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No Comments [ Add Comment ]A big sigh of relief in Ogden
By SAM COOPEROGDEN -- A Weber County emergency dispatcher got the treat of her young career Thursday when she coached a mother giving birth.
Marcie Jacques received the call around 10:10 a.m. from Dustin Hinds, who was on his cellphone as he rushed to the Riverdale home of his girlfriend, Rebecca Epps, who was going into labor.
Jacques also tried to call Epps, but when she didn't receive an answer, she called Hinds back. He had just arrived to discover Epps in the bathroom.
"It was amazing good timing, I guess for me, in calling him back," she said.
"I showed up just as it was about ready to happen," Hinds said. "I went in there, and she was lying in the bathtub, trying to get her stomach to relax with some warm water."
The scene was chaotic.
"My little son (Connor) was screaming, (Epps) was screaming," Hinds said.
The whole thing happened incredibly fast, Jacques said. "The baby pretty much just came out, then I started giving him instructions on tying on the umbilical cord, cleaning off the baby."
The parents named the newborn Shyanne Hinds. She weighs 6 pounds, 15 ounces and is 19 inches long.
Once the baby's mouth was cleared, Jacques could hear her crying. She stayed on the line until Riverdale rescue workers arrived.
"We put the baby in a warm, fresh towel," said fire Capt. Dave Ermer. "She was a very pretty pink color and screaming like a nice, healthy newborn baby would do."
The family was transported to Davis Hospital and Medical Center in Layton, where the newborn and mother were resting Thursday afternoon.
Everyone handled this situation well, Ermer said.
"She (Jacques) was able to relay information to us rather quickly, and Dad did everything he could to make Mom comfortable."
The experience was exciting, but one most involved would rather not repeat.
"It was awesome. I was shaking for 30 minutes afterward," said Jacques, who has worked as a dispatcher for only one year. "I've never really taken a pregnancy call."
Hinds was still slightly in shock. "It's something I'd prefer not to do again but, yeah, it was pretty incredible."
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