Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Bruce H. Bergen and Freeholder Angel G. Estrada presented a resolution to Art Braunschweiger of the Union County Regional Communications Center congratulating and commending him on being honored with the New Jersey Department of Health, Office of Emergency Medical Services EMS Dispatcher of the Year Award for 2015. They were joined by Union County Public Safety Director Andrew Moran.
On Saturday, August 22, 2015, Dispatcher Braunschweiger answered a 911 caller reporting a woman in labor. He quickly determined that the mother was in the process of delivering the baby and that it was a breech delivery, with a foot presenting first. Because it was a life-threatening situation, he provided instructions to the caller on how to deliver the baby. When police officers arrived on scene, Dispatcher Braunschweiger kept the caller on the phone so he could continue to relay instructions to the officers, as this was not a normal delivery; the baby was delivered but was not breathing. He continued to provide instructions on how to resuscitate the baby, and this was relayed to the officers. EMS transported mother and baby to a local hospital and they were released a few days later, healthy and with no complications. (Photo by Jim Lowney/County of Union)