A woman gave birth to a baby on the Tobin Bridge during rush hour and luckily an EMS truck stuck in that same morning traffic that was able to rush to her aid.
This is definitely one of those cases of being at the right place at the right time.
The Armstrong Ambulance crew who were the first to respond say it’s a rarity that they drive over Tobin Bridge as they usually service the Arlington/Medford area.
But it was a special delivery in the most unexpected place.
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“We were heading into Boston and we got flagged down by a guy on the side of the highway.” Nicholas Heckman, an emergency first responder with Armstrong Ambulance, said.
Heckman and his partner Benjamin Avigad were transporting a patient across the bridge towards Boston on Monday March 11 right during the morning rush hour, when their day took a 360-degree turn.
“You know, I didn’t think anything of it at the time because it was just two cars with hazard lights on, so I was going to call my dispatch to say there was a minor vehicle accident but it turned out to be a woman in labor,” Heckman, said.
When they finally got to the woman she had already given birth in the front seat of the car.
“The baby was still attached to the umbilical cord, my partner says his guess is probably 30 seconds the baby was out," Heckman, said.
The woman was being driven to the hospital by her husband when she gave birth, police say.
Heckman tells us the newborn’s dad was able to participate in this special moment.
“It was pretty awesome because the father got to cut the umbilical cord, he was able to assist in that.”
Sean Mangan, the director of operations for Armstrong Ambulance, applauded their actions.
“They were very calm considering the stress they were under.”
Especially because neither of them has ever delivered a baby and Heckman has only been on the job for six months.
“That day there were 50 mph winds on that bridge when it was happening. It was a really windy day,” Mangan said.
Heckman sent a special message to the family.
“We hope all is well and we definitely would like to hear back and hear how the baby is and the mom is.”
Police say the baby boy was officially born in Chelsea.
Mom and her newborn were transported to Massachusetts General Hospital and are doing just fine.
