Last Sunday evening, at approximately 7 p.m. in Kiryat Gat, emergency services were called to assist a 40-year-old pregnant woman in her ninth month after her water broke.

United Hatzalah volunteer Hila Rinkoff, a senior EMT and head of the Kiryat Gat Women’s Unit, was at home when she received the alert on her communications device. Responding in her private vehicle, Rinkoff reached the scene in under three minutes.

Upon arrival, Rinkoff found the pregnant woman waiting outside. She quickly and professionally began assessing the woman’s medical condition, noting that the contractions were severe, occurring every two minutes. Rinkoff quickly contacted the United Hatzalah Dispatch Center and requested paramedic assistance at their location. A United Hatzalah ambulance arrived, and the crew assisted the woman into the vehicle, continuing assessments while awaiting the arrival of the Advanced Life Support ambulance.

Suddenly, the woman expressed a sudden need to push. Rinkoff quickly checked, and observed that the baby’s head was crowning. The ambulance crew immediately initiated the delivery procedure, helping the woman regulate her breathing and guiding her through the intense contractions. Shortly after, the Advanced Life Support Ambulance pulled up, and the paramedic quickly entered the United Hatzalah ambulance to assist with the imminent birth. A beautiful baby girl was born shortly thereafter.

The paramedic assessed the newborn and confirmed the baby’s health. Both mother and baby were transferred to the Advanced Life Support Ambulance and transported to the hospital for monitoring and further examination.

“No matter how many births I have been at, it’s always incredibly moving to help a woman bring new life into the world,” reflected Rinkoff. “The mother told me how helpful it was for her that a woman was with her at that stressful but beautiful moment. It really calmed her down and made the delivery so much more pleasant for her in that uncomfortable situation.”