The regional 911 dispatch center released additional details on Thursday’s meet and greet between a family and the dispatcher who helped deliver a baby.
According to an announcement released by Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 about the meet and greet open to the media Thursday:
A Hollister family will meet the dispatcher who helped them deliver their baby earlier this month after mom went into labor at home and dad had to call 9-1-1 for help.
The meeting on Thursday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. at Hollister Fire Station No. 2 also is expected to reunite some of the firefighters and paramedics who arrived at the home just moments after the baby was born. Dispatcher Valerie Conner, the seasoned veteran who added medical dispatching to her list of skills just two years ago, is anxious to see the baby she helped bring into the world.
“I’m super excited about meeting the family,” said Conner, adding, “I’ve never met ANYONE who I’ve helped over the phone.”
Some medical dispatchers go their entire careers without knowing the thrill of helping deliver a child.
“Val is a 34-year employee who recently took on the challenge of being a medical dispatcher, and got to experience one of the things all medical dispatchers dream about: successfully helping one of our community members the birth of their baby over the phone,” said Dennis Kidd, Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 Center’s general manager. “It’s amazing to think a baby took its first breath because of you … and because the dad on scene remained so calm and listened to the instructions Val gave him.”
The 9-1-1 recording of the call shows an especially sweet moment when, some 30 seconds after his baby was born, a realization hits dad. “When I heard him say, ‘It’s a boy!’ with such surprise in his voice, that was cool,” said Conner. “He went from following my instructions to ‘Hey, I have a baby boy!'”
