Owen Perry’s parents have a story to tell about his birthday, and so do three Davenport firefighters.
It was the day after Christmas and the shift had been busy but routine for the Davenport Fire crew of Lt. Jason Roth, Engineer Rick Albert and Firefighter Zach Streit. Shortly before 9PM, the crew was returning to the firehouse after assisting a citizen in their home, when dispatch notified them of a person in labor, at their fire station, Station 8, 2802 E. 53rd Street.
The couple, Casey and Hillary Perry with Owen and older brother Wyatt, visited the firehouse after mother and son left the hospital to thank the firefighters for their care.
“They were wonderful,” Hillary said.
“They were cool, calm and collected, as was my wife,” Casey said. “It was nuts there for a while.”
When the crew of three arrived, they found Hillary and Casey Perry in a vehicle. Hillary was in the backseat in the final stages of labor! The couple, from rural LeClaire, was rushing to the hospital with Hillary in what ended up being a very brief labor when they detoured to the firehouse. Their neighbor, Adam Panther, is a firefighter assigned to Station 8. He wasn’t on duty.
The couple was home after being in Davenport for a doctor’s appointment and errands earlier in the day. After watching a movie, Hillary headed to bed about 8 p.m. Fifteen minutes later she announced her water had broken. They quickly got into their Chevy Tahoe and headed to the hospital.
On Interstate 80, Hillary said the baby was coming and she had to push. Casey said, don’t. They called OnStar. The medical professional on the line said to pull over to deliver the baby. Casey said that wasn’t an option since the temperature was below zero.
“His neighbor is a Davenport firefighter and worked at station 8 so they knew that would be better.
But when they arrived at the station and nobody was answering the door the husband was frantic and was going to move his wife into the back of the SUV and deliver the baby himself. He said that he felt better after hearing the siren and seeing the fire truck,” said Albert.
Casey said the firefighters arrived with lights and siren. Trained at child delivery the firefighters moved quickly to prepare for the birth. They opened the firehouse bay doors and moved the Perrys’ Tahoe inside. They laid a blanket on the bay floor and placed Hillary on it.
Four minutes after they got into the firehouse, baby Owen arrived with the assistance of Albert. Casey said the birth was about 20 minutes from water breaking to delivery. By comparison, Wyatt arrived after eight hours of labor.
Albert, a 20-year veteran of the Davenport Fire Department and a father of two grown sons, said this is not the first time he has delivered a baby. The firefighters went from the delivery to monitoring the vitals and condition of mother and son. Casey cut the umbilical cord.
“We are thankful there were no complications and that baby and mommy are doing well,” added Albert.
Medic EMS arrived shortly after the birth and transported mommy and baby to Genesis Medical Center East Central Park. Mother and baby were released two days later.
Great job everybody!