LINCOLNVILLE – At 10:07 a.m., January 16, 2022, Knox Regional Communications Center Dispatcher Tracie Webster received a call for a woman in active labor.  She initiated emergency protocols and toned North East Mobile Health Services, the ambulance company that covers Lincolnville.  Robyn Jones was is the process of giving birth, and her husband, Ralph, was asking for assistance.

Earlier in the morning, Robyn and Ralph were gearing up for the birth of their baby. They live in Lincolnville Center, and the hospital is 20 minutes away.

“My husband had said we should get things ready to go and I agreed saying ‘yes, I think today is going to be the day,’” said Robyn.

That was the day, but the hospital drive would have to wait. What unfolded next was the sudden birth of a baby boy in a delivery that involved an emergency dispatcher in Rockland, who coached the parents over the phone, never leaving their side.

On March 8, the Knox County Commissioners recognized Tracie Webster for her compassionate, professional and careful handling of that childbirth call.

Knox RCC Director Robert Coombs read a letter from the State of Maine Department of Public Safety, which awards dispatchers a pin of a stork after events just like this one. 

“Care, forward-thinking, and excellence,” said Coombs reading from the letter, “as a first responder represents all the ideals of emergency medical professionals. In recognition of this, Maine EMS awards a stork pin to you for the care and excellence in the performance of your duties.” 

“Tracie is a superhero in our eyes,” said Robyn, in a phone conversation. She reflected back to the day when Ralph Jones, Jr., came quickly and without much warning. “We are so grateful for her mannerisms and calmness even though it was not a calm moment. She said all the right things in the right tone to help us remain calm under the most extreme pressure of all.”  

Some babies waste no time when they are ready to be born

Robyn had been timing her contractions in the morning of Jan. 22. They were irregular, and she called her midwife, who suggested that Robyn call her mother to get to the house to watch her 4-year-old daughter. 

“I called my Mom and said to head down because we were close and waiting for the contractions to be four minutes apart,” said Robyn.

“We were getting ready to go to the hospital,” she continued. “My husband was putting car seats in the truck and loading up our bags. My daughter was with me and I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom. When I stood up my water broke.” 

Jones said she told her daughter to let Ralph know that her water had broken. 

“I could hear her in the bathroom pounding on the window yelling, ‘Dad! Mom’s water just broke!’ Even though I’m sure she had no idea what that meant.” 

Ralph rushed in and said, ‘get in the truck, I can make it.’”

But Robyn knew better.

“I told him, ‘Honey that ship has sailed.’ We called the midwife and she said to call 911.” 

Robyn’s mother, Heidi Jackson, had arrived and Ralph handed her the phone. Webster began giving instructions.  

“Everybody warned me that second babies come quickly and I should have listened to that,” said Robyn.

People have wanted to know how she missed the window, given that this was her second child. But, nobody plans to have a baby like this, she said.

“When my daughter was born, I was induced,” said Robyn. “I was in the hospital for two days with an epidural and pain meds and all that crazy stuff. With the epidural, you don’t feel contractions. When my body finally did go into labor with my daughter they were telling me when to push. They would tell me, ‘you’re having a contraction,’ and I didn’t feel it because I was drugged up. So with this baby, I had no idea what true labor felt like.”

On Jan. 22, there weren’t but 10 minutes from when her water broke to the birth of Ralph. Jr. And, it was Tracie’s calm and steady demeanor that got them all through those tense 10 minutes.

“She was so calm and collected even though everyone else was freaking out a little,” said Robyn. “She kept us calm.” 

Tracie Webster, of Vinalhaven, has been a dispatcher with Knox County for three years.  

“When I got the call, I didn’t think I would be delivering the baby,” said Webster. “People call and say they are having contractions, but they usually deliver the baby in the hospital and not so much on the phone.”

When Ralph reported that the contractions were two minutes apart, “I realized this was real business,” said Tracie.

Dispatchers are trained to handle a variety of situations, but this one was a first for her. On-screen protocol tells dispatchers steps to take. 

“I was nervous, but I tried to be calm,” said Tracie. “And I was. I wanted to do my best.” 

The first instructions were to get Robyn onto the floor. As soon as she was situated, she felt a push, and the baby’s head crowned.

But, he was descending the birth canal in the wrong direction, with his head down. Even more dire, the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck.  

“I remember asking, ‘is he alive, is he alive,’” said Robyn. “My mother said ‘yes, he’s alive, you’ve got to get him out.’ My body gave one more contraction and he was out.” 

When she heard the baby cry, she knew everything was going to be OK.  

“When I heard that I couldn't get the smile off my face,” said Tracie.  

The ambulance had yet to arrive, so the task of tying off the umbilical cord fell to Ralph. Knowing just what to use, he dashed to the shed and got the green bait line.  

“My husband is a fisherman and he has this infamous green fishing twine that he uses for everything,” said Robyn. “Parts of my house are held together with it — his fishing traps, the snowmobile — he uses it for everything.” 

The ambulance arrived just as the umbilical cord was tied. 

“The EMTs asked my husband if he wanted to cut the umbilical cord,” said Jones. “He pulled out his pocket knife and said sure. The EMTs freaked out and said no you have to use a scalpel. They put me on a stretcher and out the door I went, to the hospital.” 

 Jones said she came home a few days later and was overwhelmed with community support.

“The abundance of love was amazing,” she said. “We didn’t have to cook for a week. Diapers and clothes were dropped off — it was awesome and so heartwarming.” 

At the March 8 meeting,  Commissioner Dorothy Meriwether said that Webster was an example of how critical dispatchers are to the community.

“I’m grateful for all the recognition that has come along,” said Webster. “I’m happy the baby is healthy and good. I got to see some pictures of him and he’s adorable.” 

“When I reflect back on my experience though this, she will always be a significant part of my story,” said Robyn. “She immediately began asking useful questions and gave immediate feedback with every answer. She instructed my mom on how to help guide the baby's body out the rest of the way, explaining to Ralph how to tie the cord, and continuously asked how I was doing, until EMTs arrived. The calm guidance to my mom and husband kept them both laser-focused and helped us all remain as calm as possible, and that is what I remember the most. I'm very happy she is getting recognized. She absolutely deserved it.” 

The Jones live in the home once owned by Robyn’s grandparents.

“I bought it when they passed away, so to give birth in my family home with my mom here was really special,” she said. “My mom and I were with my grandmother in this home when she passed away. So, I've seen life pass and be born here so it’s an incredible full circle.”