The following article was reprinted from the March 2006 'Houston Fire Fighter'

IN THE BEGINNING -  APRIL 10, 1971

by BILL HAUSINGER, RETIRED HFD

 I have dwelled on the history of the EMS service in the HFD for the past 35 years and especially the last few days. Some anniversaries are important to note. I think this one is. 

 My words to the EMT was, “1119 a baby being born at 1818 Brackenridge,” just a few blocks from station 19. I dispatched this run myself over the ambulance phone to a phone located in a room for the ambulance crews in their stations. Most units were in the station, waiting for their first call on this first night. The EMTs on unit 1119 were Glenn Morris and Otis Owens, now both retired, and they still remember the incident very well. The baby girl that was born on that early morning will also be having her 35th birthday. Happy birthday to whoever you are!

Because 35 years ago this week, (April 1971- April 10, 2006) will be the 35th anniversary of the Ambulance service by the Houston Fire Department. There was much apprehension in the HFD about this new service. At the time, I was the Chief Dispatcher on the “D” shift in the Fire Alarm office (1020 Bagby at Lamar).  I felt honored to be informed that the “take over” from the police dispatchers would take place on our D shift.

Being blessed with a sharp crew, Fire dispatchers Charlie Hall, C. B. Daniels, R. Smith, others, and I took pride in our jobs. Some of the first EMT dispatchers on our shift were Jim “Sheriff’ Estes, “Wash your hands’ Roger Buell, and Bill “sleepy slim” Wilkins. Louie Welch was Mayor, and C. R. Cook was the Fire Chief. Their vision was instrumental in having the success we enjoy today. The ambulances in the field had been set up by Chief L. 0. ‘Whitey’ Martin.  His dedication to this new challenge set the course for what evolved today.  While others followed, I consider Chief Martin to be the Father of the Houston Fire Department ambulance service.

Setting up a small desk with 3 EMT dispatchers in the corner of the Fire Alarm office at 1020 Bagby, (a two story building which also housed the City of Houston switchboard operators) about 10 feet from the fire dispatchers, was the heart of the EMT dispatch system. We had the radio mike and speakers, a simple status board (a 2X4 with slots for records) for I believe 23 ambulances, and a couple of push button phones, and a stack of blank record forms. Folks, we were in business.

In those days we called it a busy time if there were 100 to 150 ambulance incidents in 24 hours. Today the city has grown and they have from 850 up to 1000 incidents per 24 hours.

The week preceding the actual takeover, there were many remarks about how we would have trouble, that the public would suffer from longer response times, etc. These remarks stemmed from the private ambulances operators who had the run of the city. Supposedly, they rotated calls as determined by the HPD dispatchers.

There were stories of the private ambulances taking a corpse to several funeral homes, trying to get more than the usual 10% of the deceased’s funeral costs. The 10% of a funeral was more money than was received for a ride to a hospital; it was only $25 then as I recall. You were worth more dead than alive to some funeral homes! Another story was about a corpse, which was actually in the private ambulance; the driver had it in the shop having a ball joint replaced on his ambulance.

I was in the 3rd EMT school.  Dr Francine Jensen was the teaching doctor. My EMT card expired in 1972.

I learned first hand about our service in 1995 when I was transported with chest pains, resulting in my heart bypass.

Happy 35th Anniversary HFD Ambulance Service. Thanks to all of you who daily do this job.