Barrow County 911 dispatchers help 2 mothers deliver babies

Barrow County 911 operators help deliver babies

A pair of Barrow County 911 operators are being recognized for using the protocols of their new Emergency Medical Dispatch system to help two mothers successfully deliver their babies.

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - A pair of 911 operators in Barrow County are being recognized for using their training to help two local mothers successfully welcome their babies into the world.

Officials say the two employees put the county's new protocols for its Emergency Medical Dispatch system to the test.

What we know:

The new EMD system was implemented back in May and allows 911 call takers to provide medical instructions while gathering key information for first responders before anyone gets to the scene.

On June 1, just a little while after the EMD system went live, shift supervisor Rachel Gyldholm got a call from a Spanish-speaking man whose sister was fully in labor.

In July, officer Desire Selimovic answered a call from a husband driving his pregnant wife to the hospital.

The man told Selimovic that the baby was coming soon and that he wasn't going to make it to the delivery room in time. Selimovic had the couple pull into a gas station parking lot, where she guided the husband as he assisted in delivering the baby.

Officials say both babies are happy and healthy. 

What they're saying:

"As 911 dispatchers, we’re often the first voice people hear on their worst day, during the most stressful moments of life," Selimovic said. "To be part of something like this — helping bring new life into the world — is an incredible experience and one of the joys of this job."

E-911 Director Jeremy Pickett praised the operators for their hard work during a stressful situation.

"I could not be more proud of the men and women of Barrow County E-911," Pickett said. "They come to work each day prepared to serve their community at the highest level, and these outcomes reflect the skill, compassion, and commitment they bring to the job."