Black Mountain firefighters, paramedics honored for delivering baby outside station

North Carolina Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey presented three firefighters and two paramedics with the Commissioner's Award on Oct. 21 for their successful delivery of a baby outside the Black Mountain Fire Department.

"Thank you so much and anything we can ever help you all with, let us know because we're here to help you," Causey said. 

The commissioner expressed his appreciation for the crew's extraordinary work, especially after hearing the full story. 

"It was amazing," said Cameron Bradley, one of the paramedics, in reference to the delivery. "Probably one of the most amazing calls I've ever had." 

Cameron and Allison Bradley, paramedics for Buncombe County and husband and wife, were sleeping on the early morning of Oct. 12, waiting for shift change at the Black Mountain Fire Department. The two paramedics were assisted by firefighters Derek McKinney, Will Lonon and Chance Hensley in the delivery.

Cameron Bradley said the two paramedics were dispatched around 6:50 a.m. Seeing a car out in front of the building, he stuck his head outside to see law enforcement surrounding the vehicle. The two brought the ambulance to the front of the building and Cameron took the position of primary with Allison assisting. 

"The child was coming out right then. There was no waiting," Cameron Bradley said. "Within about five minutes or so, birthed the child."

After letting the father of the baby hold the newborn briefly, the paramedics got the family loaded into the ambulance and drove to Mission Hospital. Cameron Bradley said the birth occurred without incident and the child was healthy. 

"We see a lot of death and sickness, people leaving the world, but being able to assist in bringing a child into the world was really, really cool," he said.