THE RESCUE 200

On Nov. 23, “Rescue 911” will present a program celebrating the 200 lives it claims have been saved, either directly or indirectly, by the show.

“Obviously, we never anticipated anything like this,” says Executive Producer Arnold Shapiro. “Other shows have captured criminals, but I don’t know who else can say they literally save lives.”

Among those on the Rescue 200 list are Kim Dietmeyer’s 2-year-old son, Kevin. Last January, Kevin was brushing his teeth at his home in Germantown, Md., when he fell forward, face first; the toothbrush went through his throat to the back of his neck. His mother recalled a “911” episode about a stabbing when viewers were advised never to try to take out the dangerous object, especially if there is no blood.

“He wasn’t bleeding and my mind went back to that show,” she says. “And I thought this toothbrush may be corking something, so I called 911. I was told that if I had pulled it out myself, it would have killed him immediately.”