“Congratulations to our CSLEA/FMESA member Jenna Avansino for the well-deserved recognition she received after assisting with the delivery of a baby who wasn’t going to wait for a labor and delivery room.  We are very proud of her and all our communications operators for their first responder skills!”

– CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

EL DORADO COUNTY – When seconds mattered most, CALFIRE communications operator Jenna Avansino’s calm under pressure made all the difference!

On February 13, 2026, CALFIRE announced that Avansino was presented with a Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation from the El Dorado County Emergency Services Authority and a pink stork pin to wear on her uniform for a 911 call she responded to in which a woman was in active childbirth.

On May 25, 2025, Avansino answered a 911 call in AEU’s Camino Emergency Command Center from a couple experiencing an active childbirth while driving to the hospital. Quickly assessing the situation, Avansino realized the couple had just passed a nearby fire station. She calmly directed them to turn around and head back while simultaneously alerting fire station crews to prepare for their arrival. El Dorado Hills Fire Department firefighters safely delivered the baby at the station, and both mother and child were transported to a local hospital where everyone was doing well. The moment was especially meaningful for the fire service family, as the baby’s father is a fire captain with CAL FIRE in a neighboring unit.

Avansino’s decisive actions and calm guidance played a critical role in the successful delivery.