So most everybody
that reads this blog knows that I have had quite the adventure these past six
weeks with a suspected tendon tear, discovery of a benign bone tumor, a blood clot that required a four day hospital
stay, my body fighting the anti-coagulant, and ongoing physical therapy. It has been a crazy ride, but God has been so
sweet to us through all of it, even down to allowing my family to enjoy some
fabulous down time together while I have recuperated at home. One of our favorite things to do together is
gather around the television and watch TV shows from when Steve and I were kids,
thanks to Netflix. One of the shows that
we have introduced the kids to is Emergency! It first aired in 1972 starring
Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe. Steve
and I both grew up watching the show and get all reminiscent from the moment we
hear the iconic emergency notification in the opening sequence. Let me tell ya… they really don’t make shows
like that anymore. No siree.
For those not familiar
with Station 51 and Rampart General, let me fill you in: Station 51 is the firehouse that cutie pie paramedics
John Gage (Mantooth) and Roy Desoto (Tighe) are assigned to. They, along with the other firemen respond to
911 calls in and around the Los Angeles area. Just about every call demands a daring, nail
biting rescue. Once John and Roy assess
the victims, they make a call into Rampart General using what only can be
described as a prehistoric precursor to a cell phone. (If you only watch for
that, you will be highly entertained!) Once Rampart receives the call, one of
the medical staff quickly answers. It is
there that Dr. Kelly Brackett, more often than not, wisely advises John and Roy
what to do next. (BTW, he is also a
cutie with his 1970’s mutton chops and rocks a very wide necktie.) Usually they
are instructed to transport the patient to Rampart where they are looked after
by the capable staff that includes Dr. Brackett, Dr. Joe Early and Dixie McCall,
R.N. The characters are based on the
real life doctors and medical staff that trained these first responders making
paramedic a household word.
As fun and
exciting as it is to watch Emergency!, it would never last in today’s market. That’s because there isn’t enough dirt to
dish on the characters. No affairs, no outing of lifestyles, no voting off the
island. Just good old adventure. I am not sure what we will find to watch next
after we finish the 100 episodes of Emergency!
Who knows, maybe we will walk on
the wild side and witness Half-Pint tell Nellie Olsen off over in Walnut
Grove. Maybe. Or maybe we will just sit back and re-watch
Gage and Desoto pluck another victim from one disaster or another, all the
while wishing that life really did come with a Station 51.
