Chattanooga Fire Department opens new baby box

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- Chattanooga Fire Department and Local Agencies came together Tuesday for the new Safe Haven Baby Box. 

“This community came together and said, Hey, we do not want to find a baby in a dumpster. Let us do something. Being proactive is key, because that means this is now available for a mother that needs it. So we would rather a location have a box and not need it than need a box and not have it,” said Monica Kelsey, CEO of Safe Haven. 

The Baby Box is a safety device for the Tennessee Safe Haven Law. 

Kelsey explains the importance of having a Baby box in Hamilton County. 

“When a parent walks up to one of our boxes all they have to do is open the door, place their unharmed newborn inside, shut the door and walk away. We have it from there. We are going to take this baby to the hospital. We are going to treat this baby, and we are going to turn this baby over to the Department of Child Services, so that they can find a set of parents for this child,” said Kelsey. 

According to the Chattanooga Fire Department, These boxes are used to prevent newborns from being abandoned. 

Chief Phil Hyman with the Fire Department, says each Firefighter is properly trained to administer medical care to infants. 

“This helps firefighters provide quick care to an infant that’s surrendered. So typically, when we find infants that have been surrendered, it is not in a safe place like a baby box. It is in places that we would not want to see a child, which is rough on the first responders, on the child, on the mother,” said Hyman.”This provides a safe, anonymous place for them to surrender a child.”

There are now more than 12 Baby Box locations across the state and more than 200 baby boxes across the country. 

Kelsey believes it’s vital to provide Hope to mothers. 

“Hope begins here, because surrendering your newborn, it’s not an easy choice for these parents, they are basically saying, I want what’s best for my child, and it’s not me, and that’s heroic. We should be honoring these parents.” Kelsey concluded.