Firefighters help deliver baby

Timothy Panzer, 96th Civil Engineer Group fire captain, holds the baby he helped deliver while Mom, Leana Zimmerman, looks on June 20 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Panzer, along with Kyle Vaughn, Mark Merrill and Walter Carney, also 96th CEG firefighters, helped deliver Luca Zimmerman, in base housing after responding to a 911 call. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Firefighters help deliver baby

Kyle Vaughn, Timothy Panzer, Mark Merrill and Walter Carney, 96th CEG firefighters, pose for a photo with Airman 1st Class Josiah Zimmerman, his wife Leana, and their children during a visit June 20 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The firefighters helped the Zimmermans deliver their baby at home on base after responding to a 911 call. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Firefighters help deliver baby

Ondeen Zimmerman, two-years-old, dons her pink firefighter helmet during a visit with fire fighters June 20 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The firefighters helped deliver Zimmerman’s little brother, Luca, in their home on base in the early morning hours of June 13. (U.S. Air Force photo/Ilka Cole)

Firefighters help deliver baby in base housing

Published June 23, 2016
By Ilka Cole
Team Eglin Public Affairs

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Base firefighters helped deliver a baby boy after dispatchers answered an early morning 911 call from base housing here June 13.

When firefighters arrived, Leana Zimmerman, now mother of two, was in her living room hunched over on the floor in active labor.

"Things happened faster than we expected," said Zimmerman. "Once we were downstairs, my husband told me to get into the car and I said, 'No, no, the baby is coming. This is happening right here, right now.'"

Leana's husband, Airman 1st Class Josiah Zimmerman, prepared to help his wife deliver their baby while on the phone with emergency dispatch.

"The baby's head was already through the birth canal and facing me," said the air traffic controller apprentice with the 96th Operations Support Squadron. "Within minutes, the baby was born in the firefighter's hands and I was cutting the umbilical cord with their help."

The 26-year-old mother said the firefighters were calm, gentle and encouraging during the baby's birth.

"Although I only remember seeing their shoes, having the firefighters there was nice and reassuring," said Zimmerman. "More importantly, they arrived at the perfect moment. I'm thankful they were there to ensure our baby was okay and take us to the hospital."

The firefighters didn't even have time to don their sterile dressing kit when they saw the baby was on the way. They realized the newborn had not taken his first breath when Leana's last contraction pushed the baby out.

Timothy Panzer, a 96th Civil Engineer Group fire captain, helped guide the baby out. He supported the baby's head when the shoulders exited along with the rest of his body. He cleared Luca's airways and wrapped him to keep him warm.

"We train and exercise these types of scenarios regularly, but this was the first time I helped deliver a baby," said Panzer. "We are qualified emergency medical technicians at the basic level. We're able to assist with birthing and deal with obstetric emergencies."

Thanks to the quick arrival of the well-trained firefighters and EMTs, Mom and her seven pound, six ounce baby, Luca, are back home and doing well.

"Hearing the baby's first cry was amazing. It was a rejuvenating experience," said Panzer. "This was magical. Several of us are fathers so we knew how special the moment was. We wanted to make sure Mom and Dad were well taken care of."