Press release: Bloomington Fire Department Expands Safe Haven Baby Box Access

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 9, 2025

Bloomington Fire Department Expands Safe Haven Baby Box Access

Bloomington, Ind. – The Bloomington Fire Department (BFD) is proud to announce the opening of a brand-new Safe Haven Baby Box, a safe location where an infant can be safely surrendered with no questions asked, at Fire Station #2, 209 S. Fairfield Drive. The Baby Box at Fire Station #1, 300 E. Fourth St., has also reopened after being temporarily closed due to significant flooding in 2021 that impacted the entire station.

The new Baby Box location was made possible through a $10,000 grant from the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), awarded to the Fire Department’s Mobile Integrated Health (MIH) unit in March 2024. AMI Roofing Contractors, Inc., completed free installation as a community service.

“I am so proud to have been on this expansion journey, and I will continue to collaborate and raise the flag for public awareness efforts to ensure that every person knows there is a safe, legal, and anonymous way to give a child a future,” said Community EMT Trisha Rademachir, who wrote the grant for the Department.

The public is invited to attend the opening’s blessing ceremony at 1 p.m. on June 11, 2025, at Fire Station #2 featuring Mayor Kerry Thomson, Fire Chief Roger Kerr, and departmental Chaplain, Lt. Ray Cazee. Media are welcome to attend and capture remarks and the blessing ceremony.

“Adding a second Safe Haven Baby Box for the City of Bloomington Fire Department and a third for Monroe County as a whole marks a critical, caring, and compassionate step forward in safeguarding the lives of our most vulnerable citizens—newborns in crisis,” said Chief Kerr. “This expansion of access to Safe Haven Baby Boxes strengthens the City of Bloomington’s commitment to public safety and family support and reinforces Monroe County’s dedication to protecting life through practical, anonymous, and legal options for parents in distress.”

Safe Haven Baby Boxes have already proven their life-saving potential across Indiana and the United States by providing a secure, anonymous alternative for parents who feel they cannot care for their newborns. By increasing the number of these boxes in our region, Bloomington expands that safety net, reducing the risk of infant abandonment and ensuring that every child has a chance at a good life, even if the beginning finds all involved in a most desperate circumstance.

The Safe Haven Law (Indiana Code 31-34-2.5) protects parents from legal consequences when an infant is surrendered in this way, and ensures the baby is immediately cared for by trained emergency personnel—such as firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, police officers, or hospital staff.

This initiative holds life-saving implications not just for residents of Bloomington and Monroe County but also for families in surrounding counties who may now have improved access to this critical resource. With each additional box, we reduce barriers to safe surrender, enhance awareness, and reaffirm our collective commitment to protecting life and offering hope to those in crisis.

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