Posted February 11, 2021

20210211 HFD Save Haven Baby Box

The Huntington County Community Foundation presents a $5,000 gift to the Huntington Fire Department Wednesday afternoon at the Etna Avenue Fire Station. The department aims to raise a total of $30,000 to install and maintain a Safe Haven Baby Box in Huntington. (Back row, left to right: HCCF Executive Director Matt Ditzler, Huntington Firefighter Adam Close, Huntington Fire Lt. Mike Burnworth, Huntington Fire Chief Tony Johnson, Huntington Mayor Richard Strick, Huntington Firefighter Zach Abbott, Huntington Firefighter Matt Blackburn. Front, from left to right: HCCF grant sponsors Michael Howell, Susan Brewer and David Brewer.)

HUNTINGTON – It’s a heart-wrenching decision when a mother in crisis surrenders her newborn. But if even one surrendered baby can receive the care and safety it needs, Huntington Fire Chief Tony Johnson says it will be well worth the effort.

The Huntington Fire Department has been raising funds since August to install a Safe Haven Baby Box at the Etna Avenue Fire Station, with a $30,000 goal to cover installation and future operating costs.

“We anticipate being able to move forward with installation later this spring,” Chief Johnson said. “You hope you never need the Baby Box, but saving one baby is worth it.”

The Huntington County Community Foundation presented a $5,000 check toward the project to Chief Johnson on Wednesday afternoon. The gift lifted the department to nearly 80 percent of its goal.

HCCF Executive Director Matt Ditzler, Huntington Mayor Richard Strick and several Huntington firefighters joined grant sponsors Michael Howell, Susan Brewer and David Brewer in the presentation at the fire station located at 1333 Etna Ave.

Combined with donations from individuals, churches and local organizations, more than $23,000 and counting has been raised.

HCCF has helped coordinate the Fire Department’s fundraising efforts from the start. Donations are still needed, and individuals and groups can give online at www.huntingtonccf.org/babybox or write a check to HCCF with “baby box” in the memo line and mail it to P.O. Box 5037, Huntington, IN 46750.

“We’re 80 percent there,” Ditzler said. “We just need a little more support to make this a reality.”

According to the Safe Haven Baby Box organization, five babies were safely surrendered last year under Indiana’s safe haven laws into one of 53 boxes across the state.

A Baby Box is installed on an exterior wall of a fire station or hospital, where a mother in crisis can safely, securely and anonymously access it. An exterior door automatically locks when a newborn is placed inside, triggering a silent alarm so that a medical staff member or first responder can secure the surrendered newborn from inside the building.

Indiana’s safe haven laws permit a mother in crisis to surrender a child less than 30 days old without fear of arrest or prosecution. 

The Safe Haven Baby Box organization operates a 24-hour hotline to give women the opportunity to talk to a trained professional as they consider safely surrendering her baby. Mothers in crisis can reach the hotline at 1-866-99BABY1.