West Shore RCMP officer helps divert plane as woman goes into labour

An off-duty West Shore RCMP officer was asleep on a flight recently when he was woken up by the crew asking for help.

It turns out a woman on board had gone into premature labour and the crew was looking for a doctor or nurse.

Const. Rob Renner is a former nurse and he jumped in to help.

Twenty-eight-year-old Sadie Ussak said she was only 31 weeks pregnant at the time, according to the RCMP.

“Realizing the severity of the situation, Const. Renner took over responsibility of care, drawing on his previous medical training,” said West Shore RCMP in a statement Monday.

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Police say Renner ensured Ussak was taken to a safe location in the aircraft to ease discomfort and provide privacy while more medical care was administered.

“He was calming me down and telling me I was going to be OK. It felt good to have him there,” said Ussak in a statement.

Renner asked the pilot to divert to the nearest hospital, where a neonatal team could help ensure the baby was safely delivered. Upon landing in Thompson, Manitoba, an ambulance took Ussak to the Thompson General Hospital.

Baby Larissa Ussak was born just after 1 a.m. the next morning at 3.5 pounds. The RCMP said both mother and daughter were healthy and suffered no ill effects from the premature birth.

“I was really happy to be in the right place at the right time and able to help Mrs. Ussak get to the hospital as quick as possible to have her baby,” said Renner.

Renner joined the West Shore RCMP in 2020 after several years of previous service as a military police member in the Canadian Armed Forces. He became a registered nurse during this time.

He received a long service medal from the Canadian Armed Forces earlier in April and continues to serve with the military as a Reservist.