From left, are Capt. Brian Gartland, Adam Girard, Pvt. Marina Morgera and baby Evelyn, Anna Beth Girard, and Pvt. Michael Renaud.
From left, are Lt. Thomas McCooey and Capt. Bryan Ledge, who helped deliver a newborn baby in Lincoln.
Baby Zion Prince Ramos.
NORTH SMITHFIELD – North Smithfield Fire and Rescue personnel are being hailed for delivering two newborn babies within days of each other.
On the night of March 23, Anna Beth Girard and her husband Adam were on their way to the hospital after Girard had started experiencing contractions every six or seven minutes, she told The Breeze.
“My water broke at the lights,” she said.
The lights are just down the street from the North Smithfield Fire Station at the intersection of Route 146 and Great Road.
“The unique thing is when we go on calls, we have time to think about what we’re going to do; she didn’t give us much time to think,” said Capt. Brian Gartland of the North Smithfield Fire Department. Gartland said when the Girards pulled into the parking lot that night, they were discussing their nightly duties with one another as their bell rang with the report of a woman in labor.
Gartland came out of the station with Private Marina Morgera and Private Michael Renaud to help deliver the baby girl in the fire station parking lot.
“I told her, don’t worry you’re in good hands, I’ve done this before,” said Gartland.
“Then you started reading manuals in the ambulance,” said Girard, laughing in response.
Gartland said he was brought back to a crash course training that he completed around 25 years ago with two doctors.
“Even though we get that basic training in EMT school and all of that, they went a step further, like you know, make sure to not be afraid to wipe the kid down. I’m thinking of that training and that woman standing up there, that was 25 years ago,” said Gartland.
Delivery came quickly, done as soon as the ambulance arrived to bring the Girards to the hospital.
The Girards named their little girl Evelyn, and said they are excited to welcome her into their big family.
A little more than a week later, two members of North Smithfield Fire and Rescue helped deliver a baby boy in Lincoln, with special assists from Capt. Bryan Ledge and Lt. Thomas McCooey.
Ledge said they got the initial report from the neighbor, thinking they had time to let the ambulance arrive to take the mother to the hospital, but that changed quickly when they arrived at the scene, with the mother already in advanced labor.
Manuela Sanchez and Sherwin Ramos of Lincoln welcomed Zion Prince Ramos.
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(3) comments
Ah yes, always time for a photo op……dementia elderly, not,so,much….
Ah yes Ida, you seem to be a person that can find the good in everything… what are you even getting at?
So true !
Welcome to the discussion.
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