On Wednesday January 29, when police spotted a speeding motorist on West Shore Road, they probably expected it to be a routine stop. However, instead of a reckless driver with lame excuses, they encountered a frantic husband trying to get to the hospital before his wife gave birth in the passenger seat next to him. This was no false alarm, but luckily the fast response of five members of Fire Medic Co. 1 from the Port Washington Volunteer Fire Department (PWVFD) ensured a baby girl was delivered safely albeit not in the manner her anxious parents had anticipated.

Louise McEvoy and Phillip Pullada, two volunteer paramedics with the Port Washington Volunteer Fire Department, had completed their 9pm to 6am duty shift on Wednesday morning, but rather than clocking off to go home for some much-deserved rest, they decided to stay at the station until someone else came on duty. At 8:40am the alarm call sounded and because of their decision to stay McEvoy and Pullada were able to have the ambulance on the road in moments.

Volunteer Brian Waterson was at his full time job on West Shore Road when his fire medic's beeper alerted him to an emergency call. Realizing the call location was very close to him and not knowing that McEvoy and Pullada had extended their shift and were on their way, Waterson responded to provide assistance until the ambulance could arrive.

Lois Weston was running some morning errands when her fire department beeper went off. Many Fire Department volunteers keep their beepers with them even when not on duty to alert them to calls that may need their additional assistance. Weston saw the call was listed as maternity. A pediatric nurse practitioner with more than 20 years experience, Weston thought her specialized knowledge might be needed and she checked the location of the call. Amazingly it was shown as West Shore Road, the road she was about to turn onto.

Robert Danker, a first assistant engineer with the Fire Medics, was also off duty when his beeper alerted him to a call and he raced to the firehouse. When he saw the ambulance had already left he took the fly car, a souped up Ford Explorer, to act as back up.

First on the scene was Brian Waterson who found two police cars blocking in the family's car and the mother being made comfortable on the back seat. He only had time to help position her and produce another blanket when the mother told him, "I need to push." When Weston arrived moments later snow had begun to fall. She knew that, despite the unfavorable conditions, Mother Nature and her experience could handle things but was still relieved when McEvoy and Pullada arrived with the ambulance. They quickly put the mother on a stretcher and transferred her to the relative comfort and warmth of the ambulance. Not a moment too soon. Pullada coached the mother while McEvoy took up what is unromantically called "the catchers" position, ready to receive the new baby into the world. Weston stood ready in the event of a difficult birth or any post birth complications. Happily there were none. At 8:55 am, only 15 short minutes after the initial call had been received, the five-member medical team and Mom laughed and cried as a healthy baby girl, immediately named Melissa, arrived kicking and screaming into the world. And where was the father during all this? Having been stopped for speeding once by the police, he saw his wife safely into the ambulance and then drove ahead presumably with the intention of arriving at the hospital in time to see his new baby born.

All five fire department members later acknowledged that they had not expected such an exciting morning. Most often maternity calls are made during the early stages of labor and the ambulance crew has little more to do than make the mother comfortable and drive safely to the hospital where the child is to be born; Melissa proved to be the exception to the rule. Among the many things Melissa and her family can be thankful for is the combined experience of the team that arrived to assist them. Everyone who volunteers as an EMT undergoes rigorous training including 160 hours of EMT classes but the five people on site that day were more qualified than most.

McEvoy is a Registered Nurse with critical care qualifications and has been with the Fire Department since she turned 18. As the training officer for all new recruits in the Fire Medic Company she has taught child birth classes numerous times although she admitted this is the first time she had to put those skills into practice outside of a hospital. Her partner Palluda is a 22-year veteran with Fire Medics and enjoyed the experience of helping others so much that 14 years ago he became a full-time paramedic in New York City, a qualification that requires 1,400 hours of training. Baby Melissa is the sixth baby Palluda has helped to deliver and the second in Port Washington. Weston works at St. Mary's Hospital for Children in NYC, a long-term care facility for babies who have had problems before, during or after birth. Her experience with childbirth complications meant she was prepared to cope with the worst and she, probably more than anyone else, appreciated Melissa's speedy and healthy delivery. Danker, like McEvoy, has been a volunteer with the fire department since he was 18 and in that time he has consistently been in the top ten responders, responding to on average between 150 to 200 calls a month. Melissa is the second birth that he has attended as a volunteer fire medic; the first was in 1999 the day after his graduation prom. Waterson, like many of his colleagues in Fire Medic Co. 1 is a "squad member". A squad member is someone who, in addition to serving with one of the other three fire companies in Port Washington, performs duties with Fire Medic Co. 1; Waterson is a second lieutenant in Atlantic Hook and Ladder Truck Co. 1 and has trained as an EMT.

Baby Melissa's dramatic entrance into the world serves to remind us of two very precious things in our lives that are too often overlooked: the miracle of new life and the invaluable work of the volunteers in the PWVFD. Babies arrive in the world every minute of every day but we are only normally aware of those that are very close to us or deemed newsworthy such as multiple births or celebrities' babies. Similarly the PWVFD responds to as many as 2,500 calls every year but we, the general public and benefactors of their services, often only hear about the most tragic incidents or those that effect us directly.

While we take their services for granted, the Fire Department are always looking for more volunteers to ensure they can provide coverage at all times. McEvoy said, "6am to 10am is one of the times we have difficulty finding enough volunteers who can be on duty at the station." The Fire Medic Company cover calls 24-7 but sometimes they have to rely on people responding to calls from home or work, which can lose valuable minutes while volunteers make their way to the station to get the ambulance. McEvoy stressed that while the Fire Medic Company is part of the Fire Department only about 25 percent of its members serve as firemen and while the Fire Medic Company responds to about 60 percent of all calls many of its members have never been close to a fire. Members' duties are as diverse as serving as an EMT, driving and maintaining the ambulances, maintaining the computer system or performing office duties.

Baby Melissa will only learn later in life of her eventful arrival in the world, but for the volunteers who attended her birth it is an unforgettable experience. Pullada said, "Every time we respond to a call, knowing that we have helped someone is great feeling." Even this experienced crew admitted that seeing Melissa being cuddled by her mother brought tears to their eyes. McEvoy said, "I received so many congratulations after the delivery you would have thought I'd given birth myself." McEvoy has a special memento of the day, a fluffy, stuffed-toy Dalmatian. The fire medic crew keep the toys as part of their kit to help sooth pediatric patients. On the way to the call Palluda had pulled the Dalmatian from it's place in the cabinet and place it on the dashboard. McEvoy said, "I don't know what made him do it but he just said, "I think he wants to ride up front with us today" After all the tears and laughter of the birth Palluda handed McEvoy the toy and said, "Here you have to take this home." McEvoy did and of course she has named her Melissa.

For an opportunity to meet the Fire Medic crew and learn more about the wonderful opportunities to volunteer, go in person to Fire Medic Co. 1 on Harbor Road where meetings are held every Thursday evening from 7pm to 9pm. Alternatively you can get information by visiting the fire department web site at www.pwfd.com, of by calling headquarters at 516-883-2200.