With less than six months of experience, a Prince Albert Paramedic has delivered two babies already, and he has a special connection with the most recent baby he helped deliver.
Brandon Leslie started his Sunday shift prepared for anything, and shortly before 8 a.m., he and partner Tim May were called to a woman in labour.
“We weren’t even on scene for more than a minute before she started delivering, so it was fairly quick,” said Leslie. “It was one of the quicker deliveries that I’ve seen.”
Jackie Ermine says she was surprised at how fast everything started happening.
“My water broke at 7:30, and dad called the ambulance at 7:55, and I had baby Brandon at 8:01. ”
The mother of five was so thankful for the paramedics’ support that she decided to name her baby after the young paramedic.
“We kind of joked about it leaving the house. We got to the hospital and dad showed up, and I said 'You know what? I kind of like Brandon, and he said, me too.'"
Since baby Brandon was born prematurely, he was taken to Regina for observation.
But Ermine says her baby boy is doing great.
“Baby Brandon is doing awesome,” said Ermine. “He’s taking full feeding, he’s so strong and I’m able to carry him.”
For Leslie, it’s an amazing honour that he won’t soon forget.
“That was very different. It felt very good, you don’t get that very often,” laughed Leslie. “I don’t even have my own kids yet and there’s already a kid named after me. It feels really good.”
With more than 35 years on the job, Parkland Ambulance Director of public affairs Lyle Karasiuk says this is a first.
“I don’t think I’ve ever heard in my career of a family naming their child after one of our paramedics,” said Karasiuk.
“We thank the family very much for that auspicious naming, and congratulations to Brandon and to Tim. It’s a great accomplishment for both of them.”
Ermine says she and baby Brandon will be returning to Prince Albert in the next couple of days.
