Ep 4. Botulism

Emergency! season 1 episode 4, titled "Botulism," follows the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Station 51 firefighters and the medical staff of Rampart General Hospital as they face an outbreak of botulism poisoning.

The episode begins with a large group of people at a church picnic in a Los Angeles park. It quickly becomes apparent that something is wrong when numerous attendees begin to feel ill and collapse. The paramedics of Station 51, led by paramedic John Gage (played by Randolph Mantooth) and firefighter Roy DeSoto (played by Kevin Tighe), are called to the scene to assist the victims.

As they arrive, the paramedics begin to assess the situation and determine that the cause of the illness is botulism, a rare but serious bacterial infection. They quickly set up a triage area and begin treating the victims, including administering oxygen and intravenous fluids.

Meanwhile, at Rampart General Hospital, Dr. Kelly Brackett (played by Robert Fuller) and Nurse Dixie McCall (played by Julie London) are working to identify the source of the outbreak and develop a treatment plan for the patients. They soon discover that a homemade potato salad served at the picnic is the source of the contamination and work quickly to notify the victims and their families.

As the number of victims grows, Station 51 and Rampart General become overwhelmed with patients, leading to difficult decisions about treatment and allocation of resources. At the same time, tensions rise as the cause of the outbreak is traced back to the church's volunteer cook, who is in denial about her responsibility for the illness.

Throughout the episode, viewers are shown the hard work and dedication of both the firefighters and medical staff as they work tirelessly to save the lives of those affected by the botulism outbreak. The show also highlights the importance of communication and cooperation between emergency responders and hospitals in responding to large-scale emergencies.

Overall, "Botulism" is a gripping and intense episode of Emergency! that showcases the challenges and triumphs of emergency medical response in the face of a rapidly spreading illness.