Our time in LA - Emergency

Some of you may remember a TV show from the USA called "EMERGENCY". Shoey and myself managed to visit the LA County Fire Museum where the original Fire Engines and Squad truck have been restored to their TV show status and proudly displayed. For those that don't know the show here are some details about it.

The background of "Emergency!" as a television series is the true story of a project that began in Los Angeles in 1969, the year that launched a specially trained team of highly skilled firemen-paramedics to operate rescue squads for the L.A. County Fire Department. Although many fire departments traditionally have provided rescue service to aid the injured, sick and dying, it was obvious to many civic officials and medical personnel that too many patients were being lost before they could receive trained medical aid at the hospital.

The initial program to alleviate this waste of life was inaugurated, funded by the federal and county governments. In pairs, the firefighters went with doctors on their daily hospital rounds, checking vital signs, taking blood pressure readings, interpreting electrocardiograms. The performed as "student medical assistants".

Afternoons were spent in the classrooms, where the firemen and a score of registered nurses qualified to become Cardiac Care Unit Specialist.

Three short months later, the firemen were in the fields, able to put their newly acquired knowledge to use with the aid of sophisticated, and expensive, mobile equipment which was added to the conventional rescue squad trucks.

For the first year, a nurse accompanied the paramedics on all calls because there was no legal authority for the firemen to perform the advanced techniques they had learned. Then, the Wedworth-Townsend Act was passed by the California State Legislature and the paramedic program was off the ground.

Jack Webb has been blazing new trails in dramatic programs for more than 20 years. He filmed "Emergency!" with the full cooperation and assistance of the Los Angeles County Fire Department as well as the County Department of Hospitals.

Premise: The show centers around Station 51 and Rampart Emergency Hospital. Station 51 contains a squad and an engine (the station has had both a Crown and a Ward LaFrance) with a normal crew of six, two of which are paramedics. The show begins with the pilot movie showing the paramedic program in its infancy, before legislation is in effect to allow the paramedics to function independently. It follows the characters of paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto to the point when they are promoted to captain. Most episodes were split between rescue scenes in "the field" and follow-up treatment at the hospital afterward.
Emergency! originally aired between 1972 and 1977 on NBC. It consisted of 132 one-hour episodes with one two-hour pilot movie, and four two-hour sequel movies. It was mostly filmed in the Los Angeles area (The movies were filmed in Seattle and San Francisco). In reality, Fire Station 106 was the original station chosen for filming the show but it faced North (and would throw shadows) so Station 127 was used instead.

I wont bore you with more details but if interested, go to www.emergencyfans.com or www.clafma.org

Anyhow heres some pictures:

Squad 51, Dodge packed with a 440. The Squad has been restored and the museum is slowly collected all the period correct equipment that was carried on this vehicle during its show career.












Kevin Tighe's signature on the door of Squad 51. He played paramedic Roy DeSoto.


Randolf Mantooth's signature on Squad 51. He played paramedic Johnny Gage.

1965 Crown used in the early part of the series




You will notice that it is numbered truck 60. This truck was stationed at Station 60 but for the TV series a magnetic number 51 was made and placed over the 60 (previous picture).

1976 Ward. This truck has not long been restored. On July 9th 2011, the museum had both this truck and Squad 51 displayed at Station 127 (Station 51 in the series). Prior to this, the museum had only 8 weeks to get the truck back together after a complete respray.












A couple of riff raff that strolled through the museum.


This is Mick Stoker's signature on the inner door panel. Mick was a LAFD firemen who also acted on the series. He also used his original name whilst on the show. He went on to be a Captain in the LA fire department.





This hot rod wasn't in the TV series but is on loan to the museum for display. It was just cool so it deserved a photo.

Apart from the trucks from Emergency, there were also alot of other trucks on display. If anyones interested, I'll download more.

Hers one last photo of one of the friends we made whilst on our trip. He also had many siblings and cousins as well.


His name was BUD.

Argh ya bloody show off 's , great pictures . I remember watchin 51 , everyone watched it .

Years ago, after a night in New Yoik spent with a number of Buds heavier brothers I learnt to avoid his entire family when in their home country - too many chemical additives allowed in the mix made for a very sore headed Zenrat the next day.

Good pics but I don't remember the show. Obviously due to my extreme youth.

You Guys are a laugh!
Thanks for the pic's Dave. was a great holiday,
it helped with getting things off my mind for a while,
The Buds helped a lot more! Still can't believe
they were 2 for $3

Yeah but it was only girls beer Shoey

Great pic's, looks like you guys had as much fun as I did. Some pretty cool stuff to see all over the USofA.

I've been to Bud's house in St Louis, it's right on the Missisippi River banks not far from the famous arch. Takes up about five city blocs and, the cans are much larger.

I'd love to see more of your pic's coz it's always great to see what I didn't see or how others viewed the same stuff I did see.

Thanx

Heres some more fire truck photos.

A couple more from the LA County Fire Museum







Whilst driving around LA we stopped here at Station 58. The guys there were very welcoming and inviting. Glad to show us around and could give me the contact details of the curator of the museum. As luck would have it, Anthony (one of the firies) played softball with the curator and contacted him for us to arrange a time to go through the museum. Sweet.









from left to right. Fireman? (forgotten his name already), myself and Anthony


Ladder truck from Station 8. The guys stopped at Subway to get lunch and we just happened to be there as well. Station 8 located in West Hollywood.



Even the trucks are hot rod orientated. Note the Route 66 plate and the 8 ball on the ladder.





Top of fire truck from Station 8. Taken from our unit at the Andaz on Sunset Blvd.



Fire truck from Station 7 located also in West Hollywood. The guys there gave us a full tour of the station and equipment.





Motto for Station 7



Paramedic truck at Station 7



Fire truck of Las Vegas city.



Paramedic of LAs Vegas



This smaller truck was located at the airport out at the Grand Canyon where the glass walkway is.



Trucks may not be everyones taste so I hope you all still enjoy the pictures. Stay tuned for some more, there are still the Shelby museum photos to go through yet.

Cheers,

She was lovely!

On one of our many nights on the town,
Dave managed to get himself arrested,
He did well to bribe his way out of it!