Bowling Green Fire Department to get a Baby Safe Haven Box in new station

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Last week, Kentucky law makers passed and Governor Andy Beshear signed legislation aimed at saving the lives of newborns by providing another safe surrender option.

The bill would allow the use of a newborn safety device to be installed and utilized at participating staffed fire stations, police stations or hospitals.

For south central Kentucky, the need for a box does exist.

Three years ago, a baby was left in a cardboard box outside of Gott Fire Department in Warren County.

There was no one at the station at the time and no one was notified of the baby’s whereabouts until a bystander happened to see the infant.

So, the Bowling Green Fire Department is currently building a new fire station on Lovers Lane and included a baby box in the construction plans awaiting the legislation’s passage.

BGFD spokeswoman Katie McKee said the fire department doesn’t yet have an official time frame for installation, but for now, there are still options for surrendering a newborn baby up to 30 days old.

These boxes open from the outside for a mother to place her baby inside, sending an alert to officials as soon as the door opens and then again when the baby is placed in the bassinet inside.

Once the door shuts, the outside door locks and a trained responder can open the inside door and get the baby out.

“The Bowling Green Fire Department has always been a judgment free safe haven for new mothers to take their babies. So, if you are in a situation, you can go to a fire station and hand your child to a firefighter, no questions asked,” said McKee.

Warren County Sheriff Brett Hightower supports the idea of the box and encourages any mother who wants to surrender a baby to do so safely.

“We always want people to know, there is other options. And the option would be to leave it in safe hands and that is a difficult decision,” said Hightower.

The goal of the bill, the box and first responders is the safety of the newborn, not the judgment of the mother.

Anyone who wants to surrender their newborn can give the baby directly to hospital staff, law enforcement or a firefighter.

It is not safe or lawful to leave a baby at an unmanned fire station as most volunteer fire departments are unmanned unless there is an active fire call.