'Emergency!' Engine 51 heading home to LA

[RWC130 594]

Fire Engine that starred in 'Emergency!' heads to an L.A. museum.

By Guy Keeler / The Fresno Bee

07/21/08 16:15:02

Yosemite's biggest TV star -- a 35-year-old fire engine that helped change the public's awareness of pre-hospital emergency medicine in the United States -- is heading back to Southern California.

Old Engine 7, which was seen by millions of viewers in the 1970s when it was Engine 51 on the TV series "Emergency!" will soon occupy a place of honor in the County of Los Angeles Fire Museum in Bellflower.

http://www.fresnobee.com/221/story/743025.html#morephotos

Engine 51

1973 Ward LaFrance P80 Ambassador

KMG-365!

[JRS2817 1]

Ward LaFrance must of had a deal or something with tv, because 17 from backdraft was one if im not mistaken and a nice truck

[JBE 328]

Ward LaFrance had a contract with LACo for I believe about 50 pumpers in 1972. They donated the WLF for use on Emergency, with the provision it was picked up and taken across country. There are still a few WLF's floating around in LA, at least as of last year.

As for Backdraft, the rig was a WLF pumper from 1970/71, and was refurbed in the late 80's by Ranger and E-One. Chicago had a few of them and they used one or two of them for the movie.

Edited July 24, 2008 by JBE

[losromero 13]

Here is my son with Engine 7 in Yosemite Village from last summer.

Edited July 24, 2008 by losromero

[LTNRFD 266]

When the Town of Mamaroneck was replacing Quad 5 back in 1977, it was to be replaced with an engine. In the search for which company would get the contract, Ward LaFrance offered a rig in production at a great savings over ordering a custom engine. They told us that it was being built for a T.V. show that was not being picked up for an additional season. We had to take it as is. TMFD declined and the T.V. shows replacement Engine 51 was sold to another fire department. TMFD went with Seagrave.

For those that don't know, TMFD only had assigned ENG 36, ENG 37, QUAD 5, LAD 19, U-4 And RES 6. They needed an addition engine # for the new engine. They requested the NEXT available engine number nearest to ENGS, 36 & 37. The next available was ENG-51.

Too bad TMFD didn't go for the rig in production.

[LCFD994 8]

WOW that Engine still looks like it is in great shape

[JBE 328]

From what I understand, there were very few major cosmetic changes made to the rig. Now, if Captain Joe at the museum can get his hands on a Crown Snorkel.

[Guest]

This was not the original engine , the original engine had no roof

[JBE 328]

The first engine was a 1965 open cab Crown Firecoach. They used 2 of them. One was E-60, assigned to Universal Studios. The other was E-127. They did use a few older Crowns for some scenes, and you can tell by looking at the beacon light, and siren configuration. Adhesive decals were used to cover the 60 on the doors, front and rear. There was a larger red decal used to cover the Carson city seal on the jumpseat portion of the cab when E-127 was used. E-127 was used primarily for stock shots of the rigs leaving the station and responding to incidents.

The WLF replaced the Crown in the third episode of season 3, and continued to be used until the show ended in 1978.

The LACo Museum is in possesion of Engine 60, and it looks just as good as it did in 1972, just needs a little gold paint.

Almost forgot. Capt. Mike Stoker(Ret.), the driver of the Engine worked at FS 69 in Topanga Canyon during filming of the show. they have Call Firefighters attached to that station(paid per run volunteers). They ran their own engine, E-269. It was most recently a 1974 Crown, that is now in the possession of the Fire Museum.

Edited July 25, 2008 by JBE

[RWC130 594]

JHK3605,

As JBE mentioned... You are correct, the 1973 Ward LaFrance was not the "Original" Engine used on the show.

The original Engine is a 1965 Crown Fire Coach. (Photo Below)

It's located at the LA Fire Museum.

Engine 51, the 1973 Ward LaFrance made it's first appearance

in the second episode of the third season called "The Old Engine"

Some more information on Engine 51 at Yosemite

http://www.emergencyfans.com/things/engine...e51yosemite.htm

[AFS1970 504]

It is good to see E51 going home finally.

[firemoose827 324]

Exactly why I like our old 1971 Ward Lafrance so much...I think I will shed a tear when we replace it, than go bankrupt trying to buy it from the dept!!

Picture courtesy of John F. Kenealy of Central New York Fire Trucks. I have a pic of it too, but his looks better!!! lol

Im glad it is returning to the museum and will hopefully be viewed right next to the '65 eng 51.