On Thursday August 20th at approximately 9:10 A.M. An about to be new Dad called 9-1-1 requesting immediate help for his wife. He reported that she was in labour and wasn't going to make it to the hospital.
Halton Police Officers were the first to arrive at the Trawden Way address in the Bronte Creek neighbourhood of Oakville. Halton Regional Police Constable Paul Fretz took charge of the situation.
"When you get a call like this your adrenalin starts pumping, and I felt good, because we were heading to a situation, which was going to be positive," stated Cst. Fretz.
"We arrived first, which is unusual. Normally the paramedics are first at the scene," said the Constable as he described the birth. "I was happy to find that the front door was unlocked, so I headed up the stairs. I could hear where they were. When I walked into the room, I could see the top of the baby's head. There wasn't time to wait around for the paramedics or call 9-1-1, so I encouraged the mom to push. When the baby's head was out I could see that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. I knew I had to ask her to push again, so that I could get the cord from around the child's neck. Thankfully, she pushed hard enough so that I could remove the cord, and then I continued to encourage her through the rest of the birth."
"There is nothing like hearing a baby take its first breath. It was amazing."
"After the baby girl was born, the paramedics arrived and took them to the hospital. The parents were amazing, completely calm. You can't ask for more than that. It allowed me just to focus on the delivery."
When he was asked how he knew what to do, he stated that the yearly programs offered by the Halton Regional Police provides excellent training on how to work with people. He also has a keen interest in medical science, and is a certified Massage Therapist which helped him to understand the workings of the human body. Finally, the CPR course offered by the department also provided him with a brief understanding of child birth.
He hasn't had a chance to see the newborn since the birth, but he knew the baby girl was healthy and breathing well, when she was taken to the hospital.
Halton Regional Police have on occasion delivered babies, but this was a first for the Constable. Paul Fretz has been with the Halton Regional Police since 1999.