FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 4, 2024

Opening of Morgantown’s New Safe Haven Baby Box Set for April 15

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. - An opening ceremony for the City of Morgantown’s new Safe Haven Baby Box, located at Norwood Fire Station, is set for April 15 at 3 p.m.

The ceremony will include a blessing of the baby box by Reverend Larry Buckland, along with a ribbon cutting and tour of the newly renovated Norwood Fire Station, located at 100 Hillcrest St. Morgantown, WV 26505.

The ceremony will not only serve as an opportunity to celebrate the opening of the Safe Haven Baby Box, but also as a chance to see the Morgantown Fire Department's new ladder truck and the recently-completed renovations to Norwood Fire Station.

Representatives from Morgantown City Council, the Morgantown Fire Department, and Safe Haven Baby Box organization will be in attendance to speak about the benefits of the new resource, among others.

“We are eager to celebrate the opening of Morgantown’s new Safe Haven Baby Box,” said Mayor Jenny Selin. “We are hopeful that this recent addition to the Norwood Fire Station will be a life-saving resource for newborns in desperate need of care.”

The purpose of a Safe Haven Baby Box is to provide a way to safely and anonymously surrender a baby 30 days of age or younger. The boxes are monitored and climate controlled 24/7.

The exterior door of the box will immediately lock once a baby is placed inside, and emergency personnel will automatically be notified. 

Fire station personnel are required to take the child to the nearest emergency hospital within 30 minutes of the child being surrendered.

“Part of the Morgantown Fire Department’s core mission is to preserve life," said Fire Chief Eugene Deem. "For us to be able to play even a small role in saving an infant’s life by providing parents with a safe and anonymous way to surrender a child is monumental."

In February, Morgantown City Council passed an ordinance which designated Norwood Fire Station as a safe surrender site, in line with West Virginia legislation code 49-4-206.

For more information about Safe Haven Baby Boxes, please visit https://www.shbb.org/.

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