Steve Miescke jokes he provides "curbside delivery" in his part-time job as a security officer at Sacred Heart Hospital.
Miescke, who worked for the Eau Claire County Sheriff's Department for 35 years before retiring in April, helped a woman give birth Sunday morning on the sidewalk outside the emergency room doors in 30-degree weather.
"I've been walking around with a big smile on my face," Miescke said Monday. "Fortunately, I was there, and it really made a difference bringing this new one in the world."
The mother, Tiffanie Kohls of Stanley, had nothing but praise for Miescke and the others who helped deliver her healthy son Kellen, who weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce.
"All I can say is thank you," Kohls said. "Under the circumstances, it couldn't have turned out any better."
It's not exactly the way Kohls planned to deliver her fourth child. She awoke at about 2 a.m. Sunday as hard labor began. As a friend cared for her other children, Kohls got a ride to Cadott from another friend. There she met her mother, Sharon McMahon of Augusta, who drove to Eau Claire.
Kohls knew the birth was nearing while on the U.S. 53 bypass at the Melby Street exit. By the time they reached Clairemont Avenue, Kohls felt it was time to give birth and planned to start pushing. McMahon urged her daughter against having the baby in the car.
"She was yelling, 'Don't push, don't push,' " Kohls said.
McMahon pulled up to the Sacred Heart emergency room doors at 3:55 a.m. and hurried inside to find help. Kohls opened the car door and lay on the cold sidewalk.
"I was crying and I thought, 'I can't believe I'm doing this right here,' " Kohls said. "There was no other option."
McMahon returned with Miescke, who had never delivered a baby during all his years in law enforcement.
"I said, 'You've got to help me; he's coming right now,' " Kohls remembers telling the security guard.
Unable to reach his fellow security guard Ed Henricks - also a retired sheriff's deputy - on the radio, Miescke sent McMahon in to get Henricks in the security office.
Miescke got on the ground with Kohls and saw the baby's head was crowning and starting to come out of the birth canal.
"It all happened real quick," Miescke said.
Henricks arrived and quickly went to the emergency room to find medical help.
Emergency room registered nurse Michelle Hazard soon was on the scene, working with Miescke and Henricks to ensure the baby was born without complications.
"We reassured her and let nature take its course," Miescke said.
Miescke said it was less than 10 minutes from the time Kohls arrived at the hospital until the baby was born.
Maternity department registered nurse Paula Leland wrapped the baby in a blanket, and Kohls was taken on a stretcher to a room.
A day later, mother and son were healthy and thankful for the help they received.
"I can't express how well these people reacted to the situation," Kohls said.
Johnson can be reached at 833-9211 or gary.johnson@ecpc.com.
Nikkig29
I think the negativity I've seen on almost every article that should be a happy one is sad. Just because she has 4 children and the Father is not mentioned does not mean she is on assistance... Congrat's to the security guard and congrat's to the Mom!! So glad that the baby is alright. :)
CrankyOldGuy
In my day babies were delivered at home and that worked just fine. If those of us on fixed incomes didn't have to pay for free healthcare for illegal aliens then we wouldn't need two big fancy hospitals with beautiful concrete sidewalks to deliver babies on. Maybe then, hospitals wouldn't have to charge for extra c sections and have security officers. Besides, hospital food tastes terrible.
knowledgeispower
Wow.....talk about missing the point of this article, which is celebrating a good deed by someone and celebrating life! I wonder if all of you hold yourselves to the same standards that apparently you are holding this woman to? Who cares how many kids she has, how old she is, where the father is, or how much she is getting charged. All of you completely missed the point!
mc4314
I had my twins at Sacred Heart. The hospital had the nerve to charge me for two c-sections. To my knowledge, they only cut me open once. My husband and I had to fight with them for months to get the second c-section removed from the bill. I can see being billed some type of fee for services related to the entire birth, but to be billed thousands of dollars for an extra surgery is ridiculous. Given my experience, I see a charge for the delivery in my crystal ball for the woman in this article!
noseyj
What it doesn't say is she is in her early twenties on her fourth child. Of course the hospital can charge if the placenta wasn't delivered yet, and I am sure she will never see a bill.
onlinereader
The hospital will still find a way to drum up a bunch of charges. My curosity..... Where's the Daddy??? She had a friend watch her kids while a friend drove her to meet her mother who drove her to the hospital.
HRStudent
Awesome story with a happy ending but now I'm curious as to what the hospital will charge for the delivery since the security officer delivered the baby outside?