 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
| Engine 51.. the 2nd, but most beloved pumper from Emergency. How she began.. It was the third episode of Season Three, The Old Engine. Johnny Gage is having a frustrating day so far and things don't improve his mood one iota when he finds that the station's vehicle bay is completely devoid of fire engine apparatus side of the equation. |
|
|
 |
 |
|
| He finds the rest of the gang out in the yard, admiring a huge behemoth of a pumper, the Ward LaFrance. His incredulous confusion slowly turns into grudging admiration as the sight of the new Engine 51 fills his eyes and his little boy's soul. |
|
|
 |
|
| Mike Stoker is smiling especially big in this episode. |
|
|
 |
|
| And us hosts eventually found out why... Let's dally into a little off-the-set adventure that only the most dedicated Emergency fan has ever heard before. Take yourself back, thirty five years into the past. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
|
|
| The policeman looked at the side of our brand new Ward LaFrance pumper. "ENGINE 51 LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT." She smiled. "Hey! You guys are really lost!" And she drove away, shaking her head in amusement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Why did we do it and how did we do it? Universal Studios was on its springhiatus when they almost totally shutdown production of any series -- it's vacation for them. As the article says, Ward LaFrance was extremely upset that the engine featured was a Crown -- which at one time, was about 75% of the fleet here. Bob Cinader got the idea for a cross-country sell job for the paramedic program, and of course, for the new TV show Emergency! NBC said GO and Bob asked me to arrange a trip. Fire Chief Richard Houts was a bit skeptical, but said (as he always did when he wanted something to move ahead) 'Make it work.' He anointed me to work with NBC but cautioned that there could be NO expense to the department. Bob put me in touch with someone in NBC New York and I was given a list of so-called NBC cities where Emergency! was very important to them. I got out a road map and started plotting (during the evenings at home on my living room floor). During conversations with NBC, I said we should have a full crew of four, but the only 'star' available of course (because of the hiatus at the studio) was Mike Stoker, now working back at his boring regular job as a fire apparatus engineer. Cinader told me to select the crew (as did the chief). Naturally, Stoker was one. I picked Michael Stearns, one of the six original P/Ms who was a good friend. But he had just been promoted to captain. Cinader (and my chief) didn't care. That was three (with me). I suggested and Cinader, the chief and both Mikes agreed; it had to be Ed McFall, a graduate of the second or third class of P/Ms. Ed had personality plus (like Bill Cosby) and was a damn good P/M to boot. Besides (this may seem racist), Ed was black and we were trying to promote the image of equality out here in our department. I drove down to FS 9 and met with Ed. He thought for all of 2 seconds, called his wife, and he was a part of our team. I made and remade the map and NBC would make additions and deletions. Finally, they agreed to our route, and I wrote letters from Chief Houts to EVERY f.d. along the route, explaining that (1) we were due in their city to put on a demo for the local NBC TV station or (2) we were going across the country to promote the FD/paramedic program and needed a place to stay, keep the engine, and work with them whatever they wanted (or didn't want to do). Almost all the chiefs responded immediately, with a positive answer. The four of us decided that we would always be in uniform when on E51 or in public. The studio loaned us four wardrobe chests (large cardboard containers like steamer trunks) to hold our clothes for nearly a month, and flew them back to NYC ahead of our arrival. Many of the fire chiefs told Chief Houts that they could house our apparatus and us or they could house just the apparatus, or house just us. |
|
 |
|
| I responded to each one and made the itinerary. This all took place in less than 3 weeks. The big day arrived; we had shipped all of our worldly goods via TWA to New York; Stoker left on a Friday night, a day before us, to go from NYC to Elmira NY to pick up E51 and bring it to NYC. The three of us arrived in NYC at 7 p.m. Saturday night and were met by a limo with an NBC public relations guy, and Stoker! We went out for dinner, had a few drinks, laughed, and wondered what the hell we were doing? We had no credit cards to pay for stuff, but NBC had given each of us $50 per day cash for 30 days ahead. We didn't even know how we were going to pay for fuel? Sunday morning. Our engine was stored for the night at a NYC hospital. It was near our hotel so we picked it up (we were wearing grungy civilian clothes because we were going to spend Sunday cleaning the apparatus). Stoker drove, as previously arranged by me, to NYC's Super Pumper station in the Bronx. We arrived at about 9 a.m., and NO ONE even made an attempt to greet us. Finally, the lieutenant in charge of their super pumper came out, opened the apparatus doors and we backed in amidst a whole bunch of NYC fire engines. Not one ff came out to see what the h*ll we were doing -- all the way from L.A. CROSS COUNTRY TRIP This was the start of a cross-country trip to promote paramedics and the NBC TV series "Emergency." |
|
 |
 |
|
|
| Many people have asked us what compelled four fairly sane Los Angeles County fire fighters to undertake such a trip (Mike Stoker, who drives the Ward on Emergency, two fire fighter paramedics, Ed McFall and Captain Mike Stearns, and myself). The answer sounds corny, but it's true. We all believe in the paramedic program of emergency medical care, and we all thought that the tour would be an effective way of telling people across the country about paramedics. Also we thought it would be fun--which it was. The story started back in February when the producers of Emergency, a TV series about the LA County Fire Department paramedic program, decided to reshoot all their fire apparatus stock footage at a cost of about $50,000. The reason for this decision was the delivery of 46 Ward LaFrance Ambassador pumpers to LA County earlier in the year. This delivery made the Ward rig the most frequently seen fire apparatus in the country. Therefore, the producers felt that, for authenticity's sake, the stock footage fire engine, should be a Ward. Ward LaFrance, in Elmira Heights, N.Y., agreed to provide a pumper and the cross-country delivery suggested a coast-to-coast promotional tour. We traveled over 4000 miles to cities with NBC TV stations. FIFTH AVENUE DEMONSTRATION On our first day on the job in New York City, NBC told us we were going to put on a paramedic demonstration with New York Hospital's paramedic team in front of anybody who walks along the street in front of Rockefeller Center. By the time we began our demonstration, a fairly large crowd had gathered, including some photographers and TV cameramen. A paramedic trainee simulated cardiac arrest and, talking to a doctor at New York Hospital on our biophone (a two-way transmitter), we bought him 'back to life' by following the treatment the doctor prescribed. We could tell that the spectators were impressed. What impressed us most, however, were the many people who walked by and, although they saw the fire engine, the ambulance, and four men working on a prostrate body, they didn't even stop to see what was wrong. That shook us up a little. |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
| While in Pittsburgh, we did a BIG SHOW at a horse race track outside of town. We arrived in E51 about sundown, after the 3rd race I think. We were led down onto the track and after the next race was over, we responded ON the track (red lights and siren) around the entire track and stopped in front of the grandstands (which were packed with people). We had brought with us a local and very popular noon-time radio personality. We got off the rig, and they had a small stage set up. He introduced us to thousands of people and then did a short interview with each of us (we were now used to this). We explained our mission and of course, plugged Emergency! The crowd seemed very interested and gave us a thundering round of applause. We left and were escorted to the track owner's box where we were fed a great dinner. Because we were bushed and thirsty, we all took off our badges and stuffed them into our pockets so we could enjoy a cool beer (or two). Stoker didn't drink (designated driver!!). We had a blast, the owner joined us, and Ed made about $100 on the ponies. The owner said that every Saturday they had some kind of entertainment, often paratroopers, fireworks, etc., but that WE had drawn the biggest applause so far in the season. We took this with a grain of salt, and another beer.. |
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
| For the Complete Article Source.. (Only excerpts featured above) |
|
|
| Here is a picture of Engine 51 (the Ward LaFrance) taken just after she arrived in L.A. and prior to her debut on the show. Notice there is no "51" fleet number plate on the front left of the vehicle (below where Stoker sits), nor is there on the left side where Marco sits). These were added later prior to her being shown for the first time on the show). (Photo courtesy of Paul Keenleyside) |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
| Click animation to go to Page Two |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Somewhere about this time, we were on one of our rare 8-hour drive days. Just get from one place to another with no scheduled appearances. We were on one of the interstate highways and it was warm and we were all half asleep. Stoker swung off the freeway and drove slowly thru this very little country town. We became instantly awake and alert and waved at a lot of very confused and puzzled residents wondering what the hell an L.A. Co.F.D. fire truck was doing there. Back on the freeway and we saw a car on the other side of the roadway with smoke/stream pouring from it. A couple of (we called them hippies then) were staring into the engine compartment. Mike pulled to a stop 8 lanes across from the car and Ed and I ran across to see what was going on. Fortunately, it was overheated, because we had no way in the world to put out a fire. We had no hose, no water, not even a fire extinguisher! As we walked up, the two young guys looked at us, turned and saw the engine and said: "What the h*ll are you doing here and where did you come from?" We told them we had been sent to a car fire even though it 'was a bit out of our district' hey appreciated our concern, but said they had a jug of water for the radiator in their car trunk. We continued on. Not more than 30 minutes later, we came across an empty car parked on the shoulder and soon after saw a young guy walking up the freeway. A long way from any town. We stopped and asked if he wanted a ride. He couldn't believe it. He got in, very excited and puzzled, and we took him 3 or 4 miles to the next off-ramp and into a gas station. He probably still is trying to convince his friends that an L.A. Co. engine -- AND Engine 51 -- picked him up out in the middle of the 'sticks' ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We were headed for Cincinatti on Easter Sunday. Beautiful day and we got an early start for an 8-hour drive. We needed fuel and there were no gas stations open along the interstate. We finally saw an open one and pulled into it. NO DIESEL. But the guy directed us to go down a narrow side road about a mile to a little town (I think we were in Ohio at that point). So we went. Small town? YES. A smal cafe , a post office, a little store (closed) and a two-pump gas station (no office or building) with a very old man with coveralls sitting in a chair in front of the pumps. We pulled up and he just stared. We climbed off and he slowly walked over and just looked at E51. Finally, he said: "My God. I wouldn't believe it. E51 is SO BIG. How much did it cost?"We told him we didn't know and he said he was on the local volunteer FD and they never could afford anything like this. We asked him if he wanted a ride. He really did, but couldn't leave the station. While we were pumping in our fuel, a teenaged girl from the cafe came over. She saw Mike and got flustered and finally mumbled that the woman who owned the cafe would like for us to join them for ice cream. We did. There were about 3 or 4 other people in the cafe and they just stared at us as we went in. It was chilly and we were in our turnouts. We had some great ice cream and the young girl followed us back to the engine. As we started to pull away, she looked up at Mike and said: "This is the happiest day of my life. Thank you for stopping here." We all d*mn near cried. |
| We entered another Indianapolis station and the floor watch guy ushered us out onto a large loading dock at the rear of the station. About 10 or 11 ff were sitting there, most with bottles of beer. Heck, we were off duty and in civvies so we joined them. After a while, they got an alarm. We were scrambling to get our turnout coats and helmets when we were told to climb aboard any rig. I was in the cab of the truck company, and we were racing down a dark, narrow street in an industrial part of town. As we approached an intersection, the radio blurted out: "Truck 1. You are approaching First and Main (or some streets)!"The lieutenant acknowledged then told me that Truck 1 had slammed into a car at THAT corner a couple months back. Very reassuring. The dispatcher cancelled us but we kept going. We got to the fire which had been knocked down, but the HQ guys wanted us to walk around with our L.A. County F.D. turnouts and helmets on to confuse the heck out of the other fire crews that were on scene. It worked. We had fun, too. As we arrived at the fire station on South Ogden Street in Denver at night, it began to snow. That was a treat for us Californians, but the local guys just saw it as a nuisance. We pulled up to the front of the Denver fire station (a beautiful, brand new station just out of the downtown area) during evening rush hour traffic. The guys were expecting us and some ran across traffic all pointing and one dragging a C02 fire extinguisher! I was "captain"and they ran to the engine and pointed to where I was sitting, above the right front wheel. Smoke was coming out of a small blower built into the body. This blower provides a little cooling for some of the hydraulic system. It apparently had frozen up and the poor little motor was trying to turn anyway and was just burning up. One blast of C02 took care of that. |
 |
| We pulled in and in about 10 minutes, a f.d. mechanic showed up, WITH a new unit for us. They also had some Ward LaFrance rigs and had some spare parts. It soon started to snow and we stood with our noses pressed to the windows as the guys prepared a great dinner. They thought we were surely nuts, but we Southern Californians weren't used to that pretty white fluffy stuff. (We soon learned o live with it though!) This station was unique to us. There was no common dorm. A series of two-person rooms were on the perimeter of the station, and the truck, engine and rescue crews were on separate alarm systems. If just the engine was to roll, the other guys could sleep right through it in their own rooms. They had reserved two adjacent rooms for us. Though OUR alarms didn't go off, we heard the entire station depart about 2 a.m. And it soon got COLD. I jumped out of bed, and in my underwear and bare feet, went out to see the station empty AND all doors wide open. It was snowing and windy and freezing (at least to us). I studied the alarm panel for a second or two and pushed a couple buttons and the doors closed. We then wondered how they would get back in, especially if we fell asleep. But they did. Finally, and mercifully, we were rescued, by the fd crew across the street. Their chief had asked if we would drive to the HQ and let all the ff's kids and families see E51. We really were in no condition, but duty was duty. We went to the rear of the station and there were about 75 people there. We JUST HAD TO do a real demo, even though we didn't have uniforms on. We stood in the hose bed and told of our trip and of Emergency! and of paramedics and firefighters and anything and everything else, as I recall. It was terrific (we think) but lots of photos were taken and we had people crawling all over the engine and hugging and kissing us (well almost). At about 9 p.m., we remembered that we had not eaten dinner so took off for a nearby McDonalds -- followed by a caravan of 2 or 3 dozen cars!!! We sat on the rig and devoured our Big Macs and chatted and talked and signed autographs, etc etc etc. What a night. |
| As we crossed into Los Angeles County at the San Bernardino County border, I put in a radio call: "L.A. This is Engine 51. Back in our own district and returning to quarters." Unfortunately, it was not Sam Lanier's shift, but the duty dispatch captain answered simply: "10-4, Engine 51. Welcome home." A few minutes we received a message via radio: "Engine 51. Report to Klinger Center (this is our headquarters). The chief engineer requests you advise when you are 5 minutes out." When we pulled up at HQ, Chief Houts, the entire top staff and most everyone in HQ was out in front to greet us. It was quite a welcome!! Chief Houts said he had received phone calls and letters from chiefs along the way. "Well, most of them thought you did a pretty good job." he said. Then he patted us all on our backs and said we must have dazzled the nation because he had never received such glowing reports. We were pleased -- that he was pleased. The NBC publicity people were flabbergasted and we all had a great laugh and a great lunch. Later -- we headed home. At the Los Angeles County border, I picked up the microphone, and announced: ; "L.A. Engine 51. Back in our own district and available." The reply: "10-4 Engine 51. Welcome home." It was the one and only Sam Lanier on the dispatch board. WELCOME HOME What can you say when one of the biggest studios in Los Angeles pulls out all the stops to welcome you home. That day was something we'll remember for a long time. Universal brought about 800 tourists to the main gate, where a big sign said, "Welcome Engine 51." We roared through the gates, sirens and lights going full blast, preceded by an escort of two pumpers and the LA County Chief's car. Many of the stars from Emergency were there, including Julie London, who christened the new Engine 51 with a breakaway bottle of champagne. Chief Richard Houts of the L.A. County Fire Department was also there to welcome us. It all made us feel excited and happy. |
| He took a picture and when he lowered his camera, it was the one and only Randolph Mantooth. Johnny Gage, right there in person. He whispered that he had been harassing Stoker but Mike had not recognized him. I told Randy to climb in the cab and start messing around with all kinds of switches, knobs, etc. Which he did. I motioned to Stoker and told him that some guy is messing around in the cab and get him out. Good ol' courteous Stoker. He asked the guy politely several times to stop and Randy just kept throwing switches. He finally asked him, again quite politely to get out. Randy kept on. He walked right to the captain's side and told the guy to get the hell out of he engine. Randy turned, let out a blood-curdling scream and leaped at Stoker, practically knocking him down. It was only then that Mike realized who the heck this was. Stearns and McFall had run up to see what was occurring. We all rolled around the ground laughing. The NBC p.r. gal lady showed up, told us to secure the engine, and she was taking us in the mall for lunch. She did not recognize Randy either. Randy and his brother and his brother's girl friend all had been camping and hiking for about 3 weeks. When they were getting dressed in the morning, they heard a radio announcement about E51 being at the mall -- and just had to come. I introduced the p.r. lady to Randy and she just about fainted she was so excited, and of course, invited Randy and his friends for lunch. We started for the mall door and Randy told me he couldn't go in. "Why?"I naturally inquired. "I just got thrown out of there." he said, because he didn't have a shirt on. I told him to go to the car and get his shirt and I waited for him. He was between Stoker and me when we went in, past two security guards, the ones that had escorted him out just 20 minutes ago. They stared at us, but didn't come over. Randy wanted us to take him to them so he could'straighten them out' but we all thought better of that idea. Lunch was fun. I did a live radio show on a station with a studio in the mall. And then the p.r. gal drove me to a TV station where I was to be interviewed on a live afternoon program. I met the host at the studio and we talked briefly what I was to say. Not much, it turned out. But I had no equipment to show, no nothing. It was about 15 minutes until air time and there was a phone on the wall so I called the Clark Co. Fire Dispatcher. Their rescue squad had come to our shopping mall 'display,' and it was still there when I left for the TV studio. The dispatcher said, yes, indeed, their squad was there. I told her to have E51 RESPOND to the studio. In several minutes (with about 5 to go for show time) I could hear E51 coming, Code R, led by the squad. I had told the prop man and he had put two more chairs on the set and opened the back doors. The guys pulled up and I directed them to quickly unload the gear and put it on the set and to take the seats. I stood idly by as the host returned, not knowing what was going on. I quickly introduced him to the crew, and he was delighted to have some props to play with. They went ON THE AIR -- and I watched from the sidelines. As usual, the guys did a terrific job. Of course, they had no clue as to what I was doing -- or not doing -- but that's the way ffs work. "Just Do It." They did have a few things to say to me after the show was done, but they were out of time: no more days to get back at Dick Friend. |
| In real life, these were the beginning of the complete dieselization of the LACoFD fleet in 1972. Chief Houts suggested to Bob Cinader that since the County was getting all these new Ward LaFrances, that the show should reflect that fact. Universal Studios went along with that suggestion, contacted Dick Gergel, president of Ward LaFrance, and arranged for a LACoFD look-a-like to be used in the show. This unit was put on a driving tour across the U.S prior to arrival at Universal. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The 2nd Engine 51 is a 1000gpm triple combination P-80 Ambassador model powered by a Cummins NH855 250hp naturally aspirated diesel engine driving through an Allison HT-70 power shift transmission. The LACoFD rigs were 1250 gpm triples powered by Cummins NHCT295 turbocharged Diesels driving through Allison HT-70 5 speed manual transmissions. They had 500-gallon booster tanks, as did Engine 51. In their outward appearance both E-51 and the LACoFD rigs were identical. All the County Ward rigs plus E-51 had Federal Q2B sirens and Grover Stutter-tone air horns. There are many views of Engine 51 both from inside and out, and from many angles around the cab and in several episodes. The fan gets to ride along as Mike Stoker powers up the engine, and we get to see him as Captain Stanley would sitting in the Captain's seat as the engine approaches the incidents. Additional Ward LaFrance units can be seen in later episodes, most notably Engine 73, and 114. These units are almost identical to Engine 51 and were actual LA County Fire Department units. |
| Engine 51's life was not over after her six years filming during Emergency's television run. She had bigger and better things, just ahead. And so, Engine 51 began twenty one years of her new life, in active fire duty. |
| THE NATION VIEWED FROM THE PUMPER Los Angeles County F.D. crew promotes paramedic program and finds adventure in 4000-mile tour from New York to West Coast studio BY DICK FRIEND-- Community Relations Director Los Angeles County Fire Department -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A police car pulled up alongside us at 5th Avenue and 59th Street in New York. Mike Stoker, our driver, leaned out the window and asked, "Which way to the Freeway?" "You mean the Expressway?" one of the policemen asked. "No. The San Diego Freeway." |
| Before we left Denver, we were cleared to go through the Loveland Tunnel. We were pretty happy about that because otherwise we would have had to go over the 11,000-foot grade of Lowland Pass in the snow -- with no chains. What no one told us was that the road on the far side of the tunnel hadn't been cleared, and we skidded and slid about 7 miles when we got out the other side. It was pretty scary -- none of us is really experienced in driving on snowy, icy roads, so we took it slow and easy. It was also very cold, but luckily we all had our long underwear on. AN UNEXPECTED VISITOR - LAS VEGAS It was our last stop from home -- fabled Las Vegas, NV. The local radio station was inviting listeners to come on out and see the crew on famous Emergency!s Engine 51 which was to be outside a brand new shopping mall near The Strip on Monday morning. Monday was our last show biz day and we started off outside a very large, new enclosed shopping mall. It was busy. Stoker and I stationed ourselves at the front of E51 and Stearns and McFall at the tailboard displaying all our paramedic gear. Just before noon, a young guy with a scraggly beard, rather long hair and shorts came up and was clicking away with his camera. Quite a few visitors, but one kept taking MY picture. He was a young guy with a fuzzy beard, no shirt, cut off blue jeans and a weird hat. He had been over on Stoker's side. He came to me and pointed the camera at my face -- from all of a foot away! Finally, he got to within about 2 feet of me, aimed his camera at my face and said: "Smile, Dick." |
 |