San Antonio activates Safe Haven Baby Boxes at three fire stations
Climate-controlled units are now installed at Stations 7, 18, and 24, allowing mothers to anonymously surrender infants up to 60 days old.
By Marco Graham ·
San Antonio fire stations now host three operational Safe Haven Baby Boxes, marking the completion of a project the city council funded three years ago. The units were officially blessed during a Tuesday morning ceremony at Fire Station 7, located on South St. Mary’s Street in downtown. The other two installations are at Fire Station 18 on South W.W. White Road in the East Side and Fire Station 24 on Austin Highway in the Northeast Side.
Joe Arrington, the public information officer for the San Antonio Fire-Rescue Department, stated that these specific locations were chosen based on historical data showing frequent surrenders of babies in those areas. Arrington described the boxes as a resource for mothers who need to surrender their infants, aiming to provide a safer alternative to previous scenarios.
The boxes are climate-controlled bassinets situated in designated areas of the stations. They operate with a dual-alarm system. According to Monica Kelsey, founder and CEO of Safe Haven Baby Box, the first electronic alarm triggers when the outside door opens. A second alarm sounds when an infant is placed inside. The door then locks automatically.
Upon receiving the alarms, emergency dispatch notifies the firefighters on duty. The crew immediately retrieves the infant for care. If the station is staffed by personnel out on a call, dispatch sends the nearest engine or ambulance to assess the baby. Arrington confirmed that firefighters and paramedics monitor the child instantly once the alarms activate.
Kelsey noted that the system preserves the anonymity of the surrendering parent. She described the initiative as a personal mission, revealing that she was abandoned as an infant in 1973. Kelsey said she dedicated her life to ensuring mothers have options and that babies have a safe place to fall.
For parents who cannot travel to these specific stations, Arrington reminded the public of the Baby Moses Law. This legal provision allows for the surrender of an infant at any fire station, provided the child is 60 days old or younger and has not been harmed. Arrington emphasized that every station in the city serves as a safe haven location.
The new boxes are ready for immediate use. The three stations now offer a monitored, anonymous option for mothers to place their young children in the care of emergency responders.
