Lexington’s first Safe Haven Baby Box to be dedicated soon
Originally published by WEKU.
Final preparations are being made for the installation of a Safe Haven Baby Box in Lexington. A ceremonial check presentation took place Thursday night at City Hall.
Lexington Knights of Columbus Councils raised and then handed over to City officials more than $15,000 to pay for the holding box for newborns. The infants can be given up with no questions asked when a mother or couple feel it would be in the best interest of the child. Damon Sexton with Knights of Columbus says when a baby is first placed in the Safe Haven Box, a 9-1-1 notice sounds.
“Then there’s a bassinette that’s inside of a temperature-controlled, climate-controlled inside of that box when a baby is put. It’s pressure censored and so when they feel weight on the box, then a second alarm, we have a baby,” said Sexton.
A third signal comes once the box is closed and firefighters can then retrieve the baby. Sexton said with the third surrender in Kentucky, the response time was 90 seconds in Bowling Green. Lexington’s Safe Haven Box will be established at Fire Station 2 in the Eastland area.
Sexton said there are ways to communicate this option for mothers or couples who feel giving up the newborn would be best.
“Put posters in high schools in the state and around health departments and things to notify. So, the marketing part..we’re hoping that the City will really jump in on that and I’m sure they will,” said Sexton.
There is a significant amount of technology and notification signals included in the drop-off box. Sexton noted it must undergo seven consecutive days of appropriate testing. Sexton added more than two dozen Safe Haven Baby Boxes are now found in communities across Kentucky.
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Originally published by WEKU.
Republished with permission.
