Suffolk Dispatcher Guides Pregnant Mom Giving Birth At Home In Reminder Of 'Critical Role' FRES Plays

YAPHANK, NY — A Suffolk Emergency Services dispatcher was recently lauded by county officials for guiding an expectant mom and dad through an unexpected labor inside their home recently.

Nick Zummo will never forget the call he picked up just before 2 a.m. on June 18. On the other end was a male voice announcing, “She’s giving birth," and with him, was a 36-year-old woman who was nine months pregnant.

Only 47 seconds into the call, Zummo was told that the baby’s head was presenting, and less than a minute later a baby boy was born. From the moment he picked up the call, to the birth of the baby was under two minutes.

Zumo then stayed on the phone with the parents, keeping everyone safe and calm, until emergency medical technicians arrived.

The woman was only identified as a Suffolk resident to Patch.

Officials are calling the aided delivery an outstanding job, and "a reminder of the critical role" that Suffolk's Fire, Rescue, and Emergency Services plays "safeguarding" the county's residents."

Zummo's communication skills were credited for allowing him to determine the baby’s condition and that the umbilical cord was not presenting a problem.

Commissioner Rudolph Sunderman said that the county's dispatchers have "an incredibly challenging, but ultimately very rewarding job."

“They are the first, first responders, their voices provide life-saving instructions and guidance to the caller as they are waiting for additional resources to arrive," he said.

"Sometimes though, in the minutes before anyone else can arrive on scene, it comes down to our dispatcher’s ability to compassionately work directly with the caller on the other end of the line to ensure a positive outcome for all."

"That is exactly what happened here," he said.

To Sunderman, the aided delivery is what the county's dispatchers are trained for — unexpected, rapidly evolving, complex situations, he said.

"Dispatcher Zummo relied on that training throughout the duration of the call," he added. "He remained with the caller and used a clear, calm demeanor to provide the necessary instructions to help keep both the mother and baby safe."