Madison firefighters help deliver baby girl
MADISON, Ala. (WHNT) — A very lucky baby was born in an unusual way this St. Patrick's Day.
'About right at shift change, the tones went off, and we had a mix of different people from two different crews that responded over to a home where we were told that a lady was going into labor,' Madison Fire and Rescue Captain Michael Sedlacek said.
📲 to stay updated on the go. 📧 to have news sent to your inbox.
Madison Fire and Rescue responded immediately.
'Well, when we walked in the room, she said that she had to push and she was standing, and another one of the crew members said, 'Well, we need to go ahead and get down on the ground,' and when she got down on the ground, it was very obvious that imminent delivery was going to happen,' Sedlacek said. 'As soon as I knelt down, she pushed one time, and then I had a baby in my hands.'
He said their team responds to EMS calls daily, but it's not every day they deliver a child.
'You know, all of the training kind of kicks in,' he said. 'You're trying to think through all the things that you remember from school… just to be sure that, you know, everything goes appropriately, and the crew is really what makes the difference here.'
As a firefighter, they see people on some of the worst days of their lives, so Sedlacek said this was a special change.
'We see things that are not always the best things for people to see, so then when we actually have an opportunity to then bring a life into the world, it means a little bit more for us because then it's it's something that we can tangibly see in a hold that lets us know that our jobs actually matter,' he said.
The crew who delivered the baby was made up of seven team members. They were all awarded a 'stork award.' It's a special type of award for EMS-certified people who respond to emergency births.
They were recognized for their heroic efforts in helping bring a healthy baby girl into the world.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Marion County first responders get proactive on manpower shortage
GRANT TOWN — A manpower crisis looms for first responders like those in Grant Town. So Grant Town first responders created a Junior First Responders Academy to get ahead of it. 'Most places don't get young people anymore,' Gauge Miller, Grant Town fire chief, said. 'It's guys that have been doing it 20, 30, 40, 50, some even 60 years. If we don't get young people into the service, then eventually we're not going to have that service if there's nobody new coming in.' Grant Town EMS launched its Junior First Responder Academy three years ago. The academy invites students going into seventh grade through high school to a week where students can experience what it's like to work as fire, police or ambulance worker. This year, the academy expanded its police offerings. The Marion County Sheriff's office provided staff and equipment to make the police component possible. The academy will take place June 23 through June 28. Miller said the academy doesn't just serve Grant Town, but is for all first responders statewide. Miller said all students get first aid and CPR certified before ending the program. For the firefighter portion, Miller said students will get to use a firehose on different props they'll have set up, as well as demonstrations showing how the fire department cuts a car apart to rescue the motorist trapped inside. Miller said the best time to recruit anybody for a service is when they're young. Amanda Stover, Grant Town EMS Assistant, said recruiting for EMS is really, really hard. Mon County just cut their program for EMS and fire, Stover said, and other areas don't have programs that expose students to EMS. 'It makes it really hard for us to show kids what the day-to-day operations are,' Stover said. 'I think we also struggle in little bit in that we don't get paid as much as most other health care professionals, and so kids don't see this as an option.' Stover hopes the Academy can make up for some of that. She said her portion of the Academy teaches students back boarding and how to treat a patient when they come out of a car. Students are also taught how to work with the fire department on a rescue, and how to handle psychiatric emergencies. Stover said students learn different scenarios, and then go out and practice them. She said kids seem to enjoy the practical exercise. The academy at least helps address some of those deficiencies in exposure. 'A lot of times, people don't realize what being a police officer is or what it entails,' Grant Town Police Chief Russell Miller said. 'The whole process can be intimidating, and sometimes there's negative press just like there's good press and if somebody's not exposed to it, maybe that interest never gets sparked. Maybe they never get the opportunity to test it, try it, see if it's their thing. This gives somebody the opportunity to be like, 'wow, I really enjoyed that. This might be a career opportunity.'' Miller thanked the Marion County Sheriff's Department for helping put on the event. He said they're doing demonstrations with the K-9 for the students, as well as tours of the courthouse. Stover said the lack of funding and lack of staffing has caused EMS agencies to close around the state. Gauge Miller said when rural agencies close, response times for residents who live in isolated parts of the state increases as bigger agencies struggle to fill the demand smaller agencies once managed. Russell Miller said when he began his career a few decades ago, there would be hundreds of applicants for a spot on a police department. Now, departments struggle with getting enough people to take a PT test. Gauge Miller made the observation that volunteering isn't something that is emphasized among younger generations anymore. Young people are taught to expect reimbursement for anything they do. For volunteer fire departments, that is highly damaging, since not only is any reimbursement intangible in the form of gratitude, but also because reimbursement isn't why someone gets into public service. It's done out of a sense of duty. Fire, EMS and police are vital services on which society relies. Russell Miller said it takes a special person who wants to serve and not just punch a clock. Stover said the focus in schools on obtaining high paying jobs and the flight of young people out of the state is draining the potential labor pool for first responders. She put it bluntly if those jobs aren't filled. 'We also still need people to stay here and do these jobs,' Stover said. 'Without these jobs, people would die.'

Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
Fire, EMS crews honored for saving fellow first responder
WINDBER, Pa. – Longtime firefighter Bryon 'Lou' Fleck has dedicated his life to saving lives. But as the Northern Regional volunteer fireman arrived on scene for a Central City house fire Feb. 18, Fleck said he never imagined his own life was at risk. Moments after using his radio to alert fellow crews that the home was fully involved in flames, Fleck fell to his knees while a fellow firefighter was working to attach a 5-inch water line. 'Everything just went black,' said Fleck. Fortunately for Fleck, a team of first responders stepped in that frigid morning. Colleagues from two fire departments and Conemaugh Township EMS were recognized as heroes Wednesday – by Fleck and Southern Alleghenies EMS Council Executive Director Jordan Anthony. Anthony credited the group's 'swift, skilled and selfless actions' for reviving Fleck that day. 'You didn't just respond to a call; you answered the call of duty in the most personal way possible, by fighting to save a fellow firefighter – a colleague, a brother,' Anthony said. The CPR Save Award was presented to eight responders Wednesday. Six of them were in attendance and greeted with a handshake from Fleck at Northern Regional Fire Department. The list included Central City firefighter Nick Muha – who performed CPR on Fleck moments after he fell – Northern Regional Chief Mike Horvath, Northern Regional Assistant Bob Statler, Lt. Devon Newcomer and firefighter Martin Washko, as well as Conemaugh Township EMS staff Aiden St Claire, Jake Berkey and Tuker Tirko. 'I never expected I'd go through anything like this,' Fleck said. 'I appreciate everybody who worked on me.' Central City Fire Department and nearby assisting departments were dispatched to the Lohr Street residence at approximately 1 a.m. – and already had to deal with sub-zero temperatures when Fleck collapsed. The fire claimed the home's occupant, and crews spent eight hours battling the fire. Muha said Fleck went into cardiac arrest and had no pulse. Two bystanders helped Muha pull Fleck onto a flat area. Muha said he grabbed shears from his gear and began removing layers of Fleck's clothes to render aid. He performed CPR until Conemaugh Township EMS responders, including Berkey and Tirko, arrived and loaded Fleck into an ambulance to continue treatment. According to Fleck, he was revived after the first time the team used their defibrillator. 'They saved my life,' he said. 'They were in the right place at the right time – and it was meant to be them.' They also had the 'right training,' Jordan and Conemaugh Township EMS manager Terry Ruparcic said. Ruparcic noted that first responders receive annual training to respond to cardiac events, plus other ongoing life-saving training. He credited two bystanders that day – who responders have yet to identify – for assisting at the scene. He also urged members of the public to receive CPR training for sudden emergencies. The next time someone goes into cardiac arrest, it may be a friend or family member, he said. 'Quick actions ... save lives,' he said. Fleck knows that better than most. 'It could be anybody,' he said. David Hurst is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @TDDavidHurst.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
R-Center Summer recreation announced, all City pools to open
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — During a press conference on Thursday, it was announced that summer recreation programming in Rochester is scheduled to begin on June 30. This year will mark the first time since 2019 that all five Rochester City pools and Durand Eastman Park's beach will be open to residents, as the City of Rochester now has enough lifeguards available. A local shortage of lifeguards, a trend seen across the nation, led to the inability to open outdoor pools such as those located at Adams Street and Trenton Pamela Jackson R-Centers. City officials credit the increase in lifeguards to a 'multi-year commitment' to train and employ young people to become Red Cross-certified lifeguards for the summer. 'The unfortunate streak of Rochester not being able to open all of its pools ends this summer because our employees found solutions outside of the box and developed and trained our own crews of lifeguards,' Mayor Malik Evans said on Thursday. Why you may not want to use last summer's sunscreen Funding received from the NY SWIMS Program to eliminate the swim equity gap provided the opportunity for Rochester to develop a Lifeguard Development Course through the Department of Recreation and Human Services. R-Centers throughout Rochester are anticipated to open at 8:30 a.m., with most facilities closing at 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Some of the centers will also be open to the public during the day on Saturdays. Children who are registered at the R-Centers as members will also have the opportunity to receive free breakfast and lunch while they enjoy the programming and activities the facilities have to offer. Recreational activities cater to a variety of interests and include opportunities to participate in things such as sports programs, dance classes, cooking classes, lawn games, and board games. Full schedules and additional programming information can be found in the Summer R-Guide found on the City of Rochester's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.