North of Kalona a woman was in labor, her husband was driving to the hospital, when they called 911 for assistance. That call was answered by Cassie Manley at the Washington County Communications Office. Manley said she was able to walk the father through the delivery shortly after midnight while the other dispatcher, Brittany Stutzman was getting first responders to the scene, “I knew that the baby had been delivered and the baby wasn’t crying yet. Dad said he was moving. But when the deputy got there we listened in, and heard the baby cry. That was awesome.” Johnson County Deputy Doran Williams assisted in moving the baby’s umbilical cord to help the baby breath properly.

Manley said with emergency calls they don’t always hear the outcome, but it was good to hear that the mother and baby were both healthy, “I know we both in dispatch were just excited all night long about it. It’s probably a call we will never forget. And probably our best call, I guess. It’s a good outcome.”

One piece of advice Manley has for anyone who needs to call 911 is to provide your location first, so that if the call gets dropped dispatchers can send authorities to assist you.