Merrimack Fire, Police Honored for Helping Deliver Baby

Several Merrimack firefighters and a Merrimack police officer were honored last week for helping to deliver a baby back in December.

According to the Merrimack Fire Department's Facebook page, firefighters from Station 2 were dispatched on Dec. 6 to a single-family home on Springfield Circle for a woman in active labor. Approximately six minutes after arriving, the baby was born. Mother and baby were then taken along with dad to Elliot Hospital in Manchester.

Last week, the Merrimack Fire Department hosted the Deurell family for a visit today at Station 1. The family wanted to come in to meet and thank the members of the crew that assisted with the birth of their daughter, Elsa. The crew that day consisted of Lt. Shawn Farrell, Firefighter/Paramedic John Chisholm, Firefighter/Paramedic Jeremy Penerian, Firefighter/EMT Keith Hines and Police Patrolman Chris Dowling.

During the visit, Elsa's mother, Shideh Deurell, was presented with two pink T-shirts, one for Elsa and one for her big sister. The shirts had a Dalmatian on the front of each, with the words “Future Merrimack Firefighter."

It is traditional that each member of the department gets a stork pin when they are involved with the birth of a child. During the visit, Shideh pinned each of the five personnel with their stork pin.