‘Station 51’ from TV’s “Emergency!” in Carson, CA

Robert A. Cinader Station, Number 127, in Carson, California.

LA County Fire Department Station 127 is been dedicated to Robert A. Cinader, who was the creator and producer of Emergency!¹ (as well as work on Adam-12 and Dragnet). While we take paramedics for granted today, they are a relatively new phenomena in the U.S., beginning 1968 at St. Vincent’s Hospital in New York City. In 1970, California passed a law allowing paramedic units to be created in the state. After reading about this new law, Robert Cinader created and pitched Emergency!. The show is widely credited with driving public opinion, resulting in the rapid and wide adoption of paramedics across the country. It’s amazing to consider how many thousands and thousands of lives have been saved by paramedics since Emergency! aired, and how commonplace they are today.

From the show, I had always assumed that it was in a suburban area, with housing developments and strip-malls all-around.  Uh, no.

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As you can see on the satellite view, Station “51”/127 is located in an industrial zone, surrounded by warehouses and holding tanks… perfect place for a fire station, really.

The memorial badging on Station 127, “Station 51” from “Emergency!”.

I was also fortunate enough to visit the LA County Fire Museum, and see both Squad 51 and Engine 51.