NEW YORK — An FDNY lieutenant and two EMTs delivered a baby on July 23 in an unlikely spot, the 4/5 subway train platform at Bowling Green in Manhattan.
“It was a great experience it was amazing to see another human life to come into the world,” said EMT Tom Loggin from Station 4.
He and his partner, EMT Jerry Chatelain, were called to the station at 3:20 p.m. for an “unknown job.” As they neared the station, they were told there was a woman in labor.
Anxious straphangers directed them to the downtown platform, where they found the woman in labor, the baby already crowning.
The crowd nervously watched as the EMTs and Lt. James Scordus helped deliver the healthy baby boy and cut the cord.
“We were doing everything we had to do — but it was pretty nerve wracking when you have people there cheering you on,” EMT Chatelain.
EMT Loggin added: “I was just worried about the mother and the baby, and the baby coming out safely, that I just blocked everyone out until the baby was born and I heard them cheer.”
Although the temperature on the train platform topped 100 degrees, the EMTs said the mother did extremely well.
Both the mother and baby were transported to New York Downtown Hospital.
This was the first baby delivery for both EMTs - EMT Loggin has two years on the job and EMT Chatelain, who has a daughter of his own, has only two months.
“Learn how to do it in the Academy is one thing, but nothing compares to doing it in person,” EMT Chatelain said. “I’m happy everything worked out well.”