Norwood Firefighters Deliver Healthy Baby Girl in Unexpected Home Emergency-October 16, 1974

Routine emergency calls took an extraordinary and joyous turn for Norwood firefighters James Flaherty and Donald Towne, who successfully delivered a healthy baby girl for local resident Mrs. Thomas McDonough at her home before safely transporting mother and child to Norwood Hospital.

The unusual call unfolded when Mrs. McDonough went into sudden labor. Her husband, Thomas McDonough—employed as a machinist at the Norwood Machine Works—received the urgent call at work and rushed home, admitting he was so nervous and practically speechless that he could barely manage to call the police department. The call was promptly relayed to the fire department, which oversees the town’s ambulance program.

A Rapid Team Effort

While the birth was unexpected, it aligned precisely with one prediction: although her doctor estimated an October 21 arrival date, a visiting nurse had noted the baby was due precisely on October 15. “I told her to aim for Oct. 15,” the proud and relieved father joked afterward.

The swift emergency response involved seamless coordination across town services:

• Emergency Delivery: Firefighters James Flaherty and Donald Towne arrived on the scene to manage the unexpected home birth. Reflecting on the high-stakes moment, Towne remarked, “I was very nervous until I saw it was going to come,” while Flaherty added philosophically, “If you got to do it, you got to do it.”
• Hospital Transport: Police officer Albert Lane, accompanied by Norwood Hospital nurse Molly Connolly—whose affectionate hospital nickname is ironically “Mother Superior”—rushed the newborn baby to the hospital in a police cruiser. Mrs. McDonough followed shortly thereafter in the firefighters’ ambulance.

For Flaherty and Towne, performing non-firefighting heroics is becoming a familiar habit. Just the previous year, both firefighters successfully saved a heart attack victim at the local Star Market, crediting their rigorous emergency medical training for saving the patient’s life.

With mother and daughter resting comfortably, the two veteran firefighters celebrated the memorable night the traditional way: enjoying post-natal cigars.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger