With the assistance of the Whitman Fire Department, baby Nathan McCarthy was born to mother Erica Rodriguez and father Jason McCarthy at the family’s home in Whitman on Wednesday, May 5. From left, Firefighter Christopher Donahue, Firefighter Scott Figgins, mother Erica Rodriguez and Nathan McCarthy, Firefighter Steven Foster (who delivered baby Nathan) and Lt. Nicholas Grasso. (Photo courtesy Whitman Fire Department) 
Firefighter Steven Foster speaks to mother Erica Rodriguez, holding baby Nathan McCarthy, Friday morning at the Whitman Fire station as Lt. Nicholas Grasso looks on. (Photo courtesy Whitman Fire Department) 
Firefighter Steven Foster, who delivered baby Nathan, speaks Friday. (Photo courtesy Whitman Fire Department) 
Sibling Hailey McCarthy says hello to her new baby brother Nathan. (Photo courtesy Whitman Fire Department) 
Mother Erica Rodriguez holds baby Nathan McCarthy Friday morning at the Whitman Fire station, along with Nathan’s father Jason McCarthy and siblings Brady, 3 and Hailey, 6. (Photo courtesy Whitman Fire Department) 
Mother Erica Rodriguez holds baby Nathan McCarthy, who was born Wednesday morning. (Photo courtesy Whitman Fire Department) 
Lt. Nicholas Grasso speaks to the media Friday morning at the Whitman Fire station. (Photo courtesy Whitman Fire Department) 
Jason McCarthy helps Nathan’s siblings Hailey, 6, and Brady, 3 onto a Whitman Fire truck Friday morning. (Photo courtesy Whitman Fire Department)
WHITMAN — Chief Timothy Grenno is pleased to report that the members of the Whitman Fire Department who helped deliver a baby boy at a resident’s home earlier this week had the chance to talk about the experience along with the family this morning.
Speaking at the fire department headquarters, Whitman Firefighter/Paramedics Steven Foster, Jerry Thompson, Nicholas Grasso, Scott Figgins and Christopher Donahue greeted baby Nathan McCarthy, mother Erica Rodriguez, father Jason McCarthy and siblings Hailey, 6, and Brady, 3.
Firefighters arrived Wednesday within minutes, as the residence was just one street over from the station. They immediately set up a sterile environment and assisted in delivering the baby moments later. The healthy baby, weighing 7 pounds 9 ounces, was transported along with his mother by Whitman Ambulance to South Shore Hospital in Weymouth.
“It’s something we thoroughly train for and review during the recertification process,” said Firefighter Foster, who delivered the baby. “It was a very unique experience and it had a very happy ending. It’s not every day you go to a scene assisting one patient, and you leave assisting two.”
Firefighter Foster said baby Nathan was the first child he had delivered, although he had responded to calls of women in labor before.
“I’ve had some close calls, but this was the first time the baby was born before the ambulance arrived,” he said. “Everything happened so quickly, but your training immediately kicks in. The father remained very calm and Erica did an amazing job.”
Rodriguez said she hadn’t prepared for a home delivery, but was happy with how everything turned out.
“It’s a story we’ll be able to tell for the rest of our lives,” she said. “I am just very thankful that the firefighters showed up as quickly as they did and were so professional. Everything went as smoothly as it could have, and we’re so grateful.”
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