Biophone 3502
date: label: Date made
content: 1970's
name: label: maker
content: Biocom Incorporated
notes: label: Description
content: Orange fiberglass case with hinged lid, metal clamps for closure, black plastic handle, and aluminum trim. Biophone mounted inside case. A metal label on the phone reads: "Biocom Inc / Culver City, Calif. / Biophone 3502 / Serial No. / DEMO 3 / FCC Type No. / 3502-PE-12" The biophone could transmit voice as well as the patient's electrocardiogram in order for paramedics to communicate with the supervising physicians at the base hospital.
label: Description
content: Emergency medical equipment from the 1970’s television show “Emergency!” The objects are authentic equipment developed for paramedic use. They were donated to the museum in 2000 along with uniforms, scripts, and photographs from the show. The supply kit and medical equipment were carried on “Squad 51" -- the rescue squad vehicle featured on the show. The show’s producers worked closely with the Los Angeles Fire Department and actual paramedics to realistically portray emergency medical treatments.
label: Description
content: The collection was donated by “Project 51,” an organization established to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first paramedic training program in the United States. For the anniversary, “Squad 51” was taken on a cross-country tour ending in Washington, DC, with a donation ceremony at the National Museum of American History of the equipment and uniforms. The rescue squad vehicle was not collected by the museum; it returned to California and was donated to the Los Angeles County (LACO) Fire Museum.
label: Description
content: Los Angeles County played an important role in establishing paramedical training in this country and launching the field of Emergency Medicine. The TV show Emergency!, which sought to realistically portray emergency medical treatment, was instrumental in introducing Americans to this new profession.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: place made
content: United States: California, Culver City
topic: label: Subject
content: Entertainment
setName: label: See more items in
content: Medicine and Science: Medicine
label: See more items in
content: Health & Medicine
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Project 51 through Donato M. Dingillo, President Project 51
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2000.0103.19
label: accession number
content: 2000.0103
label: catalog number
content: 2000.0103.19
objectType: label: Object Name
content: radio communication system
label: Object Name
content: radio communications system
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: overall: 6 3/4 in x 17 in x 14 1/2 in; 17.145 cm x 43.18 cm x 36.83 cm