Words by Jenny Lynn Davis | Image by Ryan McGill
During a regular meeting of the Jasper City Council on Tuesday, February 6, council members voted in favor of allowing Mayor David O’Mary to enter into an agreement with Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc. to install a Safe Haven Baby Box at a Jasper Fire Department facility.
The mission of Safe Haven Baby Boxes, Inc. is to prevent the illegal abandonment of newborns by raising awareness, offering a 24-hour hotline for mothers in crisis, and offering the Safe Haven Baby Boxes as a last resort option for women who want to maintain complete anonymity.
“In the very near future, this city will have a Safe Haven Baby Box. Representative Matt Woods brought to our attention that considerable grant money could be available to make this a reality for our city. Those efforts are now in place,” said O’Mary. “The total cost will be around $30,000, and approximately two-thirds of that will be covered with grant money, with the rest coming from discretionary funding. We have also had considerable interest from people in the city wanting to contribute to the difference through private donation.”
Last June, the Alabama Legislature expanded the state’s “Safe Haven” law, allowing the surrender of infants up to 45 days old at fire stations that operate around the clock with emergency personnel. Baby Boxes allow the anonymous surrender of newborns. On January 24, al.com reported that a newborn had been placed in a Safe Haven Baby Box for the first time in Alabama. The box had officially opened at the Madison Fire Department just twelve days prior.
“We’ve all heard the horror stories of infants being left in places like public restrooms,” O’Mary said. “With this installation, that will not have to happen in Jasper. The Baby Box will be connected to emergency personnel so that the minute an infant is placed, immediate action for needed care can take place.” WL
