Pictured left to right: Fire Fighter Ryan Booth, Engineer Russell Boham, Captain Patrick Beyer.

(Photo by Engineer Landry)

A week ago in a town decorated with Christmas lights, firefighters raced to a 911 call of labor in progress.  The three man fire crew arrived on the scene at the Motel 6 before the ambulance.  They helped the woman there bring forth a son. However, the little guy was not well. He was having difficulty getting air.

“Sometimes it takes awhile for babies to get breathing,” said Captain Patrick Beyer of the Eureka Fire Department who responded to the scene.   He, along with fire fighters Ryan Booth and Russell Boham, worked to assist the new family.  Boham, who was born and raised in the area, suctioned the little boy’s airway and stimulated the child’s breathing by giving a “rough massage” to his tiny back and limbs. Soon the infant was behaving normally.

After he was stabilized, he was sent to St. Joseph for observation. Later the crew came to the hospital and they presented him gifts, a teddy bear and a blanket.  The items have been donated by various local businesses and service organizations including State Farm Insurance and the Eureka Soroptimists to the Department.  The toys help the fire fighters reassure children in stressful situations and the blankets bring comfort and warmth.

The crew was glad to help says Beyer. He adds, “We are so often there at the end of life, that is was great for us to be there at the beginning of life.”