Friday 27 June was a special day for Ripley baby, Atticus and his family, as they met with the QAS team which delivered him into the world a few months earlier.
According to Atticus’ mum Katie Gillert, in the early hours of a Monday morning in late April, a heavily-pregnant Katie and her husband Darren Gillert, were rushing to Ipswich Hospital when they had to pull over to the side of Warwick Road Yamanto, to dial Triple Zero (000) as their baby wasn’t going to wait..
Emergency Medical Dispatcher (EMD) Jemima (‘JJ’) Shevill took their call and coached and reassured Katie and Darren over the phone, keeping them calm until paramedics arrived.
Mum-to-be Katie said hearing the distant sirens getting louder as they got closer also reassured and calmed her and very soon, Ripley Station paramedics Cliodhna ‘Clio’ Healy and Carol ‘Caz’ Burton arrived on the scene.
Joining Clio and Caz on her very first shift was QUT student paramedic Molly James, who just happened to be celebrating her own 20th birthday.
Between contractions, the team managed to move Katie from the family car to the the ambulance, and a healthy baby boy was delivered just as the sun rose.
Caz described the team’s job as a “beautiful start to a beautiful morning”.
“It was an amazing opportunity to be part of such a significant life event for this little family,” Caz said.
But, it wasn’t without its challenges as their birthing location was less than ideal.
“We were in such an uncontrolled environment, being by the side of the road while people were making their Monday morning commute,” Caz said.
“This is where things can change drastically within a matter of seconds.
“We also had two patients to look after, but mum Katie did an amazing job.
“It was a complete team effort.”
Flash forward to early July, Atticus came face-to-face with the team which helped bring him into this world, including his new “birthday buddy” Molly, who was there to enjoy a cuddle.
Feeling much calmer this time around,Katie said she was thrilled to be able to thank not just her paramedics Clio, Caz and Molly, but also to finally meet JJ, the person behind the calm voice on the end of the phone line.
Accompanied by her oldest son, and Atticus’ big brother, Lennox, Katie bore treats in the form of donuts and a box of “Favourites” chocolates.
They took a tour in the ambulance and reminisced about their special morning and spoke about the instant relief Katie felt when she heard the sirens in the distance.
“To hear how Katie and Darren felt knowing they were in safe hands as soon as they heard us, was a great feeling,” Clio said.
“It just goes to show how valued we are to patients in their critical moments.
“The gratitude we felt from Katie, alongside her excitement about reuniting with us was a huge achievement for the whole team.”
Katie also apologised to JJ for the “screaming” she would have heard over the phone line during the birth, especially while JJ was trying to coach Katie’s husband Darren during a high-stress situation.
But JJ was all smiles as she was able to hold the little baby she helped deliver.
Katie said her only regret was not calling Triple Zero (000) sooner,
"I’ve told my ‘expecting’ friends to act sooner – don’t wait until you're stuck on the side of the road to call for an ambulance!” she said.