John Moon (The Story of America's Very First Paramedics in 1967 Pittsburgh) - Episode 1222

Chief John Moon was one of America's first pararmedics with Pittsburgh's Freedom House, ultimately retiring as the Assistant Chief of Pittsburg EMS. We discuss the tragedies that peppered his childhood, the origin story of the Freedom House, the tragedy behind modern CPR, systemic racism, organisational betray, the power of mentorship and so much more.

John Moon began his EMS career in 1972 with Freedom House Ambulance, after seeing the impressive crews in action while he was working as an orderly in a local hospital. After completing the necessary training on his own, he was hired by Freedom House and changed the course of his life. Mr. Moon demonstrated his competence and determination at his new-found calling and was selected by Dr. Peter Safar to be the first medic to perform endotracheal intubation on patients in surgery. After succeeding on his first attempt in the operating room, Moon went on to perform what is believed to be the nation’s first intubation in the field by a paramedic.

When the City of Pittsburgh ended its contract with Freedom House in 1975 and instituted its own ambulance service, Moon was one of the few Freedom House paramedics who successfully made (and endured) the transition. Despite their experience and demonstrated success, the Freedom House paramedics were required to undergo periodic written testing and ride as the third person on a crew with less experienced EMS clinicians during their transition to the newly formed city ambulance service.

During his time at Pittsburgh EMS, Moon became a certified master scuba diver, the first and only African American in Pittsburgh Public Safety to acquire this certification. He progressed through the ranks and developed Pittsburgh EMS’s first diversity recruitment program. One of Moon’s hires was Amera Gilchrist who in 2023 became Pittsburgh’s first African American EMS Chief and first woman in that role. John Moon retired as Assistant Chief of Pittsburgh EMS in 2009 after 34 years of service.

John Moon spent his early life in Atlanta, relocating to Pittsburgh during his high school years to live with family members following his parents’ deaths. He continues to reside in Pittsburgh with his wife with whom he shares five adult children. Moon now dedicates much of his time in retirement to ensuring the history of Freedom House Ambulance is not forgotten. He travels the country speaking at Black history events and EMS conferences, as well as book signing tours with author Kevin Hazzard who featured Moon in his 2022 book American Sirens. Most recently, he was an invited guest at President Biden’s State of the Union address in 2024.