Lake Elsinore

Cal Fire crew helps deliver baby on the 15 Freeway in Lake Elsinore

A firefighter and paramedic assisted an expecting mother for the second time together. 

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After 19 days battling the Eaton Fire flames, CalFire firefighters was called to assist a pregnant woman unable to reach a hospital. Amber Frias reports for the NBC4 News at 7 p.m. on January 30, 2025. 

A Cal Fire firefighter went from battling flames at the Eaton Fire to delivering a baby after he helped a woman give birth on the 15 Freeway in Lake Elsinore over the weekend.

Firefighter Ryan Wafford had just returned to his station in Perris after 19 grueling days fighting the Eaton Fire when he got the call to assist a woman in labor on the side of Highway 74. The woman's water had broken and she was unable to reach the hospital. 

Wafford and paramedic, Adriana Piro, loaded the expectant mother into the ambulance and headed to the nearest hospital. 

But, the baby had other plans.   

“About 5 minutes on the drive down the road, on the I-15, we assessed mom again and we saw the baby's head and we knew it was time to deliver that baby,” Wafford said.

The first responders worked together to deliver the healthy baby girl on the freeway, a special moment for both of them.

“I do know that for a second there my heart kind of swelled because I was so happy to be able to do this for somebody because I’ve always wanted to,” Prio said.

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“To see all that devastation and that tragedy was horrible but to be able to finish it up on that 20th day to see a little girl coming into this world was a good way to finish,” Wafford said.

The birth marks the second time the pair have helped deliver a baby together.

“It was great to be able to deliver with her for the second time. It was kind of a special, fun bonding thing,” Wafford said.

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