A 911 dispatcher in Iowa has been honored after guiding a woman through an emergency roadside birth over the phone, helping deliver a healthy baby on the side of a highway when the family could not reach the hospital in time. Andrea Ring stayed on the line and calmly coached the couple through the delivery on March 5 near Dickens, along Highway 18, and both mother and newborn were later taken to Spencer Hospital, according to People.com and local station KTIV.
Ring, a veteran dispatcher with 26 years’ experience, was only 23 minutes into her shift when she received the call from a man whose girlfriend had gone into labor. Recognizing the family would not make it to the hospital, Ring walked them step by step through the emergency birth while remaining on the phone.
Spencer Hospital confirmed that the baby, named Parker Ray, and the mother were safely transported after delivery. In an unusual coincidence, Parker was born on the same day as Ring’s daughter’s birthday. Dispatch Supervisor Mel Peterson told KTIV there are no official written procedures for handling emergency childbirth by phone and credited Ring entirely for managing the situation; Peterson also noted that Ring is a mother of five.
Last week Ring received a Stork Pin, an award presented within emergency medical services to recognize those who assist during childbirth emergencies. Ring told KTIV she does not work for awards but that receiving appreciation-especially from colleagues-made the recognition particularly meaningful.
Original Source: https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/woman-gives-birth-on-roadside-with-911-dispatchers-help-whose-daughter-was-born-on-the-same-day-11572679#publisher=newsstand
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Publish Date: 2026-05-31 22:42:00
