Hometown Heroes – Special Delivery: First Responders Happy to Help First Baby Born in Sea Isle City Since 1977
Baby Luciano Golato (that’s her in the photo her dad is holding) was there in spirit with her family on Feb. 11 when the City Council honored the first responders who helped deliver her Jan. 27.
Oh, baby, that was special!
Amid spring’s annual beach cleanup, city projects and summer preparedness, some Sea Isle City residents are still talking about a winter story for the ages: The day Baby Luciana stole the show.
On Jan. 27, Luciana Golato became the first person born here since 1977 – back when Sea Isle still had its own hospital. Her delivery, assisted by first responders in a local home, proved newsworthy -- an intriguing saga, a Hollywood script with a happy ending.
The efforts of Sea Isle City emergency medical technicians DJ Fancher and Kristine Lynch, Patrolman Steve Jankowski and Sgt. Shawn Lesniewski, along with AtlantiCare medics, were a textbook example of professionalism under fire.
Big sister Briella already is bonding with Luciana.
Not expecting Luciana for another three weeks, Joe and Jeanne, with 3-year-old daughter Briella, were in town from Media, Pa., visiting Jeanne’s parents, Jim and Regina Shrader, at their house on 55th Street.
Much to everyone’s surprise, Jeanne went into labor that Monday afternoon. The contractions were coming less than a minute apart, and she told her husband to call 911.
A mere 11 minutes later, the first responders had helped deliver Baby Luciana on a bedroom floor.
That’s right, 11 minutes.
The responders, realizing there’d be no time to arrange a transport to Shore Medical Center in Somers Point, had acted upon the scene. And thus history, literally, had been born.
This was a coordinated, precise adrenaline surge, handled with cohesion and compassion. And it was complicated. Luciana was in the breech position, emerging feet-first, with her umbilical cord wrapped around her head, and at first had trouble breathing. Jeanne was losing blood and blacked out. But following their trip to the hospital, where Luciana stayed for a month to recover, all was well.
“I can’t thank you guys enough for saving Luciana and myself,” Luciana’s mom told the first responders. “You’ll be a part of our lives forever.”
There was some initial fanfare, of course. Lynch, Fancher, Lesniewski and Jankowski were recognized for their work at a City Council meeting. They received lapel pins with an image of a stork and posed for pictures with the Golatos. They were praised by Mayor Leonard Desiderio.
Briella Golato accepted a key to the city from the mayor, recognition of the historical circumstances that brought her little sister into the world. Mom and Dad brought a framed photo of Luciana, who still was in the hospital. For local residents and officials, it was a high moment of what they believe the community represents.
And just like that, it was a month later, a more “normal” office day for the EMTs, who shared their perspective with the Sea Isle Times.
They have an interesting relationship with the spotlight: reluctance.
While this delivery produced headlines, the responders care deeply about the ongoing assignments that gain little notoriety. They include dealing with beach emergencies, helping people after falls, taking the injured to the hospital or arranging helicopter transport. Duties involve shifting from tranquility to a tension-filled situation in a second.
Delivering a baby?
“The most important thing I want to say is that we did our jobs,” Fancher said. “We did what we are trained to do and we are quite happy it worked out so well.”
Fancher has long been involved in community-assistance programs. He’s been a volunteer fireman in Ocean City and part of the Upper Township and Stone Harbor squads. Low-key and methodical, he personifies organization. It is perhaps fitting that someone who might have to spring from a normal office conversation into an emergency remains on an even keel.
Lynch, meanwhile formed an emotional umbilical cord with the Sea Isle Ambulance Corps as a teenager. She witnessed the squad rescue her infant brother Tim when he had ingested turpentine. The timely intervention most likely saved his life.
“I never forgot that,” she says. “Years later, when I started what you might call a give-back phase of my life, I went with the ambulance corps.”
She began volunteering in the 1980s, obtained her EMT license in the early 1990s and has donated more than 25 years to this endeavor as an unpaid professional.
Lynch also became the head of that volunteer ambulance corps. Three years ago, she became a paid professional when Sea Isle City created an Emergency Medical Services Division. One way or another, she has performed these duties for more than half her life. The efforts entail continuing education.
“What we are very happy about is that we were able to help this family in need and that it resulted in a positive outcome. We did our jobs properly and that in itself is rewarding. Really, we’re OK being quiet about this story,” she added, with a grin.
“The importance of having an EMS right in the community is significant. When you have that, response time is much faster than if you didn’t have a unit.”
Golato’s situation was poignant for Lynch, who has three children.
“I can empathize with what this lady was going through on so many levels,” Lynch said.
On the police side, Lesniewski is a recently promoted sergeant, and Jankowski, a patrolman, has been on the job since 2009. Police Chief Tom McQuillen viewed the development from two perspectives.
One was the validation of training, and the resource-deployment system. Even a slight delay in response time might have altered this outcome.
The other involved recognition for the officers and EMTs.
“It’s really nice when we get a call [from the media] about something like this,” McQuillen said. “They all rose to the occasion and did a phenomenal job. For them to deliver a child like that, in the field, was an extraordinary achievement. I am very proud of them.
“There was only 11 minutes between the initial call to 911 and when the baby was out. It is amazing how quickly they responded and how well they all got together and formed a plan.
“This was a tremendous display of competency and professionalism. The message it sends to the community is that Sea Isle City first responders are the cream of the crop.”
Baby Luciana is living proof.