(FamilyConservationPAC.com) – According to the Knoxville Fire Department, a baby boy was abandoned inside Tennessee’s first Safe Haven Baby Box early on Saturday morning, around 30 minutes after his delivery.
Since being placed in February at Knoxville Fire Department (KFD) Station 17, the Baby Box has only been utilized once, according to ABC6 WATE. The baby was found by three crew members shortly after the box alarm went off. The baby was soon transported to a neighboring hospital by an ambulance when the firefighters phoned for one.
First baby safely surrendered in Knoxville’s Safe Haven Baby Box https://t.co/2aRvh89GNH
— wvlt (@wvlt) May 29, 2023
KFD Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks said, “The department is appreciative to be able to assist kids and parents in need.”
“This box’s entire purpose is to be a resource for our community, that a mother or parent who is in crisis and doesn’t know what to do with a child, has a place to go,” said Wilbanks.
Wilbanks continued, “So this is simply that, this is a resource for the community and it makes us feel great to know that it did some good within three months of installing it.”
“It may sound a little bit hard to say, but we don’t want them putting the child in the dumpster, we would much rather them place the child in this box where it’s safe and has an opportunity,” Wilbanks said.
According to the newspaper, Wilbanks pointed out that the Baby Box includes a bag with information about resources the parent can take with them. The Baby Box also enables parents to turn over their infants discreetly.
“The anonymity feature of the box itself does not immediately alert us to the fact that there is a baby in the box, and that gives the person time to leave the fire station without us knowing who they were,” according to Wilbanks.
How do you feel about this safe haven baby drop box in Kentucky???? pic.twitter.com/kqCrSzqT2v
— The NPC Show (@TheNPCShow) April 27, 2023
“When they close the door, it takes just a minute for the station to be alerted, that’s the anonymity part of the box itself,” Wilbanks said.
According to the press release, the Baby Box is “weight sensitive and has a magnetic automatic lock that activates when something is placed inside.” Assistant Chief Wilbanks also said that, “the box heats up to 85 degrees after a baby is placed inside, and the station is informed shortly after that.”
A Baby Box is planned for Knox County, and several fire departments across the country are contemplating installing one. According to sources, the Craig Foundation, not Knoxville citizens, funds the current and next boxes.
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