Baby Can't Wait; South San Francisco Mother Gives Birth Inside Ambulance On Way To Hospital
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A South San Francisco firefighter went above and beyond the call of duty by delivering a baby while inside an ambulance on the way to the hospital early Wednesday morning.
Firefighter and paramedic Jesse Lange and two colleagues were dispatched to a home of a woman in labor at 3:45 a.m. Wednesday.
According to a press release from the City of South San Francisco, the baby could not wait for the ride to the hospital and Lange delivered the child inside the ambulance as it traveled along U.S. Highway 101 near Interstate 380 at 4:02 a.m.
Lange also noticed the umbilical cord wrapped around the newborn's neck and was able to provide resuscitative care, the city said.
"I was really impressed with how calm the mother was throughout the whole ambulance ride," said Lange. "When we first got the call, I figured we'd get to the hospital on time – but this little boy was ready to meet the rest of us."
Mother Alexis Mendez and baby, seven-pound, one-ounce Frank Edward Mendez Jr., were resting comfortably after the ordeal.
A reunion is planned between Lange and the Mendez family sometime next week.
According to the city, all of South San Francisco's firefighters are required to be or to have been a paramedic, and it's the only city in the county to operate its own stand-alone ambulance service.