SEOUL — A premature infant delivered inside an emergency rescue vehicle has successfully beaten the odds, returning home after a 50-day medical journey that began with a high-stakes roadside delivery.

The Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters shared the heartwarming recovery on Friday, highlighting the swift and professional actions of local emergency medical technicians (EMTs).

The incident unfolded on the night of August 1. A 33-year-old expectant mother, identified only by her surname A, experienced sudden bleeding during her pregnancy. As her vehicle became trapped in heavy traffic while en route to a medical facility, she dialed 119 for emergency assistance.

A specialized rescue team from the Jungnang Fire Station’s Mangwoo 119 Safety Center—comprising firefighters Lee Seung-min, Lee Si-sung, and Kim Young-jin—responded to the call along the Bukbu Expressway in northern Seoul. Realizing that labor was progressing too rapidly to reach a hospital in time, the EMTs immediately established a direct line with an on-call emergency medical director at the Seoul General Disaster Center for real-time professional guidance.

Operating under expert medical direction, the firefighters successfully assisted with the emergency delivery inside the moving ambulance at approximately 10:15 PM.

Born at just 31 weeks of gestation—classified by the World Health Organization as a "very early preterm birth"—the infant exhibited weak spontaneous breathing and minimal response to physical stimuli immediately following birth. Recognizing the critical danger, the rescue team performed continuous cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) throughout the remainder of the ambulance ride.

Their persistent efforts paid off. Just moments before arriving at the hospital, the newborn miraculously resumed spontaneous breathing and was safely transferred to emergency medical personnel. The infant was immediately admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where specialized care sustained the baby through a successful 50-day recovery before final discharge.

The story came to light in September when the infant’s parent posted a heartfelt message of gratitude on the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s official online public board.

"Even amid such a chaotic and unexpected childbirth, the rescue workers monitored my baby with extreme care and calmly explained every step to reassure me as a parent. I will never forget what they did," the guardian wrote.

Despite public praise, the three responding firefighters remained modest. "We simply did what any first responder would do," they stated. "We will continue to stand firmly by our citizens whenever and wherever they need us."

In response to such unpredictable emergencies, the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Headquarters regularly conducts specialized childbirth training programs for its emergency response teams. All official ambulances are equipped with dedicated delivery kits and specialized neonatal emergency gear to handle out-of-hospital deliveries safely.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]