Fresno firefighter helps deliver his own baby

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- From fighting fires to saving lives, it's pretty safe to say there's nothing routine about working as a first responder.

One of Fresno's newest firefighters delivered his first baby last week, and it happened to be his own child.

Penelope Dawn Cruz is almost one week old.

Her dad, Taylor, has been with the Fresno Fire Department for just five months.

While on duty, Cruz noticed a missed call from his pregnant wife, Lisa, saying their baby was coming three and a half weeks early.

The couple lives in Coarsegold and never made it to the hospital.

A neighbor took Lisa, and Cruz caught up to them at Highway 145.

Cruz says he stayed in work mode.

"I think she wanted to make sure he was his first delivery," Lisa said.

The baby was born within three minutes of pulling over.

Cruz had already called 911 and an ambulance arrived shortly after the birth.

This is the couple's second child.

Their two-year-old son, Henry, is happy to now play the role of big brother.