Cole County dedicates baby box at EMS headquarters
Haley Swaino
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Cole County officially introduced its Safe Haven Baby Box to the community in a dedication ceremony on Thursday.
County leaders, EMS staff and Gov. Mike Kehoe were in attendance.
“We’ve always known this community has a huge heart and really wants to look out for not only the first responder community but also for innocent life,” Kehoe said. “And so we’re grateful to have one [baby box] here in Cole County.”
The device, which allows for safe and anonymous surrender of infants, was installed on the east side of the EMS Headquarters in downtown Jefferson City. People can access it from East McCarty Street.
It is the 424th Safe Haven Baby Box in the U.S. and 13th in Missouri, according to Mariah Betz, who is the assistant project coordinator and training administrator for Safe Haven. Three babies have been surrendered to boxes in Missouri.
The dedication of Cole County’s box comes more than two years after the Jefferson City Public Safety Committee began talks to install a box after a baby was left in a Walmart bag behind a shed in Maries County.
“This project is not addressing an identified need in our community. Instead, it’s a safety net. An option we don’t expect or hope to use frequently,” Cole County EMS Chief Eric Hoy said.
GBH Builders Inc. in Jefferson City was the contractor that installed the baby box. After installation, Safe Haven required testing and a state inspection.
“Our crews have received specific information on how to respond if the box were to be utilized,” Hoy said. “And obviously our agency has pediatric readiness, where we’re trained specially to take care of pediatric patients.”
There were a few roadblocks to get to this day, Hoy said.
The community raised nearly $28,000 for the baby box, but construction costs left a $4,900 deficit after the state did not approve the original location the county proposed for the box because it was up a set of stairs.
Few exterior walls on the EMS headquarters met all the state’s requirements for baby box installation. The location that was approved is a three-story, weight-bearing brick wall. And that made installation more expensive, Hoy said.
The Cole County Commission agreed to a plan in September to spend EMS funds upfront to cover the $4,900 construction cost gap and then seek reimbursement from the state.
The baby box is now available for use. Hoy said if an infant is dropped off, they’ll get immediate medical care. They will then be taken to the hospital where the state will work to find them appropriate shelter.
People experiencing a crisis can also safely surrender a newborn by dialing 911 or at any staffed EMS, police or fire station.