Firefighters deliver a little Christmas cheer
Goodwood firefighters delivered a bundle of Christmas joy when a mom in labour pulled up at the fire station’s parking lot.
When the Morningstar mom’s water broke on the way to hospital, her quick thinking husband made a detour to the fire department for assistance.
On Friday morning December 11 Rinos Chiunye was driving his wife Yollanda to Vanguard Community Health Centre. Ms Chiunye was overdue by more than a week and the couple were exited to meet their third child. But when Ms Chiunye’s water broke a way off from the hospital Mr Chiunye knew they would not make it to the delivery room.
“She was starting to push already,” said Mr Chiunye. He considered calling an ambulance but said he knew they would take too long. As they were close to Goodwood, Mr Chiunye decided to drive to the Goodwood fire station for assistance.
He said he started to relax when the crew made their way to the car with medical equipment.
His wife gave birth in the back seat of their Honda SUV in the fire station’s parking lot.
JP Smith, mayco member for safety and security, said senior firefighter Denzil Benny assessed the situation and saw the baby was already crowning.
Mr Benny was assisted by firefighter Jacques Swanepoel to deliver the baby just 10 minutes after the couple had pulled up, said Mr Smith.
To add more excitement to an already eventful day the couple were surprised with a baby boy when they had been told to expect a girl. “We only had pink clothes in our baby bag,” said Mr Chiunye.
He said he was grateful for the firefighters help. The baby is named Riaan and both mother and baby are doing well he added. “Recently another team of firefighters helped a mother deliver a baby on the roof of a house. These men and women do their uniform proud by going the extra mile for the communities they serve,” said Mr Smith.
