Firefighters (from left) John Stomboly, Robert Morse and Joshua Mesina helped deliver a Haverhill couple’s baby. (Courtesy photographs)
A trio of Newburyport firefighters saved the day for a Haverhill family last week when the couple couldn’t make it to Anna Jacques Hospital in time for their son’s birth.
As firefighter/EMT Robert Morse tells WHAV, the men in uniform were at the ready around noon Thursday when Humphrey Matombo pulled into the Storey Avenue station with his wife in active labor.
Firefighter Joshua Mesina was first to reach mom Memory, with Morse and John Stomboly close behind.
“Firefighter Mesina was the first to reach her and saw the baby’s head was crowning, grabbed a pair of gloves and went over the mother,” Morse said. “By the time I got there, the baby’s head had already delivered. The baby’s umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck, so I had to get it unwrapped. By that time, both Josh and John were back with me and it was pretty much over in 20 seconds.”
Jayden Matombo was welcomed into the world by Newburyport firefighters.
Little Jayden Matombo came into the world weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces.
Morse praised his colleagues for staying cool under pressure.
“It was a little nerve-wracking, but we do train for it. Everything went very smooth and all three of us worked together. We have two patients, mom included,” Morse told WHAV. “All things considered, things went very well and we were able to transport them to the hospital.”
Members of Atlantic Ambulance Service took the new family of three to Anna Jacques. Morse, Stomboly and Mesina followed up with them on Friday.
“We had a chance to see mom, dad and baby at the hospital and everyone’s doing great. They were very thankful and it’s nice to see a good outcome,” said Morse.
The boy was Morse’s fourth field birth, the third for Stomboly and the first for Mesina.