OKC fire department installs new Safe Haven Baby Box
The Oklahoma City Fire Department has announced the installation of a Safe Haven Baby Box for parents who are unwilling or unable to care for their newborn babies.
Installed at Fire Station No. 21 at 3000 SW 29, the Fire Department said in a news release the box provides a safe and anonymous way for parents to surrender their infants.
The box is a climate-controlled and fully-monitored enclosure equipped with motion sensors and a silent alarm system that immediately alerts emergency personnel upon an infant's placement inside.
More: 'I instantly fell in love': Florida firefighter adopts baby found in Safe Haven Baby Box
The fire department said the program operates under the state's law that allows parents to surrender infants up to 30 days old without fear of prosecution, as long as the baby is unharmed.
Upon retrieval of an infant, local social services agencies ensure the child is placed in a suitable and loving home, the department said.
The Safe Haven organization reports on its website more than 130 infants have been surrendered inside a baby box since 2016.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma City Fire Department installs new Safe Haven Baby Box
