A routine emergency call turned into a momentous occasion for a CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department crew early Saturday morning, Jan. 25, when they helped deliver a baby girl on I 15 South. The experience was shared on the CAL FIRE/Riverside Fire Facebook page.
At dawn, Engine 9 was dispatched to Highway 74, where a woman in active labor needed urgent medical assistance. Fire Captain James Worthington and paramedics Corey Stearns and Ryan Wafford quickly assessed the situation, loaded the expectant mother into an ambulance, and began transport to a local hospital.
But the baby had other plans.
Just 10 minutes into the drive, at 6:33 a.m., the crew found themselves performing an unexpected delivery on southbound Interstate 15 in Lake Elsinore. Working alongside American Medical Response (AMR) personnel, the first responders successfully delivered a healthy baby girl in the back of the ambulance.
The delivery was smooth, with no reported complications. Both the mother and newborn arrived at the hospital in excellent condition.
For the crew of Engine 9, the moment was a reminder of the unpredictable nature of emergency response and the unique privilege of bringing new life safely into the world.
As the baby’s family celebrates their newest addition, commenters on Facebook congratulated the new family and conveyed their thankfulness for the first responders involved and their swift action and professionalism in a high-pressure situation.
