Deputy Matthew Tufts trained as an EMT, and is the father of two, but he never saw a baby delivered the old fashioned way. Not until early last Saturday morning when he responded to a 911 call from the park and ride in Gray.
A couple was on their way to Maine Medical Center in Portland when Tufts heard the dispatch call on his radio around 3:30 a.m. He was approaching the park and ride lot near the Gray exit and pulled in to see if he could help. Upon arrival, Tufts found a couple outside of their vehicle, with the woman well into labor.
“She was well into the delivery by the time rescue workers arrived. They were going to the hospital, it’s just that the baby wasn’t waiting,” said Chief Deputy Kevin Joyce. Joyce caught wind of the delivery through another officer after Tufts mentioned it after his shift.
Tufts was able to help the mother into the back seat of her car. And with the father on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, he got to work. A certified EMT, he was able to recall the training he had received on child birth to safely deliver the baby girl. When Gray rescue workers arrived, the baby and her mother were taken to Maine Medical Center.
During a press conference held Tuesday afternoon, Tufts was all smiles as he recounted Saturday morning’s events. He said that he was “absolutely nervous,” but that he remained calm under pressure.
“It was a matter of minutes. We got the call at 3:25 a.m. and by around 3:30, the baby was born. The fear goes away and I kept thinking ‘I can do this, I can do this’,” said Tufts.
“Mom wanted the baby out. Dad was on the phone with our dispatcher, which helped a lot,” Tufts added.
Tufts’ own children were born through Caesarian section, and he said he will always remember his first experience witnessing, and taking part in, a natural child birth.
“I was excited. Dad was jumping around the parking lot,” said Tufts.
Police and Maine Medical Center were withholding the names of the parents, but Tufts said that he received a call and was told that the girl was 7 pounds, 7 ounces, and healthy, which topped off the experience for him.
“Everything turned out the way it was supposed to,” said Tufts.
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