Saturday evening, a St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's deputy saved a life that was just beginning.
At approximately 6:45 p.m., Deputy First Class Donald A. Plaisance, Jr. and Deputy Bryce Morse, a new recruit who has been in the patrol division for less than a week, were dispatched to a medical emergency on Slemmer Road in Covington.
They arrived to find an unidentified female pointing to a car and saying, "She's in there." In the car was a Hispanic female giving birth, but Plaisance observed that the baby was not moving or making a sound. With translation from the unidentified female, Plaisance was able to learn that the mother had no prior prenatal care and was unsure as to the length of the pregnancy.
When he observed that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck, Plaisance used his fingers to unwrap the umbilical cord, clearing the baby's airway. With the cord removed from the neck, Plaisance supported the baby's head, planning to wait for EMS. But the motion of supporting the head actually completed the delivery, and Plaisance held the child as paramedics arrived on the scene and cut the umbilical cord.
The mother and baby were both transported to Lakeview Regional Medical Center for further care, where Plaisance went Sunday to check on the status of the mother and her new baby. He was able to meet with the mother and was relieved to learn she and the baby were both doing quite well.
"Every day men and women in law enforcement make lifesaving decisions," St. Tammany Parish sheriff Jack Strain said. "However, it is not very often that one of us is blessed with the opportunity to help bring a new life into the world. We are incredibly grateful that this woman and her baby are going to be okay. That we were able to be a part of this child's birth is a wonderful early Christmas gift for us as an agency and we wish them the very best during their first holiday season together."
