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Firefighters Help Deliver Baby Boy On UC Davis Campus

DAVIS (CBS13) - There are new parents on campus at UC Davis after three firefighters delivered their newborn baby.

"I cannot simply imagine what would happen because the baby had already started to come out," said new father Senhua Huang.

What seemed like it would be a typical hospital delivery for new parents was anything but.

After being sent home from the hospital, Yuan Liu went into labor inside their home on campus at UC Davis.

"We were freaked out before they came. We called 911 and they responded really quick," said Liu.

Crews from UC Davis Fire Department rushed to the scene.

"I have never had anything like this in my field or career, so this was definitely a once in a lifetime thing," said firefighter Braden Burrhus.

Liu was in full labor.

There was no time for the new mom to go back to the hospital, so fire crews and ambulance personnel acted quickly.

"There are tons of complications as well as with the mother. She could go into shock as well as blood loss, so you essentially have two patients here," said Burrhus.

After 40 minutes, weighing in at 8 pounds and 14 ounces, baby Alan was born.

"I quickly decided that I should be the one to hold the baby and keep it warm while they took care of mom afterwards," said firefighter Gina Updegraff.

This is the third baby to be delivered on campus in 20 years and many say it will be the most memorable.

"It's a great story to tell him when they grow up. The first person to hold him was not a nurse, but a firefighter," said Liu.

"It was remarkable, just remarkable," said Updegraff. "It was just a great experience with the family and the firefighters."

Now days later, the team who was there for the delivery came back to check in on the new family.

Mom and baby are doing well and dad is one proud parent.

"I am very grateful," said Huang. "I cannot thank them anymore for their help."

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