ROCHELLE — It was an eventful night for the Rochelle Fire Department and a new mom who did not quite make it to the hospital.

According to Lt. Dave Sawlsville, they were called to a Rochelle residence at about 2 a.m. Tuesday morning for a mother in labor. They arrived shortly thereafter and the baby came within three minutes, healthy and a tad early. Apparently, the mother is from Aurora and was visiting family in Rochelle. She was due Saturday, but her little girl had other plans.

Both were taken by ambulance to Rochelle Community Hospital and later transported to Rockford Memorial Hospital in Rockford as RCH no longer has a nursery. Sawsville said both mother and daughter were healthy and fine, but babies tend to lose heat quickly and that was their utmost concern.

Sawlsville said this is the fourth baby he has delivered in his career, but it was the first delivery for Josh Lewis, the lead EMT on the call and a five-year member of the fire department.