Members of the Yonkers Fire Department are usually the first responders on the scene of a fire or other accident, or 911 call. For that reason, and because of their top-notch training, members of Yonkers’ bravest are frequently called on to help deliver a baby before ambulance personnel arrive.
On Jan. 14, members of YFD Engine Company 303 from Station 3 on Vark Street responded to a 911 call from 85 Riverdale Ave. Those who responded to the call included Captain Chris Canfield, firefighters Tom Kilduff and Tom Halpin, and probationary firefighter Michael Iacovello.
What they found was a pregnant mother about to give birth, and for Iacovello, this was his first tour in the firehouse. Despite being just a few blocks away from a hospital, the mother, Agnes Osei Bonsu, “was screaming the moment we got to the door,” said Canfield. “The baby was crowning, so we immediately jumped into action.”
The firefighters help deliver the baby, who was wrapped in blankets, and Iacovello cut the umbilical cord. Calling it “a nerve-wracking experience,” the rookie firefighter said: “Now I know what this job really means. It’s the best job in the world.”
The mother and baby returned home from the hospital this week and thanked the members of YFD for being on the scene and for their professional conduct.
