Atoka, TN — The Atoka Fire Department confirms that a healthy infant was safely surrendered over the holiday weekend using the Safe Haven Baby Box located at Atoka Fire Station #1,108 Atoka-McLaughlin Drive, Atoka, Tennessee.
The baby was placed in the Safe Haven Baby Box in accordance with Tennessee’s Safe Haven Law. Upon activation of the alarm system, Atoka firefighters immediately responded, providing care and ensuring the infant was safely transported for medical evaluation. The infant was found to be in good health.
The Atoka Fire Department is grateful that the individual surrendering the child chose a safe, legal, and anonymous option to protect the life of this child. No identifying information is required when using a Safe Haven Baby Box, and the law protects individuals who safely surrender an infant from criminal prosecution. For more information on Safe Haven Baby Boxes, please visit www.shbb.org.
“This Safe Haven Baby Box exists for moments like this,” said Fire Chief Bill Scott. “Our firefighters responded exactly as trained, and because of this resource, a child is safe and receiving the care they need.”
The Safe Haven Baby Box at Atoka Fire Station #1 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is monitored with silent alarms to ensure an immediate response by trained personnel.
The Atoka Fire Department asks the community to respect the privacy of all individuals involved during this time.
The new Paris Fire Station will be equipped with a Safe Baby Box.