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Lexington installs Safe Haven Baby Box at fire station as anonymous, climate‑controlled surrender option
Summary
Lexington Fire Department and city partners installed a Safe Haven Baby Box at a fire station to allow anonymous, safe surrender of newborns; the box alarms crews and dispatch and transfers a newborn to hospital care.
Lexington Fire Department staff and council members unveiled a Safe Haven Baby Box installed at a fire station to provide a climate‑controlled, anonymous option for the safe surrender of newborn infants.
Fire Chief Wells described the box as an alarmed exterior compartment that, when opened and used, notifies station crews and the emergency dispatch center so the nearest crew can respond. The box locks from the outside after a surrender and is climate controlled; there are no exterior cameras, by design. Local fundraising covered the box purchase and the Lexington‑Fayette Urban County Government covered installation and monitoring arrangements.
City staff said the box costs approximately $14,000 to purchase, with nominal ongoing monitoring costs. Protocols were developed to transport a surrendered infant to the hospital for further care; social services and hospital staff coordinate post‑surrender steps. The box is intended to provide an anonymous, safe alternative to unsafe abandonment.
Why it matters: The box offers an anonymous, supervised way to surrender a newborn that immediately alerts trained emergency responders and medical staff, reducing the risk of unsafe abandonment and ensuring rapid medical evaluation and care.
Next steps: Fire and city staff said community groups interested in funding additional boxes can coordinate with the department’s community services bureau to identify suitable stations and confirm installation requirements.
