 | | | Seated, from left, Capt. Steve Gehling, engineer-paramedic Jon Ford, birthday boy Vivek Rathod; Standing, from left, firefighter-paramedic Anthony Stephens, Capt. Sean McGee, Chandni Rathod, Sameer Rathod. Photo N. Marnell | | | | | | Not infrequently, kids receive birthday presents of firefighter helmets, fire engine puzzles or books about the fire service. In the case of 4-year old Vivek Rathod, he received those gifts from Moraga-Orinda Fire District firefighters at a birthday party they threw for him at Fire Station 45 in Orinda.
On Jan. 13, 2013, Capt. Sean McGee led his crew of MOFD firefighters and paramedics on a childbirth response call to Stanton Avenue in Orinda. "If you guys were even a minute or two later..." said Sameer Rathod, Vivek's dad. Capt. Steve Gehling, then a firefighter-paramedic, delivered Vivek in the bedroom at 10:17 p.m. and the crew rushed the baby and his mom to the hospital for follow-up care.
"(Vivek) knows the whole story," said Chandni Rathod, Vivek's mother. "He's passionate about firefighters. He thinks of Station 45 as his second home." Vivek constantly talks about coming to the fire station, because he wants to stop and "see my friends," she said.
Vivek received a fire station command performance on Jan. 16, including gifts, cupcakes, a fire engine tour and even a special session with Gehling on how to use the fire hose.
"Most of the time, we pick the moms up and take them to the hospital," said Gehling, who noted the singularity of Rathod's situation. The captain has delivered nine babies in the field throughout his career, so he was the right person on duty the night of the Rathod emergency medical call.
"We are still very grateful," said Sameer Rathod.
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA