - Dr. James D. Warren Y - Physician staffed until 7-1971

Miami FL - Miami Fire Department (Now Miami Fire & Rescue) - Rescue 1 - 1-Jun-1969 - Dr. Eugene Nagle & Dr. Jim Hirschmann

Hanover PA - Hanover Fire Department & Hanover General Hospital - Coronary 46 - 15-Nov-69 - Hanover General Hospital - RH Sheppard & Dr. Bernard Bathon - Staffed w/ CCU nurses

West Carson CA - Los Angeles County Fire Department - Squad 59 - 8-Dec-1969 - Dr. Michael Criley

Seattle WA - Seattle Fire Department - Medic 1 - 7-Mar-1970 - Harborview Medical Center - Dr. Leonard Cobb

Marietta GA - Metro Ambulance Service - Car 25 - 1-Sep-1970 - 219 Lawrence Street - Dr. Luther Fortson & Bo Pounds

Bronx NY - NYC EMS (health & Hospital Corp) - Medic 1 & 2 - 7-Jul-1974 - Jacobi Medical Center - Dr. Sheldon Jacobson

Philadelphia PA - Philadelphia Fire Department - Rescue 7 - 25-Jul-1974 - 2108 Market St.

Overlook NJ - Overlook Hospital - Jul-76 - Overlook Hospital

Manhatten NY - St. Vincent's Hospital & Medical Center - Mobile Coronary Care Unit - 0-1968 - St. Vincent's Hospital - Dr. William Grace - staffed by RNs and MD

Portland OR - Bucks Ambulance Service, Inc. - 0-1969 - Dr. Leonard B. Rose

Haywood County NC - Haywood County Volunteer Rescue Squad (in conjunction w/ Haywood County Hospital) - 0-1969 - Canton, NC, and Waynesville, NC - Dr. Ralph Feichter - volunteer medics

Springfield MO - Cox Medical Center - Mobile Coronary Care Unit - 0-1971 - Cox medical Center - Physician and RN staffed

Roselle Park NJ - Roselle Park First Aid Squad (now Roselle Park EMS) - Cardiopulmonary Unit - 0-1972 - 535 Laurel Ave, Roselle Park, NJ - Dr. Steven Parker
 

mycrofft

Still crazy but elsewhere
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I don't know about paramedics, but I was the first full time regularly assigned EMT-A (now "B") at Offutt AFB Fire Protection. The hospital had EMTs but also relied upon regular med techs. I was a graduate of the USAF Fire Protection school's rescueman course at (now defunct) CHanute AFB, Rantoul, IL. (1977).
 
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