Not Your Average Shift: RI Firefighters Deliver Three Babies This Summer

A Summer of Life: Pawtucket Firefighters Deliver Three Babies in Two Months

Firefighters often face unpredictable situations during their shifts, but for a group from the Pawtucket Fire Department, this summer brought an extraordinary series of events that will remain unforgettable. In just over two months, these brave individuals helped deliver three healthy babies — a rare and life-changing experience for everyone involved.

First Delivery: May 30

The first delivery occurred right at the start of summer on May 30. Firefighters Joe Heeps and Jack Donahue were dispatched to assist a woman in labor. Donahue arrived first and quickly realized the baby was on its way. “The mom looked at me and said she had the urge to push, which means the baby is coming,” he recalled.

Once Heeps and his partner, Jake Morgan, arrived on the scene, they determined it was safe to head to the hospital. As they pulled into the parking lot, the delivery began. “Within a very short time, the baby was here,” Heeps said, adding that everything went smoothly. However, the ride to the hospital felt like “the longest ten minutes any of us have ever experienced.”

After the successful delivery, both firefighters reflected on the emotional impact of the moment. “We all felt the emotion of the whole thing at that point where we had a second to breathe and think about what we just did,” Donahue added.

A few weeks later, the firefighters reunited with the healthy baby girl and her family. “It was actually really nice to be able to see the positive outcome that we had,” Heeps said. “We usually don’t get to see that a lot.”

This call was especially meaningful for Heeps, as he and his wife welcomed their first child on July 30.

Second Delivery: July 9

Just after 2:20 a.m. on July 9, firefighters Tom Mancini and Joe Santarpio were returning from another call when they received a dispatch for a woman in labor. Mancini arrived first and found the woman on the bathroom floor in active labor.

Santarpio described the situation: “He told me, ‘baby’s coming,’ so I just grabbed the necessary things… everything to try and make the mom and baby as comfortable as possible.” The baby had no time to wait, not even for a ride to the hospital or for the rest of the crew to arrive.

Mancini used a towel from the towel rack to catch the baby and wrap them. “I remember delivering the baby and looking up to see the engine company and Joe in the doorway of the bathroom looking at me,” he recalled. The delivery was successful and free from complications.

“It took her a couple seconds to cry. It feels like an eternity trying to stimulate and hear that cry, but once you do, it’s a very rewarding sound,” Mancini added.

Third Delivery: August 4

The final delivery occurred on August 4 around 4:15 a.m. Firefighters were called for a woman experiencing contractions. When they arrived, firefighter Matt Dallaire initially thought he was speaking with the patient outside — until she revealed her sister was upstairs giving birth.

“We rushed upstairs and by what we were looking at, I knew that we were going to be delivering the baby there,” Dallaire said. By the time the rest of the crew reached the kitchen, Mancini was already on the floor with the newborn crying.

“I remember Matt being so thankful that I arrived,” Mancini said. “‘Thank God you’re here,’ I think was his direct quote.”

For Andrew Donnelly, Aug. 4 marked his first-ever shift with the department. While some firefighters have prior experience with other departments, the group has accumulated about 40 years of combined service with the Pawtucket Fire Department, plus Donnelly’s first day.

A Rare and Memorable Experience

“Being that it is so different from our normal runs, something special like bringing life into the world is a rare thing to do in our field,” Donahue said. “That’s not something that any of us took lightly and not something any of us will forget probably for the rest of our lives.”

To date, all three mothers and babies are thriving. The experiences of these firefighters highlight the unpredictable nature of their work and the profound impact they can have on people’s lives. These moments of joy and connection serve as a reminder of the importance of their service.