A New York firefighter had a memorable first day on the job as his very first call resulted in him delivering a baby.
Michael Iacovello might have expected to save lives on his first day with the Yonkers Fire Department, but bringing a new one into the world probably wasn’t a task he’d anticipated.
Last week, Iacovello and his team were called to an apartment in Yonkers, where they heard Obadianah Boakye-Aboagye screaming in pain.
The New York resident was inside her Riverside Avenue apartment when she realised she was in labour with her fourth baby girl. The mum told CBSN she decided to call 911, but when the first responders arrived it was too late to get Boakye-Aboagye to hospital.
Iacovello, who is still considered a ‘probationary firefighter’, explained:
We walked into the apartment. We thought, OK, we were going to transport her to the hospital, you know, have the ambulance take her.
As we looked, [the baby] was ready to come out. I was really nervous. I was excited, but the training kicked in.
Thankfully, the new firefighter said he had been ‘trained for this type of situation’, so when the team realised the baby was crowning, they sprung into action.
Iacovello explained the team had access to the right equipment and so they were able to ensure a smooth delivery of the newborn.
He added:
She started crying once we suctioned her and I cut the umbilical cord.
Despite her dramatic entrance, the baby girl – named Obadianah after her mother – is said to be doing well.
Iacovello expressed how grateful he was that he had the training and skills necessary to help deliver the baby girl, saying he wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise.
This week, Iacovello reunited with Boakye-Aboagye and her baby daughter, with whom he will always share a special ‘first day’.
The mother said she was happy to see the firefighter and thanked him for his hard work.
The Yonkers Fire Department celebrated the success of Iacovello’s first day by presenting him with a pink cake that read, ‘It’s a girl, congratulations Mike.’
The firefighter’s response to his first call certainly proved he can work well under pressure; there’s no doubt he’ll be able to face whatever the job throws at him!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.