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Firefighters help deliver healthy baby girl
A newborn was delivered in the parking lot of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Station 25 Tuesday. FOX 5's Perris Jones reports from Reston, Virginia.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. - A newborn was delivered in the parking lot of Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Station 25 Tuesday thanks to quick-thinking parents and the help of some firefighters.
Nels Jorgenson, an EMS Technician, said Tuesday morning started off like any other with firefighters going over plans for the day, but then they got an unusual phone call.
"Somebody called the station saying they were having a baby in the parking lot," Jorgenson recalled. "I was the second person to the car and found the father had delivered his daughter and was holding the baby right in front of mom and I went and I took the baby from dad and started assessing the little baby girl."
Jorgenson has been with Fairfax County Fire and Rescue for about six years. He says he’s only had to deliver a baby on the job once; but never at the fire station.
He said while it’s not something they often do, it is something they’re trained to do.
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"We do carry obstetrical kits, specifically for when babies are delivered outside the hospital," Jorgenson explained. "It has all the equipment we would need to provide some basic care to the baby and mom. So, we used that. We clamped the cord when we were ready and suctioned the airway of the baby."
Jorgenson says timing is crucial in these situations especially when a newborn is involved.
"We have to get them dry quickly," he said. "Get them stimulated quickly and get them breathing quickly. We want to assess all those things, assess their activity because in those first few minutes it is crucial to have them have an open airway where they are crying and moving; their body goes through a lot of changes when they start breathing air, so we want them to start breathing air soon and as quickly as possible."
Officials say Tuesday was the mom's actual due date.
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One big coincidence is the baby now shares the same birthday as one of the firefighters who helped deliver her.
Patrick Yeh has been a firefighter for only a month.
"I was just kind of flustered at first because like I had no time to prepare. It was just kind of like here you go," Yeh said. "It’s pretty cool. I’m pretty sure everybody at the station has never had anything like this happen before. This doesn’t happen very often."
FOX 5 is told the family is now at the hospital and the baby is healthy and doing fine.