The Brave Officers Who Got Pregnant Mum Across Flooded Waters

Sristi Naicker, 28, gave birth to a baby girl af­ter she was evacuated to safety by the National Fire Authority and Police in Rakiraki yesterday.

It was 6am when these brave officers transported the pregnant mother in a bot­tom half of a water tank across the flood­ed Fiji Sugar Corporation road.

She was then taken to the Rakiraki Hos­pital by the Ministry of Health and Medi­cal Services.

The manner in which the officers assist­ed the mother-of-two children, who was in a delicate position, eventually helped her deliver a healthy baby girl at around 6.49am.

The baby weighed 2.9 kilograms.

“I cannot find words to express my joy. I am thankful to officers for the manner they assisted me to cross the flooded area where no vehicle could cross,” Ms Naicker said.

“If it was not for them I would not be holding my baby this way. We thank the team at the hospital too for their care and passionate work.”

NFA sub-officer Filimoni Nabati, 43, who led the evacuation team said that it was their duty to pro­vide safe rescue in a time of need.

“I was on day-off.  At 3am I was in­formed by the Sub Divisional Medi­cal Officer about the assistance that was needed,” he said.

“We conducted our duty with pride.”

Mr Nabati has been with NFA for the past 21 years.

The Sorokoba, Ba native thanked fellow officers for their bravery in carrying out the evacuation.

Sristi Naicker and her newborn daughter with a National Fire Authority officer at the Rakiraki Hospital on January 9, 2022. Photo: National Fire Authority

Minister for Education, Heritage and Art and Local Government Pre­mila Kumar thanked the NFA and Fiji Police officers for their act of bravery.

“NFA Officers and Fiji Police Force from Rakiraki managed to rescue a pregnant women during this bad weather condition and safety transported her to Rakiraki Hospital. Vinaka team,” she said.

Chief Operations Officer (COO) Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Abdul Khan also commend­ed the joint efforts shown by first responders from Rakiraki.

“It was a team effort consisting of fire personnel, health workers and our officers who assisted in retriev­ing the 28-year-old mother from Co­lase to Rakiraki Hospital,” he said.

In Ba

In a separate incident at Ba yes­terday, a pregnant woman was also transported by the villagers from Votua Village to Nailaga.

The boat had to cross the flooded Ba River, as NFA officers waiting on the river bank, to successfully evacuate her to the nearby vehicle.

The pregnant woman knew she was due in the coming days and wanted to come closer to the hospi­tal, to avoid any risks.

She is taking shelter at a relative’s home.

READ more about the rescue HERE