Diario da Regiao, S.J.Rio Preto, SP, Brazil Rescue Crew who saved the baby image:39671:0::0

Three firemen have helped Tiana's mother Tatiana Pereira da Silva, 18, in the town of Mirassol, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, yesterday, May 1.

When Taiane was born, she had her umbilical cord around her neck and might have died if help had taken just a few minutes longer to arrive."If we had been too long to arrive, she could have died without any breath", said officer Silvio Martins, 32, who helped with the emergency care.

Taiane is Tatiana's fourth daughter and Ezequiel da Conceicao's second daughter. Ezequiel is 22 years old and has been living with Tatiana for two years. Along with officer Martins, officers Joao Cabral Fagundes, 39, and Rubens Gomes Junior, 36, were just coming back from attending to an occurrence when they were warned about the woman who needed emergency help. Tatiana lives in Moreira neighborhood and at the time the rescue was called for the three firemen were driving past the town's bus terminal close to the calling district.

"When we got there, she was already giving birth to the baby", says officer Fagundes, who commanded the life-saving operation. "The baby was blushing and we noticed the cord was tight around her neck and we started the procedure to cut it off right away." According to Tatiana, her birth pangs began in the morning. She was taking a shower when she asked for help from her house-sharing friends. Since they were scared, they called their lady neighbor, Celina dos Reis Felix, 59, a housewife, who said to pres reporters: "When I got there, the baby was being born". Celina then she told the girls to call the fire brigade rescue. "I kept all the time asking God to save her", she says. "I am still touched and excited. I only had seen it on a TV soap opera."

Every thing happened very quickly. The rescue was called at about 10:48 a.m. After birth, which was carried out on a mattress on the floor in Tatiana's room, mother and baby daughter were referred to a maternity hospital and hospitalized at 11:15 a.m., where lady doctor Clicia Zafalon took care of them. According to Dr. Zafalon, both mother and daughter were in good condition and doing well. "The rescue crew's prompt action was crucial. They arrived at the right time", said Dr. Zafalon. "The fact that Tatiane had already given birth to three children before favored it."

Daddy can barely conceal his satisfaction when carrying his daughter. "I felt frightened and happy at the same time. I am very grateful to the men from the fire brigade. This is something we will never forget", says Ezequiel.

The firemen visited the newly-born baby at the hospital yesterday. To them, their best reward is to see the family's happiness. "We were very concentrated when it happened, but it is too difficult to refrain our emotion now. It is very rewarding to help with such occurrences. That's why we work at the rescue brigade", says Fagundes. "The little girl is beautiful, isn't she?"