‘If we save one child’: St. Albans unveils ‘baby box’ funded by community
By Ashley Perham, Charleston Gazette-Mail
ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — The St. Albans Fire Department unveiled its new “baby box” Monday afternoon.
The box — which provides a safe, anonymous way for parents to give up newborns — is built into the Central Fire Station on the corner of Sixth Avenue and B Street. The box is located at the back left corner of the fire station, when facing it from the front.
One of the first
The fire department announced its intention to install a baby box in October 2023. The device became legal in West Virginia last year as part of House Bill 3559.
Within one day, the department had the necessary funds from the community. Most came from Chapman Technical Group, a local engineering and architectural consulting firm. Joot, a security company from Hurricane, provided the security system.
The box comes from Safe Haven Baby Boxes, a national company that has installed over 250 boxes around the country.
This box is the fourth in West Virginia. There are two in Moundsville and one in Morgantown. The next closest box to St. Albans is in Winchester, Kentucky.