Mobile Fire-Rescue Department Dedicates Its First Baby Box

Mobile, Ala. — The Mobile Fire-Rescue Department (MFRD) dedicated its first baby box at Crichton Fire Station in Mobile, Alabama, Tuesday morning, January 28, 2025.

The ceremony featured speakers from MFRD, Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Alabama Representative Donna Givens, and Safe Haven Baby Boxes Founder Monica Kelsey. The box was blessed by Father John Lynes of Little Flower Catholic Church.

The new baby box is a secure compartment accessed through a small door in the exterior wall of the station that serves as a safe and anonymous place for parents or guardians in crisis to surrender their newborns without facing any legal repercussions or having to answer any questions.

Alabama’s Safe Haven law provides a legal provision allowing parents to safely and anonymously surrender their newborn infants without facing legal consequences within 45 days of their birth.

The baby box is equipped with temperature control and a silent alarm system that notifies emergency personnel within moments of a baby being placed inside. This ensures the infant receives immediate care and attention. Once the baby is placed inside and the door is shut, it remains locked from the outside. Crews will care for and transport the child to the hospital.

“This is a resource at our department that’s going to be available to families who now have another option for the safe surrender of a child if they’re in crisis,” Captain Charles Hines, Health and Safety Officer, said. “Whatever the situation, there are no questions asked.”

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Kelsey removed a laminated out-of-service sign and officially placed the box in service and available.

“We have seen time and time again that preparation can save and change lives,” Kelsey said. “We never know when or where we will be needed, so it is crucial to have options for mothers in crisis.”

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