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Oconomowoc family reunites with police and paramedics who delivered baby

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Monday evening, the Fahey family of Oconomowoc, took a trip to the Western Lakes Fire District Station #1 to reunite with the first responders who delivered their second daughter, Rachel Francis Fahey.

"Now she's got this huge extended family that we never would have expected," said Rachel's mom Allison.

In the early morning hours of March 27, a pregnant Allison wasn't feeling well and started having contractions. She told her husband to call 911.

"I didn't think I would give birth in the bathroom. I just remember saying joe call 911!" Allison said.

It was just before 4 a.m. and Allison's husband, Joseph Fahey, said, everything happened so fast.

"We were thinking we're going in an ambulance to the hospital," Joseph said. 

That didn't end up being the case. Within minutes, Oconomowoc Police and firefighters with the Western Lakes Fire District were at the house.

"Get to the house, dad says, she's up in the bathroom and walk in the house and she's ready to go," said Brian Dorn, a firefighter with the Western Lakes Fire District.

"Within 30 seconds to a minute, she was delivering and out and we were doing everything we can to keep her healthy," Dorn also said.

"I didn't expect it to be that immanent but it was quite the experience," said Matthew Rynders with the Oconomowoc Police Department.

Battalion Chief Steve Pflanzer with the Western Lakes Fire District cut the umbilical cord.

"It was pretty exciting when baby started crying a little bit," the chief said.

Not one of these emergency responders had ever delivered a baby while on the job.

"No lights, no surgical beds, no doctors to turn to, so you have to rely on your critical training and definitely keeping a calm attitude and calm composure," Dorn said.

"God was definitely with us that day," Dorn also said.

Thanks to their emergency training, they were prepared and delivered a healthy baby girl weighing six pounds, seven ounces. Baby Rachel's due date was actually the following day.

"I think I was still in shock for about 12 to 24 hours afterwards just with how fast she was born," said Allison.

"I'm just glad that these guys got there as quickly as they did because I was not in a position where I was going to be ready to catch," said Joseph.