Rescue 911 | |
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Genre | Docudrama |
Written by | Paula Deats Nancy Platt Jacoby Aaron Kass Jim Milio Jean O'Neill |
Directed by | Sheri Goldstein Mary Hardwick Nancy Platt Jacoby Jim Milio Chris Pechin Ronnie Weinstock Segment directors Ron Brody Mark Cole Michael Collins Allison Grodner Robin Groth Dan Jackson Jim Milio Steve Muscarella Chris Pechin |
Presented by | William Shatner |
Theme music composer | Scott Roewe |
Composers | Richard Stone (Seasons 1–3) Stu Goldberg (Seasons 4–7) |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 7 |
No. of episodes | 186 (and 2 specials) (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producers | Arnold Shapiro Jean O'Neill (Seasons 5–7) |
Producers | Nancy Platt Jacoby (Seasons 1–2) Jim Milio (Seasons 3–7) Sueann Fincke (Season 7) |
Running time | 60 minutes (30 minutes in syndication) |
Production companies | CBS Entertainment Productions (1989–1995) CBS Productions (1995–1996) Arnold Shapiro Productions |
Original release | |
Network | CBS |
Release | April 18, 1989 August 27, 1996 | –
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview) |
Rescue 911 is an informational docudrama television series that premiered on CBS on April 18, 1989, and ended on August 27, 1996. The series was hosted by William Shatner and featured reenactments (and occasionally real footage) of emergencies that often involved calls to 911.
Though never intended as a teaching tool, various viewers used the knowledge they obtained watching the show. Two specials, titled 100 Lives Saved and 200 Lives Saved, were dedicated to these viewers who had written to CBS with their stories on how the knowledge they obtained watching the show allowed them to save the lives of others. At least 350 lives have been saved as a result of what viewers learned from watching it.[1] The show's popularity coincided with, if not led to, the widespread adoption of the 911 emergency system replacing standalone police and fire numbers that varied from municipality to municipality; the number is now universally understood in the United States and Canada to be the number dialed for emergency assistance.
At its height, the show was adapted in 45 countries (with their own 911 equivalent showcased).