By Traci Chapman

For the seven men on Mustang Fire Department’s blue shift, their last weekend shift was an unusually busy one, but one of their last calls was the most surprising.

They helped bring a new life into the world.

The call came in at 1:25 a.m. Monday, Capt. Andy Willrath said. The crew – Deputy Chief Roy Widmann, Willrath, firefighters Buddy Corbin, Paul Smith, Tom Lewis, Eric Halter and new volunteer firefighter David Williams – headed out to Arbor House, located on North Clear Springs Road, where a couple had pulled over when the woman went into active labor.

“They were on their way to the hospital when it was too late to get there,” Willrath said. “The dad was attending to mom when we got there.”

As the group worked to help, Willrath realized he knew the father, an Oklahoma City paramedic who attended school with him. The father was at work in Oklahoma City when his wife called him. After rushing home and picking up mom and the couple’s older child, they were off, although they didn’t get far. The baby was crowning when they arrived at Arbor House.

“We suctioned the baby’s airway, clamped the cord, and the father got to cut the cord,” Willrath said.

Mother and baby eventually did make it to Canadian Valley Hospital, where both were doing fine Monday afternoon, firefighters said. It was an experience none of them would soon forget, they all said Monday evening.

“What a weekend – it started out with a fire, literally went to fireworks (for July 4 holiday) and ended up with a birth,” Willrath said.