Rescue 911

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Rescue 911 was an informational reality-based television series which profiled the true stories of people in peril, and the 911 dispatchers and emergency personnel who saved them from death. The show ran on CBS from 1989 to 1996 and was narrated and hosted by William Shatner.

The show typically featured several stories per episode, which were presented in the form of re-enactments. Many of the re-enactments required complex (and presumably expensive) presentation, such as the recreation of house fires, automobile accidents, gas explosions, domestic disputes, cats caught in trees, pregnant women in labor, and even natural disasters. Most stories included the actual recorded 911 call, as well as brief clips of people who had a part in the story recalling the situation. Occasionally, recorded video footage of the rescue efforts or aftermath would be included in the segments.

At its height, the show was adapted in 45 countries (with their own 911 equivalent showcased). Although reruns have previously been shown on cable stations such as The Family Channel and The Hallmark Channel, as of August 2005, Discovery Health stopped airing reruns, meaning the show is currently no longer aired on any U.S. network. Episodes can still be found on Australia's Crime & Investigation Network.