COVINGTON, Ga. — Covington-Newton County 911 officials are praising two of their own for their work to help a caller deliver her baby boy Monday afternoon.

Director Trudy Henry said two 911 communications officers talked the mother through delivery of the baby Monday, July 18, around 12:36 p.m. shortly before emergency medical workers arrived to the scene of the birth off Brown Bridge Road in Trelawney subdivision.

Henry said Communications Officer J. Hernandez handled the original 911 call. 

“Hernandez obtained pertinent location information needed to dispatch the call. The pregnancy call was dispatched to EMS at 12:37 p.m.,” Henry said.

She said Communications Officer C. Fritz was the agency’s certified emergency medical dispatcher that provided pre-arrival medical instructions and walked the caller through the delivery of the baby.  

“Fritz gave step-by-step instructions and assisted the caller with delivering the baby,” Henry said. “EMS arrived on scene shortly after the baby was born.”

She said Covington-Newton County 911 wanted to commend the communications officers on-duty “that worked together to handle this call and send congratulations to the family on the birth of their new baby boy.”

Henry said all of the agency's communications officers receive EMD training after a year of employment. Once certified, the officer is required to keep the training current and complete an EMD re-certification every two years.