Maria Carrasco

Baby Born on Floor of Dumfries Firehouse After Mom Gets Stuck in Traffic

Kasey Lynnette Smith had planned to give birth via a c-section…
She had planned for it to be at a hospital. 
And she had planned to name her Makenzie…. 
Plans change… quickly. 
 
-NATS need your pacifier (crying 11:04:56)
 
The day before her scheduled delivery… 
Kasey went into labor. 
 
-SOT
KASEY LYNNETTE SMITH / GAVE BIRTH IN FIRE STATION 
11:07:02
“And I started having some contractions but they weren’t like super close, so I”m like ok we can make… we just need to make it until tomorrow.”
 
There was no waiting… Kasey’s mom - Jena Smith…
A medical assistant… 
Got everyone into her car…
And hit the road. 
 
-SOT
KASEY LYNNETTE SMITH / GAVE BIRTH IN FIRE STATION 
11:07:35
“I’ve never seen my mom speed a day in my life and she was just flying down 610. And we look over and 95 was just flowing, and I was like great!”
 
Suddenly… 
break lights… 
DC-area traffic. 
 
-SOT
KASEY LYNNETTE SMITH / GAVE BIRTH IN FIRE STATION 
11:07:50
“Literally all you see is red lights, nobody is moving, I start panicking… I’m like they’re just so close. And then maybe two minutes later my water starts breaking.”
 
-SOT
JENA SMITH / KASEY’S MOTHER 
11:27:06
“So then she really starts to panic. And I’m like it’s ok… i’m going to get off as soon as I can.”
 
-STANDUP 
They turned onto Route One… 
On the phone with 9-1-1…
They ultimately decide they will not make it to the hospital…
And they cannot wait for an ambulance. 
So they take a detour… 
 
-SOT tbd firefighter 
*sees them pull up 
 
Fire and rescue crew members have Kasey lie down… 
 
-SOT tbd firefighter 
 
-SOT
KASEY LYNNETTE SMITH / GAVE BIRTH IN FIRE STATION 
11:11:17
“Literally the concrete floor right next to a fire truck.”
 
Within a few minutes… 
Kasey gave birth to a baby girl. 
 
-SOT
KASEY LYNNETTE SMITH / GAVE BIRTH IN FIRE STATION 
11:13:26
“I finally hear her cry and I took like the biggest sigh of relief and I think my body just collapsed on the ground.” 
 
Kasey realized a group of firefighters had even held up sheets…
To give her privacy from the passing Route one traffic. 
And sent gifts to the hospital. 
Back home… Kasey explains to her daughter how she chose her name. 
 
-SOT
KASEY LYNNETTE SMITH / GAVE BIRTH IN FIRE STATION 
11:14:03
“Forget Makenzie, Journee is your name and this is going to be the biggest story to tell you for the rest of your life.” 
 
-STANDUP TAG
*push ahead to Journee’s first visit back to the place of her birth… 
A way of saying thanks.
**On news4at6.** 
)) Kasey Lynette Smith  
planned to give birth via a c-section
she planned for it to be at a hospital 
planned to name her child mckenzie
plans change
the day before her scheduled delivery, casey went in to labor 
started having some contractions, but they weren't like super close and i'm like ok we can make it. it's all right we just gotta make it until tomorrow 
there was no waiting 
her mom, gina smith, a medical assistant, got everyone into her car and hit the road
"I've never seen my mom speed a day in her life and she was just flying down 610 and then we look over and 95 is just flowing and we're like 'ok great' 
Suddenly break lights and D.C. area traffic
Two minutes later my water starts breaking 
"So she really starts to panic and I'm like 'it's ok' you know I'm gonna get off as soon as I can 
Gina turned to route 1 and realized she didn't have time to go to the hospital and they couldn't wait for an amublance so she made a detour to Dumfriends Firehouse Enging Co. 3
"911 dispatchers indicated to them to arrive to the nearest firehouse so we can assist them"
"Everybody was all huddled around the corner over here" 
"You know, hey, we have a special delivery arriving on scene. I finally here a cry and I took the biggest sigh of relief and I think my body collapsed on the ground 
She gave us the opportunity 

Kasey Lynette Smith planned to deliver her daughter via cesarean section in a hospital and to name her Makenzie. But all of that changed after she got stuck in traffic and gave birth on the floor of a firehouse in Dumfries, Virginia. 

It began when Smith went into labor the day before her due date. She said she wasn't concerned because her contractions weren't close and thought she could wait. 

There was no waiting. Kasey's mother Jena Smith, a medical assistant, got her family into her car and made their way to the hospital.  

"I've never seen my mom speed a day in her life," Kasey Smith said. "She was just flying down 610 and then we look over and 95 is just flowing and we're like 'OK great.'"

But, the family hit traffic and Smith's water broke. 

"So she really starts to panic and I'm like 'It's OK' and, you know, 'I'm gonna get off as soon as I can,'" Jena Smith said. 

She turned the car onto Route 1 and they decided they didn't have time to go to the hospital or wait for an ambulance. When they called 911, dispatchers advised them to go to the nearest firehouse. 

Huddled in a corner of a Dumfries firehouse floor right next to a firetruck, Smith gave birth to her daughter.

“I finally hear her cry and I took like the biggest sigh of relief and I think my body just collapsed on the ground,” Smith said.

Smith said that during her delivery, firefighters even held up sheets to give her privacy from the passing traffic. Afterward, they sent gifts to the hospital. 

“She gave us the opportunity to do something that we probably will never do again. We may you go out to someone’s house to deliver a baby, but not on the fire station's floor again,” firefighter Jasyn Hopkins said. 

Kasey decided to name her baby girl Journee because of the experience. 

“Forget Makenzie, Journee is your name and this is going to be the biggest story to tell you for the rest of your life,” Smith said. 

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