By Theresa Knapp

The Millis Fire Department’s newest ambulance, which joined the fleet in July, was dubbed “Emilia” after the MFD delivered baby Emilia A. Johnson at home on October 18, 2022. 

Emilia was delivered by Lt. Rob Conrad and paramedic Chris Emswiler who were assisted by FF/EMT Brandon Greene and Lt. Chuck Bishop. 

 

She was 19 inches long and weighed six pounds and 12 ounces. 

Emilia’s family, including parents Christina and Mark, and big sister Ava (age two), stopped by the fire station in January to thank the department in person and properly introduce Emilia. 

“This is a big occasion for us,” said Fire Chief Rick Barrett. “We love to celebrate calls like these. The members deal with so much sadness and terrible calls that it is important to celebrate such an exciting event.”

Each member of the MFD delivery team received a stork pin to commemorate the event, and the family received one as well. 

The Johnsons expressed their gratitude as the family posed for photos with the team that delivered their healthy baby girl on a Tuesday afternoon while neighbors started to gather at a nearby bus stop. 

“It’s quite a story, everyone is shocked,” said Christina who had just finished a work call and was feeling ‘uncomfortable.’ “By the time he [Mark] put our bags in the car, it was time…Labor began at 2:15 p.m. and she was born at 2:35 p.m.”

“We wouldn’t have made it to the hospital. From start to end, it was 20 minutes,” said Mark, who carefully affixed an official stork sticker to the ambulance during the event.

Chief Barrett said, “We want to recognize how amazing these parents were. Mom did all the work and was so relaxed and calm, and Dad stayed calm and only worried about his wife and then Emilia. We all felt amazing being in the back of the ambulance with Mom and Dad holding Emilia and her being so responsive and everyone smiling and laughing and celebrating her birth.” 

Chief Barrett says the MFD responds to approximately “four to six labor calls per year, but true deliveries are rare; this is only the second in the last 10 years.”

After the event Christina said, “I think the ambulance being named after her is such a sweet gesture and something I am sure she will enjoy when she is older. Ava keeps talking about the stork on the ambulance and it’s funny that she points out the ambulance every time we drive by the fire station. It’ll be a great story to tell Emilia when she’s older and we’ll always think about her safe delivery and how great the team was every time we see an ambulance drive by.”

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