For Immediate Release

Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2019

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Andover Firefighters Deliver Healthy Baby Girl in Back of Ambulance

ANDOVER — Fire Chief Michael Mansfield reports members of Andover Fire Rescue played a role in bringing new life into the world on Monday evening.

Firefighters and medics responded after a 7:39 p.m. 911 call reporting a 37-year-old woman in labor at home on Brookside Drive. The mother-to-be was 39 weeks pregnant with a Sept. 5 due date but was in active labor when first responders arrived minutes after the call.

Andover Ambulance 2, with Firefighter/EMT Kevin Carney and Firefighter/EMT Richard Krafton on-board, arrived and assisted the patient. Lawrence General Hospital Advanced Life Support paramedics also arrived on scene a short time later. It was determined that contractions were coming faster when medics arrived than when the initial 911 call was placed. 

The mother was loaded onto Ambulance 2 and transported to Lawrence General Hospital. However, apparently destined to always be early for her appointments and special events, a baby girl was born in the back of the ambulance approximately 1/2 mile from the hospital.

The baby was born at 8:13 p.m., and mother and daughter continued to the hospital, where they are both said to be doing well.

“I am very pleased at the outcome of this emergency situation with mother and daughter doing very well,” Chief Mansfield said. “All of our personnel are highly trained to deal with these types of situations. This little girl just could not wait to say hello to the world, and I am very proud of our firefighters for their actions.”

This was the second child for the mother. For Firefighter Carney, it was his third field delivery in a 13-year career in emergency medical services and firefighting. For Firefighter Krafton, however, it was his first baby in his nine-year career.

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