Millmerran mum gives birth of bub on roadside after flooding cuts route to hospital

A Darling Downs family wanted to drive to the Toowoomba Hospital for the birth of their child but baby – and Mother Nature – had other plans.

Sarah Hapi and her husband Quentin Rimene have praised the cool, calm and collected paramedic who helped deliver their third daughter by the roadside.

The Millmerran couple went into labour about 1am on Friday but was unable to get to Toowoomba after recent flooding cut the road.

Instead they were directed to Warwick but bub could not wait so they phoned Triple-0.

They were met on the roadside by paramedic David Jones and QFES Acting Lieutenant Alex Johnson who transported Ms Hapi, but after a few kilometres it was time for the baby to meet the world.

“It was a blur,” Ms Hapi said.

They pulled into the Nocona Stables driveway where Mr Jones delivered the baby – the seventh of his career – at 7am.

Celebrating the birth of Nocona Rimene on the side of the Cunningham Highway are (from left) QFES Inglewood Acting Lieutenant Alex Johnson, dad Quentin Rimene, mum Sarah Hapi and QAS Inglewood paramedic David Jones.

“David was so calm and he made everything so easy,” Ms Hapi said. “I was not afraid and it was so nice to have his support.”

Meanwhile Quentin was driving behind the paramedic van with the couple’s older daughters.

He arrived to see the van doors open and he and his newborn daughter cradled in his wife’s arms.

“The baby was straight on mum for a feed,” he said.

“David did such an amazing job. I was beside myself with how calm Sarah was. She was so comfortable and didn’t look like she had given birth.”

The couple named their daughter Nocona after the fated pit stop before continuing to the Warwick Hospital for observations.

Mr Jones said roadside deliveries were rare and beautiful.

“I have been very fortunate in my career as most paramedics can go their whole career without a birth,” he said.

“Most of the time it is a straightforward event, you go through your training, control the situation and don’t panic.”

Mr Jones was dispatched from Inglewood where he serves at a single officer station and he said he could not have helped Sarah as effectively as he did if he did not have the support of the local firefighters.

“I am always reluctant to call on them because they are not full-time staff,” he said.

“But we put the call out for a driver on Friday and three officers turned up.

“We are there for each other and even though you work on your own, you are never alone.”