SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Non-profit Heartbeat of Toledo announced it's helping fund Springfield Township Fire Department's safe haven box, a place for young mothers to safely and discreetly drop off their babies.
STFD firefighter and paramedic Shelbie Flegal said Heartbeat of Toledo wants to support every possible option for young mothers, including ways for those who feel unfit to raise children to have a safe and secure way to give them up.
Safe haven baby boxes are temperature-controlled, and Springfield Township's will be installed in front of Fire Station 51 on South McCord Road in Holland, Ohio.
The device will be monitored 24/7 in case a child is placed inside. As soon as one is detected, the box locks and emergency personnel arrive to collect the baby. Then, it's handed over to Lucas County Children Services without any questions.
Flegal said safe haven boxes have proven to be successful in other States like Indiana, where over 80 children have been given up to protective services this way and their infant abandonment deaths have dropped to zero.
She said Heartbeat of Toledo heard about their safe haven box and decided to step up and support the device to help save infant lives.
"They have a big banquet in October, so a portion of those funds are going to go to us for the cost and install of the box," she said. "There are numerous maintenance fees for year-to-year because we're 24/7 monitoring."
Flegal said that STFD is sending out their paperwork for the device on Wednesday and installation should happen in the next four to six weeks.
Heartbeat of Toledo's fundraiser will happen on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m.