Hanscom firefighters deliver baby

  • Published
  • By Mark Wyatt
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Three Hanscom firefighters were dispatched recently to family housing for a woman in labor, and four minutes after first arriving on scene, successfully delivered a baby boy - a first for the trio of veteran firefighters.

Keith Williams, Eric Vail-Naylor and Kevin Tanguay, members of Hanscom's Fire and Emergency Services team, realized soon after arriving on scene Jan. 5 that Amanda Figueroa was not going to make it to the hospital and was going to have the baby at home.

"Delivery was definitely imminent," said Vail-Naylor. "As soon as we got upstairs it was apparent she was having the baby right then."

The firefighters then immediately prepped the upstairs bedroom where Figueroa was lying on the floor. Paramedics had not yet arrived on scene.

"We each have been through EMT [emergency medical technician] training, so we knew exactly what we needed to do," Williams said. "Fortunately for mom and baby, it was a relatively routine delivery with no complications."

Figueroa was grateful the firefighters arrived when they did.

"I can't imagine what would have happened had I delivered Christian without them being here to assist me," said Figueroa, who along with her newborn son, Christian, are home and doing very well.

Doctors had originally scheduled to induce Figueroa later in the week.

Figueroa's husband, U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Moses Figueroa, a recruiter in Lowell, Mass., was unable to make it home in time for the delivery but arrived shortly thereafter.

"Although it wasn't the most ideal situation having missed his birth, I am thankful that the Hanscom firemen arrived quickly and were there to help my wife and our son," said Sergeant Figueroa.

According to the firefighters, receiving calls to assist expectant moms in labor are not uncommon but actually delivering babies is.

"The dispatch will normally be 'possible woman in labor,' but when we get there, the scenario that played out doesn't happen very often," said Tanguay. "Normally we have time to get the mother on the stretcher and get her to the hospital. During this call there was no time for any of that."

Vail-Naylor, who actually was the one who "caught the baby," is glad that mom and baby are doing well.

"Anytime there is a happy ending to an emergency call it's a good day," he said. "It's definitely something I will not soon forget."

Paramedics arrived shortly after and took Figueroa and her newborn to a nearby hospital.

Christian is the couple's second child.

Hanscom's fire chief is proud of the way his team responded to the situation and glad for the happy ending.

"Our firefighters acted quickly and professionally to ensure that mother and baby remained safe throughout the situation," said Bob Hildreth, Hanscom's fire chief. "This is yet another example of the very capable people we have in the Fire and Emergency Services team at Hanscom Air Force Base."