Columbia partners with Safe Haven Baby Boxes for installation at Fire Station No. 1

Yahoo

12-02-2025

The city of Columbia announced a partnership with Safe Haven Baby Boxes to install a life-saving Baby Box at the newly-renovated Columbia Fire Station No. 1, 1000 S. Garden St.
This installation provides an anonymous, safe and secure option for parents in crisis to surrender their newborns, ensuring that each infant receives immediate medical care and the opportunity for adoption.
The Tennessee Safe Haven law allows mothers of newborns to surrender unharmed babies to designated facilities—such as fire stations, hospitals and law enforcement agencies—within two weeks of birth without fear of prosecution. As long as the baby is unharmed and the child is surrendered within this timeframe, the mother—or parents—will not face prosecution and are assured complete confidentiality. This law was enacted to reduce unsafe abandonment of infants, providing parents with a safe and compassionate alternative.
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Designed with innovative safety features, Safe Haven Baby Boxes are installed on the exterior walls of approved infant surrender locations. Each box features a locking exterior door that automatically engages when a newborn is placed inside, and an interior door allows medical personnel to promptly retrieve the infant, ensuring immediate attention and care.
This system offers both safety for the baby and peace of mind for the parents, providing a lifeline during a difficult time, a city press release said.
Every year, countless infants are abandoned across the U.S., according to the release.
"These heartbreaking situations often arise when parents face emotional and practical challenges that lead to desperate decisions. The installation of Safe Haven Baby Boxes addresses this critical need by offering an anonymous, secure way for parents to surrender their infants, giving newborns a chance for a safe beginning and a brighter future," the release said.
Nick Brown, Deputy Chief of Columbia Fire & Rescue said the initiative will offer a compassionate solution for a crisis situation.
'We are proud to be part of this vital mission to protect the most vulnerable members of our community,' said Nick Brown, Deputy Chief of Columbia Fire & Rescue. 'The Baby Box represents a compassionate and immediate solution for parents who find themselves in crisis, and we are committed to ensuring that this service is available to those in need.'
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Since its founding, Safe Haven Baby Boxes has been dedicated to raising awareness about the Safe Haven Law and installing Baby Boxes in locations across the U.S. Through this initiative, SHBB helps ensure that no child is left without care and that no parent feels hopeless in a time of crisis, the press release said.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes is leading the installation of the Baby Box at Fire Station No. 01, with support from the City of Columbia.
Over a dozen cities around the state like Jackson, Knoxville, Hendersonville, Murfreesboro, Chattanooga and Oak Ridge have Safe Haven Baby Boxes locations.
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For more information or to donate, visit https://secure.qgiv.com/for/donationsfortennessee.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Columbia partners with Safe Haven Baby Boxes at Fire Station No. 1