Rescue 911

1 9 8 9 – 1 9 9 6 (USA)
125 x 60 minute episodes

Veteran actor William Shatner hosted this early example of police-based reality TV.

Viewers were treated to reenactments of real-life 911 rescues with recordings of the actual emergency calls interspersed with interviews with the paramedics and other rescue workers.

Among the stories were doctors and paramedics saving the life of a young football player who had suffered a heart attack during a game, the rescue of scuba divers lost in an underwater cave, the revival of a bear that had electrocuted itself on a transformer, and assorted confrontations with criminals.

One recurring theme was the resourcefulness of the 911 dispatchers – tracing addresses when something prevented the caller from providing the information, calming down hysterical callers, and providing assistance over the phone until professional rescuers could reach the victim.

Instructional segments were included also, such as how to perform CPR and how to install locks which prevented your kids from letting strangers into the house.