Oftentimes, 9-1-1 calls result in bad news.
This is not one of those times.
A Suffolk Emergency Services Dispatcher stepped up in a big way on Sunday, September 22—helping a Bay Shore woman deliver her baby over the phone one minute, then rushing to her and her husband’s aid the next.
Objectively quite the astonishing feat, this was just another day at the office for the humble-as-can-be dispatcher, Bob Bancroft.
“It was a pleasure to assist in delivering a healthy baby girl,” Bancroft said in a statement to The South Shore Press. “I was doing my job and following my training. Several of my colleagues have also assisted in baby deliveries recently; I feel all Emergency Service Dispatchers should be recognized for their hard work every day.”
According to the Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services (FRES), Bancroft answered a 9-1-1 call from a 29-year-old woman in labor at 11:38 p.m.; as address and call information were verified, the mother gave birth to a healthy baby girl at 11:39.
“Bob remained calm, clear, and concise as he provided post-birth instructions to the father, including keeping the baby and mother warm, cleaning the baby's face, tying off the umbilical cord, and preparing for the afterbirth,” FRES wrote on Facebook.
The Suffolk County Police Department arrived on the scene at 11:44, with Bay Shore Ambulance service following suit soon thereafter.
“Bob’s extraordinary focus and adherence to the EMD Protocols during this critical moment are truly commendable,” Suffolk County FRES added.
Leaders throughout the community have since joined in on sending well-deserved praise Bancroft’s way.
"Every day Suffolk emergency dispatchers, working within our FRES Department, come to work and provide critical lifesaving guidance under the most stressful conditions,” Daniel C. Levler, President of the Suffolk Association of Municipal Employees (AME) — of which Bancroft is a member — told The South Shore Press.
Joe Cardinale, Republican and Conservative candidate for New York State’s 11th Assembly District District after incumbent Kimberly Jean-Pierre announced she would not seek re-election earlier this year, also weighed in: “Great Job Bob, Long Island is home to some of the most dedicated and talented first-responders in the nation!”
When the story first broke, the organization as a whole wrote online: “We are immensely proud of Bob's exceptional response in a high-pressure situation.” Levler himself qualifies Bancroft's effort as “exemplary,” calling it a “perfect example of heroism.”
In recognition of his swift coordination, safety-first stealthiness, and overall first-rate telecommunications performance, Suffolk County FRES Commissioner Sunderman presented Bancroft with a Commissioner’s Certificate.
Thoroughly prepared to tackle emergency situations of all kinds, especially those of an inherently bleak nature, every now and then, first-responders and those they serve alike are rewarded with a circumstance such as this that everyone across the board can smile about.
While every organization involved, and one pair of recently-made first-time parents especially thank Bancroft, the community thanks their guardian staples back.
“Always my hero!” a retired Military Chief Sergeant at the 106th Rescue Wing commented on Suffolk FRES’ Facebook post, which spawned 200+ reactions and 30+ congratulatory sentiments as of Friday.
“TYFYS,” writes another—and we all know what that acronym means.
Yet it can never be said enough.