PRINCE GEORGE’S CO., MD (WJLA/CNN) - Forty-two years after emergency medical technician Dan Helsel was born in an unusual place, history repeated itself. This time, he had a different role.
Monday was Helsel’s birthday, and for the first time in his career he decided to come to work on his special day. This wasn’t the first time he rode a fire truck or ambulance on his birthday. He was actually born in one. And so his career was preordained.
“I don’t know. My mom always said I’ve been hearing sirens all my life,” Helsel said.
But first thing Monday morning, the alarm sounded in his station, and he rolled out. A mom-to-be was in labor and unable to make it to the hospital.
When Helsel got to her, her contractions were a minute apart. The baby was coming. They barely made it to the ambulance.
“As soon as we started to move, the baby’s head came out,” Helsel said. “I think the baby’s head came out before we got out of the parking lot.”
Everything worked out. The mother and her baby girl, Zoey, are doing just fine.
And for this firefighter born in an ambulance, life has come full circle on his birthday.
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