Public donations make baby box possible

RUSSELLVILLE — City Council members have approved the purchase of a Safe Haven Baby Box using funds donated for that purpose.

Two different families, who wish to remain anonymous, donated a total of $25,000 for the box.

Another anonymous family is donating the installation work once the box arrives.

Fire Chief Joe Mansell said Capt. Jeremy Glenn initially brought the need to his attention.

The box, according to Glenn, will fill a gap between existing boxes in Colbert County to the north, Madison County to the east, Walker County to the south and a box in Tupelo, Mississippi, to the west.

“Children are really special,” Glenn said. “I started doing research about it, and around the same time the donors reached out and said they wanted to fund a baby box. I jumped on board and said, let’s go, let’s do it.”

Glenn said that the cost for the box is $16,500, but it requires an annual $600 monitoring fee.

The donated funds will allow the department to cover the total cost for around 14 years.

“God was working in this,” Mansell said. “In the fire service, it’s always about serving and protecting your community, and we want to make sure every child has a chance at life.”

Currently, paperwork is being completed to order the box, and Mansell said the department will be “at the mercy” of the Safe Haven company in terms of delivery.

When the box does arrive, it will be installed in a wall at the fire station. It will be monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Glenn explained to city council members this week that a silent alarm is triggered when the outside door to the box, which is heated and cooled to a constant temperature safe for an infant, is opened.

The silent alarm notifies the Fire Department, 911, the hospital, Department of Human Resources and the Police Department.

He said there is a weight sensor and internal video monitoring, but the video will not show the person placing the baby in the box, allowing for total anonymity, as required by state law.

Mansell said the box provides a safe, anonymous way for someone to leave a baby, no matter the circumstances.

“We just want to make sure, on our end, that we’ve covered every base to give every child an opportunity at life,” Mansell said. “If we’ve done this, we feel like we’ve given a place for a baby to be dropped off, no questions asked. That baby will be taken care of and have a great life, and that’s the main thing.”