MTA Bridges and Tunnels Officers assisted in alleviating a joyful traffic tie-up at the Staten Island bound toll plaza of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge early Monday morning when a woman gave birth to a healthy, 7 lb. 2 ounce baby girl in an E-ZPass lane.
Actually, because the event occurred at 3 a.m. there was little traffic on the plaza but the officers were thrilled to be able to assist in the birth. “I’m a father myself, and it was exciting to be part of such a happy event,” said Sgt. Mark Herbert, who drove the child to the hospital in a Bridges and Tunnels’ patrol car.
The excitement began around 3:10 a.m. when the mother and father, driving in a car service cab, pulled into an E-ZPass lane on the plaza. Sgt. Danielle Katshl saw the car stop and went to see if there was a problem. When Sgt. Katshl looked inside she could see the baby’s being born.
Dr. Ezra Dori, the couple’s doctor, arrived almost right behind the cab. Dr. Dori, who is on staff at Staten Island University Hospital and has been delivering babies for 17 years, had been in contact with the couple and knew they weren’t going to make it to the hospital. Dr. Dori advised them to stop at the toll plaza where it was well lit.
An ambulance was called and Sgt. Katshl and Officers Michael Aurila and Deborah Rittenhouse closed two other westbound toll lanes. While these officers secured and made sure the scene was safe, Bridge and Tunnel Officers Lisa Sanchez and Michael Chyorny stayed with the doctor, who asked for shoelaces and something to cut the baby’s umbilical cord. Officer Sanchez gladly donated both of her shoelaces and Officer Chyorny provided a small pocket knife to cut the cord. “To be able to help bring a new life into the world is a wonderful experience,” said Chyorny, who has been with Bridges and Tunnels 7 years and is a former paramedic with 25 years experience.
It took only 8 minutes for the newborn baby girl to make her appearance. At the doctor’s request, Sgt. Mark Herbert drove the infant to Staten Island University Hospital while Officers Sanchez and Chyorny held the little bundle in the back seat. “The baby was happy, healthy and crying loudly,” said Sgt. Herbert, who is also a 7-year veteran. “It was an exciting overnight shift.”
The couple, who live in Brooklyn, asked that their identities remain private. It was their fourth child. They also have two boys and another girl at home.
(YWN Desk – NYC)
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15 Responses
Its so nice to hear good and exciting news for a change! WOW! What an amazing experiance and a great story to tell her kids!
I had a friend who gave birth in the Port of Authority bus terminal a number of years ago.
Wow! This is some story!
Yogi- I don’t know what an amazing experience this is for a mom that experienced this! It’s more like traumatizing!
Obama will probably mandate that all taxi drivers carry shoe laces from now on.
Why dafka the “E-Z Pass lane”? Is that some kind of segula or something?
Unfortunately, this story doesn’t sound too good for the Doctor. If he knew that they weren’t gonna make it on time to the hospital, he should have had an ambulance called to meet them at the toll plaza. I doubt that any patrol cars have the proper towels or blankets to properly dry and wrap a newborn baby, which is one of the most important things to do at the time. Any ambulance would have had other “proper” equipment, to have avoided using shoelaces and a pocket knife. And if an ambulance had arrived right away, they could have continued traveling toward the hospital and possibly even made it on time.
It took only 8 minutes for the newborn baby girl to make her appearance
Of course it did. They were in the E-Z Pass lane… ☺
Let us all hope that this child has an “E-Z Pass” throughout her lifetime.She should live a long,happy and healthy life. Mazel Tov to her entire family. It is nice to hear good news.
MazalTov! may they see plenty naches from all their kids. Will this baby be allowed to ride verrazano for life toll free? hope so.
Wow great “yeshiva world news”…I’m going straight away to tell my rosh yeshiva. Wouldn’t be able to learn without this!!
As a member of Hatzalah I have said many times that this medical practice in Staten Island is a major problem for the Orthodox community living in Williamsburg, it can take MOST of the times about an hour to get to SI Hospital because of the traffic situations on the BQE/Verrazano/SI expressway combination, most Rabbanim have told whoever asked not to use a practice where it can take that long to reach a hospital, there are many hospitals close by (although I can’t speak on behalf of the organization Hatzalah I can speak on behalf of myself and most member’s who many already delivered already on the way)this is an ongoing issue that is only getting worse as the population grows.
So on her birth certificate it says, Place of Birth: Verrazano-Narrows Bridge EZ pass lane!
Mazal Tov. It’s a good thing someone had shoe laces because nowadays many people wear slip-ons or velcro closed shoes.
John Doe & FFB – I disagree with both of you. Anybody can use any practice they want, even an hour away. Labor almost always takes longer than a hour. Just make sure you don’t wait till the last minute. If people don’t know what the last minute is they can be educated by their physician. This would also save a lot of ambulance delivery calls.
John Doe -What the doc should have done was to tell the couple to go to the nearest Emergency Room; and not to try and make it to Staten Island! I think though he would have to return some of the fees he charged this couple.
V’hamaven Yoven!
I have used twice this practice and was always happy with them, traveling 45 minutes to the hospital is nothing to compare to the service you get there, they treat you on a golden tray and take care good care of you. This hatzalah memeber should be ashamed of himself coming in public and bashing a well known practice in our community, we customers know the service we get when we go there and are very happy with the hospital we are thankful that we are not going to all the other rusty hospitals in nyc where you have to wait an hour to get a tylenol. And now to add to the story this lady called the doctor when she contracted every two minutes, I’m sorry that is too late to go by cab, instead of her calling the hatzalah she took a cab don’t blame the doctor, Dr. Dori is a fun and happy guy and a great doctor . For the family I would like to say mazel tov and burech hashem it was a happy ending
Health & git gezoogt: As a volunteer for Hatzalah I voiced the opinion of my colleague’s who are doing chesed with for the tzibbur, I wrote about the “Williamsburg” population only, it takes MOST of the times an hour to get to that hospital during the daytime, this Doctor should make an effort to sign up with closeer hospital that is closer to Willi so the community shall not have this problem again, most rabbanim would advise to not take a risk of using a practice that is using a hospital that far as Staten Island