Local EMTs deliver baby as ambulance races to hospital

Matt, Riley, baby Henry and Alex Schnabelrauch in front of their new home in Webberville. Alex noted the newborn’s birth certificate officially lists his place of birth as “M-52 south of 96.” Family provided photo.

revised 5/23/2019

by Mary Wilson and Patrice Johnson

In the early morning hours of May 16, a call came into the SAESA ambulance from 911 services. A pregnant woman’s water had broken, the dispatcher said, and she was going into labor in a car en route to Sparrow Hospital. EMT paramedics Steve Gipe and Michael Biehn, both on duty at the Stockbridge Area Emergency Services Authority, answered the call.

The woman, Alex Schnabelrauch, one week from her due date, knew she, her husband and their two-year-old daughter couldn’t reach the hospital before the baby’s arrival. They called 911.

Unsure which ambulance to send, the dispatcher called both SAESA and NIESA (Williamston’s Northeast Ingham Emergency Service Authority). The vehicle was at the intersection of Columbia Road and M-52 when both ambulances arrived. Because the location fell within SAESA’s coverage area, the woman was loaded into the SAESA ambulance. Gipe, Biehn and a NIESA paramedic wheeled off with the woman in their care. Seven minutes later, at 12:47 a.m., baby arrived.

Gipe said it was a wonderful feeling to tell the mother, “You have a healthy baby boy, and he is doing fine.”

Gipe, an EMT paramedic for 15 years with three children of his own, said this was his first delivery of a baby. “There are not a lot of happy surprises we get to tell people, but this one was,” he said.

Mother was doubly excited because she was unaware of the baby’s gender beforehand. On arrival at the hospital, they broke the good news to husband Matt and daughter Riley, who had followed in the car.

Making the occasion even more unforgettable, the day was Gipe’s birthday, too. “Do you like the name Steve Jeffery?” he asked. But Mom’s heart was set on Henry Isaiah.

“A huge thank you to Steve, Mike and the folks from NIESA,” mother Alex said, “for making sure our story had a happy beginning!”

The Schnabelrauchs moved to the area only a month ago after building a home in Webberville. “We never planned to have baby Henry any place other than at the hospital,” she said, noting that the newborn’s birth certificate officially lists his place of birth as “M-52 south of 96.”

“Despite his speedy and dramatic appearance, the EMTs made sure we were all safe, healthy and got to the hospital as quickly as possible. We’re also grateful for the 911 dispatcher who made sure my husband was prepared to deliver the baby if he arrived before the ambulance could. The whole team working that night was a godsend.”

Schnabelrauch said the family hopes to reintroduce the EMTs to Henry soon and bring along some sweet treats to say thank you.

Biehn was excited to be driving the ambulance. “Runs can be to horrendous accidents,” he said, “a grandmother dying or a small toe stubbed. Not this run—this was a great moment.”