Louisiana Fire Station to Install State’s First Baby Box

A fire station in Louisiana will now be the home for the state's first "Baby Box" for when parents feel the need to surrender their baby.

As you may recall, Louisiana passed the Safe Haven Law that allows parents to surrender a newborn at designated locations like hospitals and fire stations. Parents who safely surrender newborns at the designated locations do not face any legal consequences for other actions or decisions.

WDSU reports that the first baby box in Louisiana will be installed at the Central Fire Station in Olde Town in Slidell. A box that is built into the station will allow a parent to safely surrender the newborn by putting the baby in the box.

Once a baby is put into the box, the door shuts within one minute at first responders at the station are alerted that a baby has been placed in the safe box.

The hope is that this safe place gives parents who want to surrender their baby a place to do so without fear of consequences and it may even save the life of a baby that is no longer wanted by those taking care of it.

Authorities with the department hope that no one ever uses the box, but if someone wants to surrender their baby, there is a place to do so safely.

The New Orleans-based news station spoke to a council member who recalls a baby being placed in a dumpster in 2015 and he remembers the entire community of Slidell being distraught over it and that is what motivated him to push for this "Baby Box" at the fire station.

To read more on this, visit WDSU.

The state's first baby box is expected to be installed at the fire station by the end of 2024.