News Detail

Franklin County 911 Dispatcher Honored With ‘Stork Award’ For Prehospital Delivery

Emergency Services

January 16, 2025

Pictured (from left): Franklin County Commissioner John Flannery, Franklin County Emergency Services director Mary K. Seville, 911 telecommunicator Kaleb Longe and Commissioner Bob Ziobrowski

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – The Franklin County Commissioners joined the Emergency Health Services Federation (EHSF) in recognizing Franklin County Department of Emergency Services 911 telecommunicator Kaleb Longe for his role in the birth of a new Franklin County resident.

Also known as a “stork award,” the EHSF Prehospital Delivery Commendation is presented to a certified emergency medical service (EMS) provider who assisted in the delivery of a baby in the field. To be eligible for this award, EMS personnel must deliver a baby before arriving at a hospital and must have participated in assisting with patient care during the birth.

On Dec. 9, Longe answered a 911 call for a Washington Township woman in active labor. Through his quick response and by using various forms of training and protocol instructions, Longe promptly dispatched appropriate EMS resources to the caller’s location and successfully instructed the caller through a prehospital delivery of a baby boy.

“Our 911 telecommunicators are special individuals who are trained to handle stressful situations each and every day,” said Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dean Horst. “Sometimes a situation might be the worst day of a caller’s life, and dispatchers like Kaleb have to react quickly, calmly and professionally. Fortunately in this case, the call had a happy ending and we’re grateful that Kaleb successfully helped welcome a new life into the world.”

Longe first joined Franklin County in 2021 and the Dec. 9 prehospital delivery was his first.