It is often said that art imitates life. It’s not often we see life imitate art. One could argue this is exactly how modern EMS systems came to be.
The following story has been told many times. However, to hear it directly from those who lived and created it lifts the story from the pages of the history books and resuscitates it back into a life-sustaining rhythm.
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The following is generated from interviews and conversation had during the 50th anniversary reunion of the blockbuster TV show Emergency!, held August 19-21 in Cerritos, California.
Emergency! is often credited with giving birth to paramedic programs across the United States. This is the story of those who made that happen.
An Accident Leads to a Legacy
The year was 1969. Dr. Ron Stewart, a young medical student from Nova Scotia was studying to be a family practice physician. One evening, Dr. Stewart found himself running house calls during a snowstorm. During the drive, his car struck a moose. He suffered a myriad of injuries, the worst being a brain injury. Although he successfully recovered from those injuries the stigma of brain issues lingered. “In those days the notion of having brain issues was a profound negative for a family practitioner,” Dr. Stewart explained. “My future in family medicine was dashed.”
That’s Where the Story Begins
Fortunately, through a series of contacts and relationships the young medical student was able to continue his education in the burgeoning field of emergency medicine at UCLA. Part of his studies brought Dr. Stewart to Harbor General Hospital where his rotations included the very busy emergency room. The neophyte resident recalled the chaos as being culture shock. “I had never seen a gunshot wound, or a stabbing,” he admitted. “I’m from Canada. We didn’t have those sort of things there.”
He recalled one day as being exceptionally busy. “It was in the middle of the Watts Riots. People were coming in shot and stabbed, one right after the other. The nurses and I were running around covered in blood.” He remembered looking over and seeing a group of young men dressed in light blue shirts with badges and nametags. “I asked a nurse who they were and I’ll never forget her answer,” he said. “Oh, they’re called paramedics,” she said. “They won’t be here long.”
He recalled walking over to them asking if they could help. “Here we were, with blood-soaked sneakers and the thing I remember most was their shiny, black boots.”
It was at that moment, Dr. Stewart declared that his long-standing relationship as a paramedic instructor, medical director and consultant on the show began.
He went on to describe how some of these paramedics would do rotations in the hospital while others were out in the field. Dr. Stewart became fascinated with the idea and soon found himself riding along with them. After riding a few shifts he came to the realization that if lives were actually going to be saved, it was going to be in the field. “This is where it really happens.”
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In 1969, the idea of bringing lifesaving care into the streets was not new. The practice of defibrillating humans had been in use since 1947. But Dr. Stewart recalls how a doctor from Belfast, by the name of Frank Pantridge, knew that if a person could be defibrillated at the time of the incident, their chances of survival rose dramatically. Pantridge, along with a team of others, is credited with developing the first portable, electronic defibrillator in 1965. Pantridge’s concept was to place defibrillators in ambulances all across Belfast. When someone called the hospital, reporting a heart attack, the ambulance was sent out to the patient. This later became known as the “Pantridge Plan.”
While Los Angeles County and Gov. Ronald Reagan’s signing of the Wedworth-Townsend Act is often credited with giving birth to paramedics, there were already a handful of programs operating across the United States. Along with Los Angeles, programs were starting up in New York, Miami and Seattle.
A View from the Street
Gary Davis, a retired Los Angeles County firefighter, who’s paramedic license number is Three recalls those early programs. “They were called heart units,” he recalled. “When you got a call for someone having a heart attack, you drove the station wagon to the hospital, picked up the nurse and doctor, then drove to the scene. It wasn’t very efficient,” he recalled. “Response times were slow, the process was cumbersome, and I don’t think we saved anyone.”
Dr. Stewart, while in his final year of residency, studying under the founder of Los Angeles County’s program, Dr. Michael Criley, was asked to develop a training program to help teach new paramedics how to perform various lifesaving functions in the field. This would allow doctors and nurses to stay in the hospital, while reaching so many more sick and injured people, in a more expeditious manner.
Space-Age Technology on America’s Streets
Davis cited how the events of 1969 changed everything. “NASA was using a new technology called telemetry. This technology allowed physicians to monitor the astronaut’s ECGs while in space.
Dr. Eugene Nagel, who was developing Miami’s paramedic program, believed the same technology could be used to send ECGs directly into local emergency rooms. Nagel worked with a California company to create a telemetry device that would later be known as the Biophone. “By using the Biophone we could serve as the eyes and ears of doctors who could diagnose the problems and provide us with instructions on how to treat them,” Davis explained.
In his role as a docent at the Los Angeles County Fire Museum, Davis often tells about the origins of Los Angeles’ paramedics. While sitting on the bumper of “Engine 51,” he cynically described the selection process. “It was very intense,” he chuckled. “We were in morning lineup. The battalion chief came in looking for volunteers to participate in this new program. I had Red Cross first aid training,” he said. “This program involved sticking needles into people’s hearts. That sounded pretty cool.”
While the theories and technology were in place, teaching firefighters how to apply such concepts was another story. Davis, being one of the original group of trainees, remembers how not everyone welcomed the new concept. “Initial training was done by a small group of doctors and critical care nurses. The nurses especially objected to the idea that, with only 12 weeks of training, we could do more than they could with four years of education.”
Dr. Stewart recalls how he set out to create a training program. “I didn’t know what they knew,” he declared. “I had no idea how much training or education firefighters had.” Stewart attended some of Los Angeles County’s fire training classes. He observed that they were learning about electricity, hoses, pumps and how water flowed through them. “This is cardiology!” he stated excitedly. “They already understood all the basics.”
The doctor spoke of late nights writing down concepts and ideas based upon firefighting principals. “My drawings were all stick figures,” he laughed. “Thank goodness we had an illustrator.”
Hooray for Hollywood
It wasn’t long before the first group of recruits were on the street and saving lives. It was also not long before Hollywood took notice.
In the early 1970s, TV producer Jack Webb, who had successes with shows like Dragnet and Adam 12, was looking for something to go up against CBS’ huge Saturday night dominance.
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He turned to Robert Cinader, the cigar-mashing, boisterous, TV power broker who helped create Adam 12. He asked Cinader to spend some time at Harbor General Hospital to develop a concept for a medical show.
While spending time in the emergency department, Cinader encountered the young group of firefighters training to be paramedics. After talking with them about who they were and what they did, he reached out to the Los Angeles County Fire Department for more information. Fire Chief Dick Houts connected Cinader with Capt. Jim Page. Page, who would go on to create JEMS as well as a long list of other EMS-related accomplishments, responded immediately to the idea of putting together a TV show about paramedics.
Cinader spent time riding with paramedics and firefighters, learning about the kinds of things they did and the training they went through.
He would eventually present the concept of a show about these paramedics to Webb. This would be the perfect completion of the Webb trilogy.
The show’s producer relied heavily on Page, Stewart and Davis, among others, to introduce America’s viewing audience to this new, lifesaving concept.
We’re Not Ready Yet
“It was way too soon,” commented Davis. “We were still trying to figure this thing out for ourselves and now we were supposed to be the experts, advising on a TV show.” Davis cited an additional challenge from within the system. “It also wasn’t a very popular idea within the department,” he recalled. Page took a lot of grief from the higher ups. They wanted to ensure the fire department was presented in only the best light.”
Davis identified even more challenges in the early years. “We were still learning about being paramedics when we were approached about helping to develop a whole new crop of paramedics. And because of the show other cities wanted their own paramedics.” Davis remembers being assigned to two neighboring cities to help develop their paramedic program.
The Webb and Cinader production, entitled Emergency! aired in 1972. Despite its stiff on-air competition and time slot, the show became a huge success.
While the TV show ended its run in 1977, after six successful seasons, the legend and throngs of fans have persevered. Many of today’s senior or retired firefighters and paramedics recall Emergency! being the clarion call to their future careers.
Despite such rich legends several of today’s younger firefighters and paramedics claim to have never seen the show or know of its colorful history, yet many of their cell phones ring with the iconic Station 51 alert tones.
Additionally, the show’s two central characters, Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto, played by actors Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe, still make appearances and draw huge crowds.
Over the course of the three-day event, hundreds of fans, across a broad range of ages and backgrounds, gathered for the celebration. The culmination of the weekend was held Saturday evening when the throng of fans filled the Cerritos Center, in a Broadway-like atmosphere for a two-and-one-half hour stage presentation of Q&A, stories, and anecdotes by the show’s stars and advisors. The program was produced by Denny Hare and hosted by Tanya Mantooth, Randy’s sister, a multi-Emmy award winning producer herself. Amidst the stories, friendly chiding and anecdotes, the participants paid their respects and expressed their appreciation to Bob Cinader and Jim Page. In fact, the intricately decorated stage included a brass bust of Page, which is part of a regular standing tribute at the museum.
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Along with the Saturday evening “meet and greet” highlights of the weekend included autograph sessions with Tighe and Mantooth, visits to Los Angeles County Fire Station 127, (the fictitious Station 51) where the show was filmed, and of course the Los Angeles County Fire Museum.
History Preserved
The museum, which is located in Bellflower, California, houses the history of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The story, of course, would not be complete without the historic symbols of the show. Included in the displays are the iconic squad truck, Ward LaFrance, and Crown engines, along with other meticulously restored and well- preserved artifacts. While the vehicles from the show take center place, conspicuously located in near proximity is the 1947 Ford Panel Wagon, recreated from the original in which then-firefighter Page rode during his early years with the county. Page is often remembered for his travels across the country in that truck, spreading the gospel of fire-based, advanced life support programs.
From Film to Digital
It was the technology of the day that brought paramedics to life but it is today’s technology that keeps the legend and the fandom alive.
Susan Walsh, an Emergency! fan fanatic, with no notable fire or emergency service background, runs a Facebook group entitled Emergency! The TV SHOW. Walsh, and those who follow the page, post photos, comments and memories about the show. While the show was originally recorded using film, thanks to Susan, its legacy is now preserved in a digital format.
For many younger or newer paramedics, their inspiration for joining the profession may have come from parents or personal experiences. In casual conversations, names like Page, Stewart, Criley, and even Emergency! are just earmarks in the annals of EMS history. But for those who lived it and for those who grew up watching it on TV, it remains palpable.
As we sadly lose such icons as Page, Criley, Nagel, Cinader, and most recently, Tim Donnely, who played Chet Kelley on the show, we lose a treasured part of this industry’s history. But for those who continue to tell the stories, follow the Facebook pages, and collect memorabilia, the show, the profession, and the great work done continues on.
