Story perspectives

Firefighters Help Deliver Baby Near Highway 101 Closure

By Drooid · Sep 22, 2026, 4:43 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Firefighters Aid Birth

San Francisco firefighters assisted a woman delivering a baby girl on a roadside.
The birth occurred at about 4:40 p.m. near Crossover Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Parents Karollyn and Nate named their daughter Cielle Ray.
Mother and newborn arrived at a local hospital in good condition.
Doula Katie Higgins, stuck in traffic, coached the mother until paramedics arrived.

Summary

Caltrans Closes 101

Caltrans closed northbound Highway 101 for resurfacing, diverting traffic into Golden Gate Park.
The diversion forced drivers onto 19th Avenue, Park Presidio Boulevard and nearby streets, causing gridlock.
A three-vehicle crash on Park Presidio Boulevard near California Street at about 7 p.m. worsened congestion.
Doula Katie Higgins, mother of two, offered to drive the family’s car to the hospital after the birth.

History

Historical Context

The San Francisco Fire Department’s aid to a Highway 101 birth reflects a legacy that began when SFFD joined 911 EMS after California’s 1970 Wedworth-Townsend Act and 1974 EMS Systems Act built a paramedic network. The 1972 TV drama Emergency! accelerated that growth, raising U.S. paramedic services from 12 in 1971 to half the population by 1982, a framework guiding Caltrans emergency protocols.

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Firefighters Aid Birth

San Francisco firefighters assisted a woman delivering a baby girl on a roadside.
The birth occurred at about 4:40 p.m. near Crossover Drive and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
Parents Karollyn and Nate named their daughter Cielle Ray.
Mother and newborn arrived at a local hospital in good condition.
Doula Katie Higgins, stuck in traffic, coached the mother until paramedics arrived.

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