DAY … Fayette Paramedic Megan Day is presented with a stork pin by Chief Thomas Franks for her efforts in assisting with a successful home birth.
PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
REINKING … Fayette Fire Chief Thomas Franks awards Advanced EMT Jada Reinking with a stork pin in recognition of her involvement in a recent baby delivery.
By: Jacob Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jacob@thevillagereporter.com
The Fayette Fire Department once again found itself at the center of a life-changing moment when two of its emergency medical personnel helped deliver a healthy baby during an early morning call in the countryside outside of town.
Responding alongside Morenci EMS and Fulton County Sheriff’s Deputies, Paramedic Megan Day and Advanced EMT Jada Reinking arrived to find the mother already in active labor.
With no time for transport, the crew quickly shifted focus to providing care and assisting with the home delivery.
“We can’t take all the credit,” said Day. “Morenci EMS was the first arrival, and we were the second unit. It was definitely all hands together out there.”
Day, who recently joined Fayette after serving with another department, described the experience as humbling and deeply meaningful.
“We see people leave this world so often in this job. Seeing someone come into it is a blessing,” she said. “I was definitely praying for God to guide our hands for the baby. It went really well.”
For Reinking, who has been with the Fayette Fire Department for the past four years, the call was a first in her career. “It was definitely terrifying but also miraculous at the same time,” she said. “We go over it in training all the time but actually being there and doing it, it’s a whole different experience. I definitely feel more prepared now.”
Both credited Fayette’s ongoing commitment to regular training for helping them stay ready, even as a small community department. “Mercy comes out once a month to do continuing education with us,” Reinking explained.
“We cover trauma, medical emergencies, OB cases, everything, so even though we’re not Toledo Fire, we still get the same training they do.”
While many first responders go their entire careers without ever assisting in a childbirth, this is far from the first time Fayette’s crews have been called upon to welcome new life into the world.
Earlier this year, the department assisted in two separate baby deliveries within just three weeks, a rare achievement that showcased the teamwork and preparedness of Fayette’s emergency personnel. This most recent home delivery marks yet another extraordinary moment for the department and its responders.
Fayette Fire Chief Thomas Franks recognized Day and Reinking for their efforts during the department’s annual Feather Party, presenting each of them with a stork pin to commemorate the event.
The pins are traditionally awarded to first responders who assist in the delivery of a baby, symbolizing one of the most rewarding moments in emergency service.
For Chief Franks and his department, these experiences highlight the deep sense of purpose shared among Fayette’s first responders.
Whether answering routine calls or unexpected emergencies, the department continues to demonstrate that small-town crews are capable of extraordinary things, bringing new life and hope to the community they serve.