Pregnant firefighter aids woman in car crash while in LABOR – and gives birth hours later
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A pregnant firefighter helped nurse a woman who was trapped in an overturned car after they had a collision that caused her contractions – and gave birth hours later.
Megan Warfield, 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, and her mother were driving home from her late father’s annual memorial golf tournament on Monday, October 3, when they were involved in the multi-vehicle accident.
The mother, a firefighter for the Baltimore County Fire Department, was nine months pregnant and had been doing administrative work while waiting for her baby to arrive, but she sprang into action after the accident.
Warfield explained on the Today show on Thursday that she initially went to help direct traffic, but then saw that another vehicle had overturned and had trapped the driver in it.
Pregnant firefighter Megan Warfield, 30, of Baltimore, Maryland, helped care for a woman trapped in an overturned vehicle after being involved in a multi-vehicle accident earlier this month
Warfield (pictured with her boyfriend, Joshua Daugherty, and her two older children) was nine months pregnant when she held the other driver in place until paramedics arrived
The accident had caused her contractions and less than 24 hours later she welcomed a girl, Charlotte Joan “CJ” Daugherty, to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
“I started climbing in with her, but then I thought, ‘What are you doing? You’re nine months pregnant,” she told Today Parents.
“I ended up holding her to keep her in place because I wasn’t sure about her injuries at the time.”
“It was also important that I kept her calm,” she added. “It was quite a traumatic event.”
Warfield ignored her own pain and waited next to the woman for help. One of the first paramedics on the scene was her boyfriend, Joshua Daugherty.
The firefighter is also a volunteer for the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department and Chief Firefighter Shannon Stallings was admittedly surprised to see her caring for the trapped woman while heavily pregnant.
Warfield explained on Thursday’s Today show that she initially went to direct traffic, but then saw another vehicle flipped over and held the driver inside.
The impact of the crash had pushed Warfield’s unborn baby into a transverse or sideways position, which she was unaware of at the time
“I arrived on location and saw Megan on the ground,” he told Today. “My first thought as her senior officer was, ‘You’re on maternity leave. You shouldn’t be here.'”
The impact of the crash had caused Warfield to go into labor and push her unborn baby into a transverse or sideways position, which she was unaware of at the time.
“I don’t know how I did what I did because the cramps were so bad,” she said. “I must have just been running on adrenaline.”
Six patients, all of whom had non-life-threatening injuries, were transported by Baltimore County’s Emergency Medical Service (EMS) to two local hospitals, Elise Armacost, director of public affairs for the Baltimore County Fire Department, told Today.
Daugherty, who was one of the first paramedics on the scene, had Warfield checked at the scene and agreed to be taken to hospital after the accident
Warfield works as a firefighter for the Baltimore County Fire Department
The mother is also a volunteer for the Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department
The Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department praised Warfield as “selfless” and a “true civil servant” in a heartwarming Facebook post describing her heroism
Daugherty noticed that Warfield was shaking and after being checked by a medic, she was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.
The couple welcomed their daughter, Charlotte Joan “CJ” Daugherty, less than 24 hours after the accident. She joins her siblings Ellie, six, and Jameson, five.
Warfield admitted she was “itching to get out again” while doing administrative work and was happy to help after the accident.
“This is what I had to do,” she said.
Warfield appeared on the Today show with her family, including her newborn baby, on Thursday
“I don’t know how I did what I did because the cramps were so bad,” she said. ‘I must have just been running on adrenaline’
Today, fellow anchors Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb couldn’t help but gush about baby Charlotte during the heartwarming interview
The Bowleys Quarters Volunteer Fire Department praised Warfield as “selfless” and a “true civil servant” in a heartwarming facebook post describing her heroism.
Megan ignored any chance she could be injured and immediately got out of her mangled vehicle and began caring for a person trapped by their overturned car,” the message read. “Megan stayed with this patient until Squad 213 arrived to free the victim. After all the patients had been evaluated, Megan agreed to an evaluation herself.”
‘Fewer [than] 24 hours later, Megan gave birth to her beautiful daughter.”
Daugherty shared an update in the comments, thanking everyone for their outpouring of support.
“Baby CJ is doing great!” He wrote. “Megan is resting and can’t wait to be back in the field doing what she loves!”