MONROE COUNTY - DECEMBER 15, 2022 - There are now three Safe Baby Boxes now available in Lawrence and Monroe Counties following the dedication of 95th Baby Box in Indiana: at Monroe Fire Protection District on Thursday evening.
This would also make the 131st Baby Box in the United States.
Judie Lane, Bloomington started the fundraising efforts in February 2022, and the volunteers of the Monroe Fire Protection District raised the $15,000 of the $17,000 needed to install the box.
Judie Lane stands with Monica Kelsey founder of Safe Haven Boxes
" I totally support Safe Haven Baby Boxes, I think everyone should have one," said Lane.
Thanks, those efforts and the blessing provided by Brian Stewart, Chaplin, Monroe Fire Protection District the Baby Box at 5081 North State Road 37 in Bloomington is available 24/7.
SAFE HAVEN BABY BOXES IN LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES
Bedford Fire Department 1900 H Street Bedford, Indiana
Mitchell Volunteer Fire Station 105 Doc Hamiliton Blvd. Mitchell, Indiana
Monroe Fire Protection District Fire Station # 25 5081 North State Road 37, Bloomington, IN
Safe Haven Boxes was founded by Monica Kelsey, who was abandoned as an infant.
Kelsey has served the country spending eight years in the United States military and serving her community as a firefighter/paramedic. Her life's mission is to end infant abandonment with the aid of awareness and education of Safe Haven Laws.
Providing anonymous safe surrender locations through Safe Haven Baby Boxes is a key to that mission.
" It is amazing what the program has done in Indiana, we have not found a dead baby in any of our boxes to date, " said Kelsey. " One of the first questions I ask when I hear we have a surrender. Is the baby alright, and secondly being it a boy or girl," added Kelsey.
The first surrender was in 2017, from the Coal Springs, Baby Box, to date with 21 babies surrender since that time. In 2022, there were a total of 7 babies surrendered this year, in Indiana.
"The program is doing exactly what it has been designed to do. The parents want anonymity, they have asked for many years. There have been finding babies at the doors of the firehouses, hospitals, and doorsteps of other locations. Now there is a safe location for them to surrender their child,"
The Safe Haven Box at Fire Station # 25 will be tested weekly to make sure the system is working properly.
When a baby is placed in the box an alert is sent to the Monroe County Central Dispatch to notify firefighters of the child in the box. The emergency medical personnel will then start treating the child, at the fire station making sure no life-threatening emergency exist and ambulance immediately dispatched to the location.
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