Polk County Fire Rescue promoting the safe harboring of newborn babies with renewed partnership

BARTOW, Fla. - Polk County Fire Rescue announced a renewed partnership with A Safe Haven for Newborns foundation in an effort to promote the safe harboring of newborn babies.

Firefighters are placing Safe Haven stickers on all its vehicles to try to remind the public that it is designated as a Safe Haven location for newborns and that Polk County Fire Rescue is always here to help.

"I want to get out to parents that Polk County fire stations, over 49 stations, we are a safe haven," said Fire Chief Hezedean Smith. "At any point, if there's a situation that you feel that there's a newborn in your situation where you feel like you need to turn that newborn over without any fear of persecution or prosecution and anonymously, you can do that at your local Polk County fire station."

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Under Florida law, parents are allowed to leave their unharmed newborn child - up to a week old - at hospitals, EMS and fire stations anonymously. The children must be handed over to another person.

Firefighter placed stickers on all their vehicles. Courtesy: PCFR 

The idea to partner with A Safe Haven for Newborns to create the stickers stemmed from two incidents of newborn abandonment reported within Polk County, according to Chief Smith. In January, someone found a newborn still alive in the woods in Mulberry. That child survived. 

In May, however, another newborn was found dead in a dumpster in Lakeland.

READ: 6-year-old boy drowns in Polk County, deputies say

According to A Safe Haven for Newborns, there have been a total of 10 newborn abandonment incidents reported throughout Florida in 2023, eight of which were successfully surrendered to designated Safe Haven locations.

A Safe Haven for Newborns foundation and Polk County Fire Rescue renewed their partnership. Courtesy; PCFR

If you are pregnant and feel overwhelmed, A Safe Haven for Newborns said the organization can help. 

For more information, click here or call (877) 767-2229.