The boxes will go at fire stations in all 14 Jacksonville city council district to provide a place for parents to Safe Haven drop-off newborns.
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. — Baby boxes are on the way for fire stations across Jacksonville, and they could soon be added all around the first coast.
The Jacksonville city council voted unanimously to pay for 14 boxes to allow parents to safely drop-off newborns and alert first responders in the process.
Under Safe Haven laws, parents can surrender a baby within 30 days, no questions asked, and now, city leaders believe they’ll have a safer way to do it.
“We don’t have them here,” said Jacksonville City Council Member Rory Diamond. “Babies are literally thrown into dumpsters, babies die. 38 babies surrendered in Jacksonville in the last 10 years.”
Soon, newborn parents in Jacksonville won’t have to leave a baby on a doorstep, hoping someone finds it before anything happens.
The city of Jacksonville is spending about $300,000 to install one baby box in each district, with temperature control and an alert system for Jacksonville Fire Rescue to know the moment a baby is placed in one.
“Take it to the ER, make sure that baby is safe and healthy, then, hopefully let’s find it a wonderful family here in Jacksonville for it to grow up and thrive with,” said Diamond.
Diamond says the 14 boxes in Duval County will be the most for any county in the state.
However, other counties are following close behind.
“The plan is, as we remodel stations moving forward, we’re going to be adding the baby boxes to that remodel and to those stations,” said Chris Naff with St. Johns County Fire Rescue.
Naff says baby boxes will go in at three stations being remodeled over the next few years, including one on State Road 210, where a baby was left after being discovered in a box on the side of the road in 2024.
“Luckily, our guys were there,” said Naff. “They didn’t have to use the box, but our guys were there and able to provide care and take it to the hospital. It’s the one getting remodeled first, so they’re going to be the first one with access to it.”
Diamond says he’s also reached out to Nassau and Clay counties about adding some boxes there, too.
“We need a safe and anonymous way for a brand new mom, who, for whatever reason, can’t keep that baby, to make it safe,” said Diamond.
Diamond says the boxes should be installed in the Jacksonville are by late summer this year.