One year ago this Saturday, Oct. 22, my husband and I welcomed our fourth child, Sydney Grace Garcia.  As wonderful and amazing as all of our children’s' births were, this was no ordinary birth. 

Sydney was born in the front passenger's seat of our Subaru Tribeca in the Comfort Suites parking lot. 

While en route to the hospital, my husband and I realized we weren't going to make it and needed to call for help.  We called 911 and were instructed to pull over somewhere safe and notify the dispatcher where we were so she could send a fire crew over. 

When I heard the sirens minutes later I was relieved that help was on the way.  Within a couple minutes of the fire crew arriving, Sydney Grace was born.  I want to thank my husband, AJ, and the firemen at Station 2 — Scott Wejmar, Andrew Quimby, and Jared Alvord — for making this moment of uncertainty and fear a wonderful memory that I can't wait to share with Sydney when she is a little older. 

I did go back a month or so later to visit the fire crew and thank them personally.  Pictured above is the photo of the fire crew with Sydney. 

I hope this story can be shared with others as a testament to the dedication and support of our community's public service workers.

— Christina Garcia