The local Safe Haven Baby Box has been temporarily taken out of service as it’s relocated to the new Owensboro Fire Department Station 3, and officials say it’s crucial for the public to know that several other safe, legal surrender options remain available during the closure.
OFD Chief James Howard said the move is necessary as Station 1, where the box was previously located, is slated to be rebuilt under Operation Firehouse, a multi-year effort to modernize the city’s fire stations.
Howard said the department wanted to avoid taking the box offline twice — once during demolition and again to reinstall it elsewhere — so they chose to move it directly to its “forever home” at Station 3 at 2633 Cravens Avenue.
“This is the optimal time to take the box and install it at that location, to make sure it’s installed properly and the communication aspects of it are set up right,” Howard said.
Station 3 remains under construction, with crews still needing approximately 3 months to complete interior finishes. Howard said the box will not be activated until firefighters are able to staff the new station.
“You can’t have a baby box in service without having 24/7 staffing. That just wouldn’t make any sense,” he said. “Whenever we move into the station, that’s when we will put the box back online.”
Because the Owensboro box will be unavailable for several months, temporary signage will be installed at Station 1 directing anyone in need to the nearest Safe Haven Baby Box in Rockport, Indiana. The sign will also include the Safe Haven hotline and website, along with instructions to call 911 in an emergency.
“A big part of what we’re trying to do is to let people know that there are other resources,” Howard said. “If you’re in a situation where that’s an option you need, there are other baby boxes within a fairly short driving distance.”
Howard emphasized that Kentucky’s Safe Infants Act still allows parents to legally and anonymously surrender an infant under 30 days old, even without a baby box.
“Anytime someone’s in that situation, by law they can anonymously surrender that infant to a police station, a fire station, the hospital, or even EMS,” he said. “Those agencies would take care of that child and make sure the child is transported to be evaluated properly.”
If choosing a face-to-face surrender, Howard stressed that parents need to hand the child directly to personnel rather than leaving them outside.
“Don’t leave them at the doorstep like you might see in a movie,” he said. “We may not be there, and we want to make sure the child is delivered into a safe environment.”
Owensboro’s box has never been used since its installation in August 2023, though Howard said staff remain fully trained and that having the option available remains critical.
“At the time that someone needs it, we want to make sure that resource is available,” he said. “We want to make sure the best option is available for the person who’s in the situation where that is what is necessary to keep that child safe.”
