A team effort: Manchester baby born with help of 911 operator, police officer

A recent “special delivery” in Manchester was a team effort. 

It all began when Alia Hartman, an Ocean County Sheriff’s Department telecommunicator, received a 911 call around 11:45 p.m. last Thursday reporting that a woman was in labor on Amsterdam Avenue, according to a release from the Manchester Police Department.  

Hartman, a nine year veteran who had never delivered a baby via dispatch, knew the contractions were only a minute apart and that the head was crowning, so she assisted the family until Ofc. Joseph Fastige, who was on patrol nearby, arrived minutes later, the release said. 

Along with the child’s father, Jason Roach, Ofc. Fastige assisted with the delivery, which was completed within three minutes of his arrival, according to the release.

The quick thinking officer noticed that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the newborn’s neck and was able to safely unwrap it, the release said. 

“Doctor 398 delivered the baby successfully,” a fellow officer said over police radio moments after the birth, referring to Ofc. Fastige by his police badge number.

Ofc. Patrick Mabie, a trained emergency medical technician, arrived on scene shortly after Ofc. Fastige and ensured that the child’s airways were properly cleared, according to the release. MONOC paramedics and Manchester First Aid then arrived on scene and administered care, which included cutting the umbilical cord.

The mother, Dawn Roach, 31, and her newborn son, Jason O’Jon Roach Jr., were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River in good health.

“It was a scary and awesome experience all the way around. It was something that you never think will happen, but sure enough it did,” Ofc. Fastige said.