Lexington will soon have safe way for parents to surrender newborns
Lexington will soon become the latest Kentucky city to have a safe way for parents to surrender newborn babies.
Lexington Fire Chief Jason Wells told the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council during a Tuesday work session at least 39 cities in Kentucky have Safe Haven baby boxes, which are typically installed at places like fire stations, which are staffed 24-hours a day.
The council gave initial approval for the installation of the baby box at Fire Station 2, 1276 Eastland Drive, during Tuesday’s meeting.
The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic civics organization, has agreed to donate the roughly $15,000 cost, Wells said. That figure does not include installation costs.
“They have had 50 babies that have been turned over to these boxes (across the country),” Wells said.
Richmond was the latest Kentucky city to install a Safe Haven box earlier this month. Winchester also recently installed one. The boxes are climate-controlled and equipped with alarms and monitors, alerting fire officials if a baby is placed in the box.
Wells said it’s not known when Lexington’s Safe Haven box will open. After council gives final approval in the next several weeks, the box will have to be ordered and installed.
