Springfield To Get “Safe Haven Baby Box”
SPRINGFIELD TENNESSEE: (Smokey Barn News) – According to Springfield Fire Chief Jeff Glodoski, Springfield (station 2) will be getting a Safe Haven Baby Box.
A Safe Haven Baby Box is a safe place to surrender a baby, no questions asked, no required human interaction, 24 hours a day.
Chief Glodoski told Smokey Barn News that he can’t remember an incident involving an abandoned baby in Springfield but he’s happy the resource is being made available.
Is it safe? Smokey Barn News Asked Chief Glodoski about the safety mechanisms incorporated in the “box.” Chief Glodoski explained that the system operates through three sets of alarms. The first alarm triggers when the baby’s weight is detected in the bassinet, signaling station personnel about the baby’s arrival. A second alert is simultaneously sent to the 911 dispatch center in Springfield, while a third notification is dispatched to Springfield Fire Station 1 on Central Ave. Additionally, the system automatically locks the door once it is closed. The baby box has doors on both the inside and outside. The individual dropping off the baby accesses the box from the outside, while the baby is retrieved from another door on the inside of the fire station.
Privacy: We asked Chief Glodoski about security cameras. The contractor is still working out where in Station 2 the baby box will be installed, most likely it will be positioned on the front of the building near the entrance but, according to Chief Glodoski, cameras will not be pointed at the box.
The law: Tennessee has a Safe Haven Law, also known as the Safe Haven for Newborns Act, that allows parents to surrender a newborn baby to designated safe locations without fear of prosecution for abandonment. The Tennessee law is aimed at preventing infant abandonment and ensuring that newborns are placed in safe environments. In the absence of a Safe Haven Baby Box, designated safe locations include hospitals, birthing centers, and law enforcement agencies.
When added to Station 2, the Safe Haven Baby Box will be the first in Robertson County, according to Chief Glodoski. Station 2 of the Springfield Fire Department is located on the corner of Bill Jones Industrial Dr, and Bradley Dr. MAP