Safe Haven box gets donation

Portland Fire Department recently received a donation to support its “baby box.”

The Church of the Most Holy Trinity of Bryant recently donated $422.62 to support the Safe Haven Baby Box, which was installed at Portland Fire Station last year.

Portland Fire Chief Mike Weitzel explained there are ongoing expenses of about $800 per year to lease and monitor the baby box.

The box located in the center of the four overhead doors at the fire station, 1616 N. Franklin St., is equipped with a mattress pad, blanket and hat. Anyone who feels they can no longer take care of their infant can surrender their child anonymously using the box. Once a baby is in the box, an alarm is activated. The goal is to have someone tending to the baby within two minutes.

“It is here and available,” said Weitzel. “We were fortunate enough that we had a gentleman start the whole process on that and get the ball rolling for us to be able to have one.”