A quartet of Athens firefighters responded to a call at an area home this week that portended all the urgency of a three-alarm blaze… but thanks to their quick response and EMT training, this emergency ended in the happiest of outcomes.

Shortly after 8 a.m. on Wednesday, firefighters at the Athens Fire and Rescue Department’s Fire Station 2 answered an emergency call at the residence of an expecting mother, where the woman — 40 weeks pregnant — was reported already to be in labor.

According to city officials, the responding firefighters discovered that there wasn’t time to spare once they arrived at the woman’s home:

“Engine 2 drivers Scott Jackson and Neil Gooch, accompanied by AEMTs Garrett Grimsley and David McDaniel, immediately sprung into action,” officials explained in a statement. “Upon arrival at the home residence, they found the baby already crowning. They proceeded to coach the woman through proper breathing techniques and secured the baby’s airway. By 8:30 a.m. they [had] delivered a healthy baby girl.”

Officials didn’t release the mother’s name, though the birth — despite its emergent circumstances — resulted not only in a safe delivery, but in a remarkably healthy new addition for a local family.

“Cpt. Green said the baby girl was one of the strongest babies he has seen,” officials noted, adding that both mother and child were subsequently transported to Madison Hospital — “where they are both happy and healthy.”

Operating out of three local stations, the Athens Fire and Rescue Department fields 43 certified firefighters, most of whom also are licensed EMTs. The department’s coverage encompasses all 40 square miles of the city limits of Athens, serving an estimated population of 30,000.