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Lexington installs Safe Haven baby box at fire station; box cost about $14,000
Summary
The Lexington Fire Department, with community fundraising and LFUCG support, installed a Safe Haven baby box — an anonymous surrender option for newborns — at a fire station. Staff said the box is climate controlled, triggers alarms to dispatch crews and cost roughly $14,000 to purchase.
City and fire department officials described the newly installed Safe Haven baby box at a fire station. The box provides an anonymous, secure place to surrender a newborn and is equipped to alert station crews and dispatch when opened.
Councilmember Amy Beasley introduced the segment and Chief Wells of Lexington Fire and Emergency Services described the system: the box is climate controlled, locks from the outside after placement to prevent follow‑on interference, and notifies dispatch if crews are not in the station so that the nearest unit can respond. He said the box is designed for newborns and the department developed an internal protocol to transport infants to the University of Kentucky for medical care and social work follow‑up.
Staff said local fundraising covered the box purchase and the LFUCG provided funds for installation and monitoring. Chief Wells stated, “The box itself is about $14,000.” He added that the manufacturer requires no exterior cameras at the box site to preserve anonymity. He said the department selected a site after cross‑referencing where maternity cases occur and which stations meet the installation requirements (a climate‑controlled interior space with an exterior access wall).
Officials said no infant had been surrendered in Lexington’s box at the time of the presentation, and that other stations could be considered if they meet installation criteria. Community groups interested in funding additional boxes were told to contact the fire department’s Community Service Bureau to explore site suitability and support for installation and ongoing monitoring.
