A Tennessee Department of Transportation employee recently saved a newborn child in Knox County after the mother had just given birth in her car on the side of the road.
TDOT HELP operator Chester Hembree was described as being in the right place at the right time, close enough to arrive at the scene on I-40 EB before emergency medical services. According to WSMV 4 Nashville, Hembree was only a mile away when he got the call.
Upon opening the car door, Hembree discovered the woman had just given birth, but the baby had not begun crying. According to TDOT, Hembree cleared the newborn’s airway and got the baby breathing normally.
The Knoxville Police Department and EMTs arrived shortly after and transported the mother and baby to the hospital, where they were reportedly in stable condition.
WSMV 4 Nashville reported that Hembree has worked as a highway response operator at TDOT for 20 years, following previous experience in law enforcement and EMS.
TDOT’s HELP program was launched in 1999 and was expanded in 2026 to serve more rural areas of the state. The program deploys TDOT operators like Hembree along the most heavily traveled highways in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville to assist motorists in need.
Powered byThe goals of the TDOT HELP program are to minimize traffic congestion, promote the safe movement of people and products and improve vehicle travel.
