Off duty ‘road angels’ deliver baby boy in back of bakkie at local garage
The two paramedics were busy enjoying coffee after a very long night shift when a bakkie pulled up carrying a woman in labour.
A miracle happened at the Sasol Pinehaven garage on the morning of Tuesday, 15 August.
An off-duty paramedic who had coincidentally left his car keys in the ambulance he had just completed his shift in, heard a woman screaming for help.
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Chandre Pretorius and Kyle Pottow were having coffee while waiting for the ambulance to return before they could leave the garage, when a bakkie carrying three people pulled in and asked for assistance with a woman. When they agreed to assist the woman, they realised she was in labour.
The paramedics, who had no equipment with them and had just completed a very long night shift in the Netcare 911 ambulance service, did a fantastic job in assisting the mother and her baby. When the child was born, he was quite blue (cyanosed), but soon after, his condition began to improve.
The two paramedics needed a maternity pack with some sterile equipment to cut and clamp the umbilical cord, and there were some complications with the birth, so they called for back-up from their on-duty colleagues. The mother, in her thirties, and her newborn son were soon in a stable condition and were transported shortly afterwards by ambulance to hospital for further assessment and care.
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It was later discovered that the woman and her husband were being transported by a man driving a bakkie when she went into labour. Knowing that Sasol Pinehaven always has paramedics stationed there, the driver pulled into the station to look for assistance. If the paramedic hadn’t left his keys in the ambulance, there would have been no-one available to assist, because all the ambulances were out on calls.
Peter Raschel, one of the owners of Sasol Pinehaven said it is a privilege for the station to host the paramedics.
“We have a very good working relationship with those who save lives on a daily basis and we are honoured to house them,” Peter said.
Chandre posted on his Facebook page, saying that they are “[A]lways there when duty calls. Even if it is after a night shift while having a much-needed coffee.”
Chandre and Kyle are crew-mates working in the Krugersdorp area. Chandre has been an ambulance paramedic for 13 years and although he has delivered babies before, both in hospital and during the course of his ambulance duties, this is the first time he had to assist with a birth while off duty.
Kyle is much newer to the job with 18 months on the road and this was his first experience of childbirth. He posted on Facebook: “This job definitely has its rewards.”
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Facebook has since been flooded with positive comments from the community praising the paramedics for their assistance.
Sue Gulcher said, “Precious – we’re so proud of you and together thank you for all you do for the community – with hugs and love from us Gulchers.”
Jilly Needham said, “Our road angels … thank you for your unwavering service.”
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