Something new coming to a Bradenton fire station. What to know about Safe Haven Baby Box
Bradenton could become the third city in Florida where parents can use a drop box to surrender newborn children anonymously.
Manatee County and Bradenton government officials are working on a partnership to add a Safe Haven Baby Box to a local fire station. The drop-off boxes trigger a silent alarm for firefighters at the station to take action quickly and recover the child.
County officials drafted an agreement to add the Safe Haven box to a downtown Bradenton fire station, 1010 Ninth Ave. W. City officials will need to approve the agreement and begin training first responders on how to accept newborns at the station.
Commissioner Amanda Ballard, who is a former child welfare attorney and a mother, said the county wants to prevent situations where a mother could turn to abuse or neglect when they are no longer able to care for their babies.
“Oftentimes, if a mom has a child that is born substance-exposed or addicted, that can provide additional challenges,” Ballard said. “Maybe that mom is scared that state agencies will become involved or that the child will be removed from her care. Rather than have that happen, an option would be to surrender that child safely.”
If the pilot program is successful, county officials say they will add baby boxes to other fire stations, too. Each box costs about $21,000.
What is a Safe Haven Baby Box?
Florida’s Safe Haven law already allows parents to surrender a newborn up to a week old at hospitals, fire stations and emergency medical services stations. The boxes also allow for surrenders for up to a week after childbirth, but they allow parents to make the decision privately.
After first responders recover the child from the climate-controlled box, which usually takes less than two minutes, the child enters the foster care system, officials say.
Safe Haven Baby Boxes, the organization that created the drop-off boxes, is an Indiana-based nonprofit. According to its website, CEO and founder Monica Kelsey made it her mission to educate parents on state Safe Haven laws after learning that she was surrendered as an infant.
There are over 200 of the boxes in 16 states, according to the website, but the boxes are rarely used. Safe Haven Baby Boxes says 43 children have been surrendered using the equipment. Two other Florida cities, Ocala and Newberry, also have the boxes.
The baby box in Ocala saw its first surrendered newborn in January 2023, according to the “Today” show. A firefighter, who was childless, recovered the baby girl and adopted her, the “Today” show reported.
The organization says its main goal is to provide women with counseling and other resources for free. Safe Haven Baby Boxes also operates a national 24-hour hotline that has received over 9,000 calls for assistance, according to the website.
A connection to reproductive rights?
One critic said the Safe Haven drop-offs would not be necessary if county and state officials did not target access to abortion and reproductive education. In 2021, the Board of County Commissioners attempted to enact an outright ban on new abortion facilities in Manatee County.
More recently, commissioners proclaimed July 26, 2022, as “Victory for Life Day” in Manatee County and celebrated the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.
Barbara Zdravecky, interim CEO of Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida, blamed the need for baby boxes on the abortion restrictions in Florida.
“When people are barred from accessing abortion care, there will inevitably be more individuals forced to carry pregnancies against their will and give birth to children they are unable to care for — regardless of the dangers it presents to their own health and wellbeing,” Zdravecky said in an email to the Bradenton Herald.
The state’s 6-week abortion ban went into effect May 1. Amendment 4 will be on the ballot in November, allowing Florida voters to decide whether the right to an abortion will be added to the state constitution.
Bradenton officials ‘here to help,’ chief says
Bradenton Mayor Gene Brown said the boxes will provide a safe option for struggling parents to surrender their children without interacting with anyone.
“There’s a lot of possibly younger mothers that might be afraid or think they’re in trouble,” Brown said. “Without the baby box, they wouldn’t do it. With the baby box, they know they’ll be anonymous and they’ll be gone before anybody ever comes out.”
According to Safe Haven Baby Boxes, newborns are typically recovered within two minutes of being surrendered.
Bradenton Fire Chief Tim Geer said while the fire station is a safe haven no one has ever dropped off a baby. The fire station is also a safe place, where mothers can seek help with domestic violence or homelessness. Some have asked for a place to go for more than one night, Geer said.
“For those of us that have children, and some of us that have grandchildren, we understand how hard it can be,” Geer said. “If you’re scared, reach out to a friend, and if you’re in desperate need and don’t know what else to do, stop and talk to someone at a safe place, like your fire station. We’re here to help.”
