SAPS helps the stork

KAROO NEWS - As acting station commander at the Baviaans police station, Warrant Officer Heidi Kroutz did not expect to be assisting at the birth of a baby girl on a local farm in the early hours of a cold winter's morning.

A call came through to Kroutz at her home at 1.40am last Wednesday, from an elderly lady on a farm to say that her pregnant niece had started bleeding. Krouts reassured the woman, and called Willowmore Hospital for an ambulance.

On being told that one ambulance was in Port Elizabeth and one in Graaff-Reinet, she called the woman back and suggested that they try to find private transport to the hospital.

Less than two hours later, the elderly woman phoned again. "She sounded very stressed, and said that she thought her niece was now in labour, and they couldn't get transport," she recalled. Kroutz tried the ambulance service again, but when there was still no answer, she decided she needed to go and see if she could help.

She went to the Community Service Centre (CSC), and managed to get through to the ambulance centre. She was told that one ambulance was now back, but the shift was changing.

As Willowmore is 87km from Baviaanskloof, she knew it would take some time for the ambulance to get there, so together with Cst Godwill Brandt from the CSC she drove the 3km to the farm.

"When we arrived at the house, there were lots of people around, and we could hear praying inside the house," she said, adding that she was worried that there had been a problem. When she went inside, she found the terrified young pregnant woman on a small bed, and went to calm her.

Raymene de Villiers (22) said that it was her first child, and she was clearly panicking and in pain. Kroutz reassured her, and gave coaching on when to push. "I have three children of my own, so I have some experience!" she said.

In quick succession, Raymene's water broke, and the baby's head appeared, just as the ambulance arrived. Kroutz cleaned the baby while the paramedics attended to the young mother.

"I was very proud to be the one to announce to the mother that she has a daughter," said Krautz.

The mother and baby were then taken to Willowmore Hospital, and discharged the next day. Krautz and Brandt visited the next day, and both were delighted to pose for photos with the new family.

Area Cluster Commander Brig Rudolph Adolph commended the members for their calm and efficient response to the young mother at her time of need.

W/O Heidi Kroutz with healthy baby girl Esne.