The Bismarck Tribune
BISMARCK, N.D.— Khloee Grenz was born at mile marker 203 on Interstate-94.
Her birth took place inside a Napoleon ambulance, the first time in 21 years the town’s crew has had to handle an unexpected delivery.
Her parents, Bryan and Jessica Grenz, had hoped to make it to a Bismarck hospital, but the baby had other plans.
Mom Jessica said she woke up at 2:30 a.m. on April 7 experiencing what she described as “full blown” contractions.
The couple quickly packed their bags and were pulling out of their driveway when Jessica Grenz told her husband there wasn’t time to get to the Bismarck hospital. Instead, they called 911 and headed to the Napoleon Fire Hall to meet the ambulance crew.
While en route to the hospital, “My contractions were just one after another,” said Jessica Grenz and, not long later, she delivered an 8 pound, 7 ounce baby girl.
“We just couldn’t believe it. We were in total shock,” she said.
Bryan Grenz said the experience was exciting and nerve-racking at the same time.
“It was a great experience, but the nicest sound and the most exciting thing was when we could hear the baby cry,” he said.
Julie Kuhn, an ambulance responder, said, “Everything goes so fast, you just handle what’s going on. It was very exciting and Bryan and Jessica kept calm and were prepared, so the personnel could do their job and make sure everything went smoothly.”
Heather Moser, who is in emergency medical technician training, said the course work covered labor and delivery in an ambulance the evening before the Grenz run.
“I didn’t know I would need to utilize it (the training) the next day,” she said.
The other ambulance staff had taken a labor and delivery refresher course last month.
At the hospital, the “ambulance baby” was pronounced perfectly healthy.
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